We begin this tour on the northeast corner of Monroe Street and Michigan Avenue. As you face north, to your right is Crown Fountain.

Designed by Jaume Plensa and built by architects Krueck + Sexton, this interactive fountain features visual images of ordinary Chicagoans on two identical 50-foot monoliths, with water periodically shooting from their lips -- similar to the traditional use of gargoyles in fountains.

The structures use 22,000 ten-pound glass blocks, and the surface area of the fountain floor is covered with matte black granite. The dark, empty space between the monoliths is covered with water measuring 1/8th inch deep -- great for reflecting the surrounding area. The pool measures 232-feet long by 48-feet wide. During warm weather months, you will see kids of all ages stepping into this inviting space -- either splashing and cooling-off from the Chicago heat or just mesmerized by the images. As an aside, the facial images displayed on the monoliths were taken from a cross-section of 1,000 city residents representing Chicago’s large, diverse population in terms of age, gender, and ethnicity.

For more information on Crown Fountain, tap the blue button on this page.

When ready to move to the next stop, tap the "Next" button.