buckingham fountain

The Clarence Buckingham Memorial Fountain was dedicated to Chicago by Kate Buckingham in memory of her late brother.

Since its construction in 1927, it has become an icon for our city and a historical landmark, instilling Chicagoans with a sense of pride. Set in Grant Park, our city's front yard, this magic monument i srecognized for its enormous presence, decorative details and use of innovative technology to create a dynamic light an dwater display.

Buckingham Fountain, one of the largest in the world, was designed by Edward H. Bennett, an advocate for the 1909 Plan of Chicago, which encouraged the protection of green space around the lakefront. With the help of Frend Sculpture Marcel Loyau and engineer Jacques Lambert, Bennett was able to create one of the nation's most impressive structures.

Inspired by the Latona basin at Versailles, the Fountain is made of elaborately carved pink Georgia marble with granite and bronze details. Four seahorses statues sit in each corner of the lower basin to represent the states bordering Lake Michigan.

It runs everyday from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. typically from mid-April to mid-October. An amazing water display runs for 20 minutes every hour, on the hour and includes a central jet that shoots up to 150 feet in the air. At dusk, a light and music show enhances the magical water display.