Buckingham Fountain

Buckingham Fountain stands at the center of Grant Park in Chicago as a major lakefront landmark and one of the world’s largest fountains. Dedicated in 1927 after Kate Sturges Buckingham donated it in memory of her brother Clarence, it combines memorial purpose with Beaux-Arts design by Edward H. Bennett and sculpture by Marcel F. Loyau. Inspired by Versailles and conceived as an allegory of Lake Michigan, it features sea horses representing the four bordering states. Its vast scale, choreographed water displays, and illuminated shows have made it one of Chicago’s most recognizable symbols, while repeated restorations reflect the challenge of preserving it in the city’s climate.

Chicago, Illinois · United States