Located in downtown Chicago, the Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower) is the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere at 110 stories.

Chicago's rapid population growth between 1870 and 1900 (from 299,000 to 1.7 million) made it the fastest-growing city in history at the time.

Every year, six million people visit the “Taste of Chicago,” an annual food festival held in Grant Park that lasts for 10 days and features cuisine from more than 70 local restaurants.

Attracting over eight million visitors a year, Chicago's Navy Pier features a permanent Ferris wheel that reaches a height of 15 stories (150 feet).

Soldier Field (home of the Chicago Bears) was one of nine U.S. venues chosen to host matches for the 1994 FIFA World Cup.

In 1900, the city completed a massive engineering project that reversed the flow of the Chicago River — making it empty into the Mississippi River instead of Lake Michigan.

Chicago earned the nickname "The Windy City" in the 1880s, referencing the city's abundance of vocal politicians; the original source is still a subject of debate.

The first aquarium in the United States opened in Chicago in 1893.

The world's first skyscraper was built in Chicago in 1885.

Fortune 500 Companies Based in the Chicago Area

Movies Filmed in the Chicago Area