Chicago is one of the largest cities in the United States and a major financial hub, often considered the country’s second most important financial center after New York. Chicago is located in the state of Illinois, where the Chicago River flows into Lake Michigan, the largest lake in the United States by volume.
Founded in 1833, Chicago’s geographic position—between the eastern and western parts of the country—became its key competitive advantage. This strategic location fueled the city’s rapid rise as an economic, industrial, and transportation center, making it a crucial crossroads for trade, railroads, and commerce across the nation.
A turning point in the city’s history came with the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, which destroyed much of the old city. While devastating, the fire also sparked a powerful wave of urban renewal. Chicago soon earned a reputation as the architectural capital of America and the birthplace of the skyscraper. It was here that the world’s first building over ten stories tall—the Home Insurance Building—was constructed, forever changing the future of urban architecture.
Today, Chicago remains one of the world’s leading high-rise cities. It is home to many of the tallest buildings in the United States and dozens of skyscrapers that rank among the tallest in the world, shaping one of the most recognizable skylines on the planet.
During the 1920s, the city gained a darker reputation as the nation’s crime capital, when more than a thousand criminal gangs operated in and around Chicago under the leadership of legendary figures such as Al Capone. This era became a lasting part of the city’s myth and pop culture image.
Despite this past, modern Chicago is one of the top tourist destinations in the U.S. Its bold architecture, expansive waterfront, and numerous green spaces attract visitors from around the world. Today, the city welcomes over 50 million tourists every year, ranking among the most visited cities in the country.