The Chicago Theatre
The Chicago Theatre
This is a must see for anyone that is a fan of either movie palaces or great classical architechture or both. The sheer elegance of The Chicago Theatre often leaves its visitors breathless. The grand lobby, majestic staircase and beautiful auditorium, complete with murals above the stage and on the ceiling, are components of an amazing building called "the Wonder Theatre of the World" when it opened on October 26, 1921.
The Chicago Theatre has the distinction of being the first large, lavish movie palace in America and was the prototype for all others. This beautiful movie palace was constructed for $4 million.
Built in classical French Baroque style, The Chicago Theatre's exterior features a miniature replica of Paris' Arc de Triomphe, sculpted above its State Street marquee. Faced in a glazed, off-white terra cotta, the triumphal arch is sixty feet wide and six stories high. Within the arch is a grand window in which is set a large circular stained-glass panel bearing the coat-of-arms of the Balaban and Katz chain - two horses holding ribbons of 35-mm film in their mouths.
The grand lobby, modeled after the Royal Chapel at Versailles, is five stories high and surrounded by gallery promenades at the mezzanine and balcony levels. The grand staircase is patterned after that of the Paris Opera House and ascends to the various levels of the Great Balcony.
The theatre's auditorium holds 3,600 seats and is seven stories high. It stands at more than one half of a city block wide, and nearly as long. No expense was spared in the creation of this masterpiece of elegance and design, unfortunately, economic factors caused business to sag and the movie house closed September 19, 1985.
In 1986, Chicago Theatre Restoration Associates, with assistance from the City of Chicago, bought and saved the theatre from demolition and began a meticulous nine-month multi-million dollar restoration and restored this grand venue to its former glory.
This is a must see for anyone that is a fan of either movie palaces or great classical architechture or both. The sheer elegance of The Chicago Theatre often leaves its visitors breathless. The grand lobby, majestic staircase and beautiful auditorium, complete with murals above the stage and on the ceiling, are components of an amazing building called "the Wonder Theatre of the World" when it opened on October 26, 1921.
The Chicago Theatre has the distinction of being the first large, lavish movie palace in America and was the prototype for all others. This beautiful movie palace was constructed for $4 million.
Built in classical French Baroque style, The Chicago Theatre's exterior features a miniature replica of Paris' Arc de Triomphe, sculpted above its State Street marquee. Faced in a glazed, off-white terra cotta, the triumphal arch is sixty feet wide and six stories high. Within the arch is a grand window in which is set a large circular stained-glass panel bearing the coat-of-arms of the Balaban and Katz chain - two horses holding ribbons of 35-mm film in their mouths.
The grand lobby, modeled after the Royal Chapel at Versailles, is five stories high and surrounded by gallery promenades at the mezzanine and balcony levels. The grand staircase is patterned after that of the Paris Opera House and ascends to the various levels of the Great Balcony.
The theatre's auditorium holds 3,600 seats and is seven stories high. It stands at more than one half of a city block wide, and nearly as long. No expense was spared in the creation of this masterpiece of elegance and design, unfortunately, economic factors caused business to sag and the movie house closed September 19, 1985.
In 1986, Chicago Theatre Restoration Associates, with assistance from the City of Chicago, bought and saved the theatre from demolition and began a meticulous nine-month multi-million dollar restoration and restored this grand venue to its former glory.
