Wrigley Building - White Terra Cotta Landmark

Stop on Historic Chicago Loop Walking Tour, a free self-guided tour.

Cross the Chicago River via the Michigan Avenue Bridge to view the Wrigley Building's gleaming white facade. Completed in 1921 for chewing gum magnate William Wrigley Jr., this landmark consists of twin towers connected by walkways. The south tower reaches 30 stories while the north tower, added in 1924, rises to 21 stories. Architects Graham, Anderson, Probst & White modeled the design after the Giralda tower in Seville, Spain. The building's 250,000 white terra cotta tiles, made from six different shades of white, gleam brilliantly when illuminated at night, making it one of Chicago's most recognizable structures. The clock tower on the south tower echoes European civic architecture. The building anchors the north end of Michigan Avenue's Magnificent Mile and represents Chicago's commercial prosperity during the 1920s. The terra cotta cladding was chosen for its ability to be cleaned easily in Chicago's sooty industrial environment. The building pioneered the use of exterior floodlighting to highlight architecture at night. From here, you can see the historic Michigan Avenue Bridge, completed in 1920 to connect the Loop with the developing North Side.