Chicago's Unique Houses of WorshipChicago is an "architectural town" -- known the world over for its breathtaking skyline and beautiful buildings -- many designed by world renowned architects such as Daniel Burnham, Louis Sullivan, Mies van her Rohe, and Frank Lloyd Wright.
Many of the most notable of Chicago's eclectic architecture are the City's churches and other houses of worship built for communities established both before, and in the aftermath of, the Chicago Fire in 1871. These buildings not only are aesthetically pleasing, but they also serve as a connection to the diverse immigrant past of Chicago.
After the Chicago Fire of 1871, much of the city had to be rebuilt, making Chicago the perfect place for both established and emerging architects, such as Daniel Burnham and Frank Lloyd Wright, whose work not only reflected the Victorian Era, but as the 20th Century unfolded, which also was inspired by, and incorporated, the architectural styles of the "prairie", with its wide open horizontal spaces and integration of structure and nature.
Ranging from resolutely mainstream to the ethnically-rooted and the avant-garde, Chicago's houses of worship not only reflect the unique diversity of the City's highly creative architecture, but also the spiritual diversity of the people who have made their homes in this vibrant City.
Many of Chicago's houses of worship are centerpieces within the ethnic communities they continue to serve. They represent a link between the old and the new traditions, and the continuity which transcends both. 
Chicago's
faith-based affiliated colleges have also become historically
significant attractions in the City. DePaul University, the largest Catholic university in the country, first founded
by the Vincentians in 1898 to serve Roman Catholic children of
immigrants, has since grown into an acclaimed liberal arts college. Loyola
University of Chicago, a Jesuit university founded in 1870, is now
the largest Jesuit university in the U.S. and home to the Saint Joseph
College Seminary and the Jesuit First Studies Program, one of
only three such programs in the country.
In 2014, the Americana HeritageTours division of our heritage and cultural
tour planning company, Snobby Tours®, Inc., launched
our FAITH-BASED CHICAGO ARCHITECTURE TOUR: HISTORIC HOUSES OF WORSHIP©.
This Tour is guided by various expert Chicago architectural and religious historians affiliated with the Chicago Architectural Foundation, the Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust, the City of
Chicago, and the historic houses of worship included on this Tour.
It is also scheduled
to coincide with Chicago's Annual Gospel Music Festival which showcases
the best in local, national and international Gospel Music performers. Held over
four days in three locations, The Chicago Gospel
Music Festival
includes the weekend at Ellis Park in historic Bronzeville, the birthplace of
Gospel Music.
Each guide on
this unique Tour provides extensive expertise regarding the work of
Chicago's most prolific architects, as well as knowledge about Chicago's eclectic neighborhoods and
their history, and the distinctive architectural styles which are reflective
of the diverse ethnic cultures and religions which have become the
overall fabric of Chicago.
Leaders of the
various houses of worship will conduct one-on-one dialogues about their
congregations and their history in the Chicago community.
congregations and their history in the Chicago community.
Faith-based houses of worship having architectural significance which are on this Tour include Catholic, Episcopal, Jewish, Presbyterian, Methodist, Unitarian,
Baha'i, Baptist and Islamic, inter
alia.
For more information about our unique and fascinating custom-created
FAITH-BASED CHICAGO ARCHITECTURE TOUR: HISTORIC HOUSES OF WORSHIP©. visit us at :
FAITH-BASED CHICAGO ARCHITECTURE TOUR: HISTORIC HOUSES OF WORSHIP©. visit us at :
© 2014 Snobby Tours®, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
