Balaban and Katz Chicago Theatre - Chicago, Illinois
Posted by: Groundspeak Regular Member Hikenutty
N 41° 53.123 W 087° 37.668
16T E 447913 N 4637240
The Chicago Theatre was the first large, lavish movie palace in America and was the prototype for all others. This beautiful movie palace was constructed for $4 million and was the flagship of the Balaban and Katz theatre chain.
Waymark Code: WM13A9
Location: Illinois, United States
Date Posted: 01/01/2007
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member deano1943
Views: 50

The Chicago Theatre was the first large, lavish movie palace in America and was the prototype for all others. This beautiful movie palace was constructed for $4 million and was the flagship of the Balaban and Katz theatre chain.

Built in French Baroque style, The Chicago Theatre’s exterior features a miniature replica of Paris’ Arc de Triomphe, sculpted above its State Street marquee. The triumphal arch is sixty feet wide and six stories high.

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 3,600 seat auditorium is seven stories high, more than one half of a city block wide, and nearly as long. The vertical sign "C-H-I-C-A-G-O," at nearly six stories high, is one of the few such signs in existence today. A symbol of State Street and Chicago, the sign and marquee are landmarks in themselves, as is the 29-rank Wurlitzer theatre pipe organ.
Street address:
175 N. State St.
Chicago, IL USA
60601


County / Borough / Parish: Cook

Year listed: 1979

Historic (Areas of) Significance: Architecture/Engineering, Event

Periods of significance: 1900-1949

Historic function: Recreation - Movie theatre

Current function: Recreation - Live Stage Productions and Music

Privately owned?: yes

Season start / Season finish: From: 01/01/2007 To: 12/31/2007

Primary Web Site: [Web Link]

Secondary Website 1: [Web Link]

Hours of operation: Not listed

Secondary Website 2: Not listed

National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
Please give the date and brief account of your visit. Include any additional observations or information that you may have, particularly about the current condition of the site. Additional photos are highly encouraged, but not mandatory.
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