Buckingham Fountain
شيكاغو
Buckingham Fountain has been the heart of Grant Park since 1927. Donated by Kate Buckingham, who named it after her brother, it represents Lake Michigan and the states around it.
A family of collectors
Kate Buckingham and her brother Clarence loved art. They donated prints, paintings and sculptures to the city's great art museum. In 1927 Kate gave this fountain to the city and named it after Clarence. She wanted it to be beautiful by day and by night.
A French-style fountain
It was designed by the same architect who drew the great plan for the park. He was inspired by a basin in the gardens of a French king, but he made it twice as big. The bronze sculptures are by the French artist Marcel Loyau. To make them, he studied the sea creatures of a zoology museum in Paris.
The lake in miniature
The fountain has three basins, one above the other like a cake, plus the large base pool. It represents Lake Michigan. The four groups of bronze creatures are the four states that touch the lake.
Water and lights
In the warm months the fountain puts on big water shows. In the evening it lights up in many colors. The water in the center can shoot up to 46 meters. In the cold months the basin rests among the gardens.
