Quick Trip to Chicago, and a Lesson in Architecture

Yesterday, my family went downtown to Chicago, a scant 22.5 miles from my home. We did it to support my mom, who was running a 1/2 marathon through the city. Since the race kicked off at 6:30 AM, we stayed overnight in a hotel. As we drove and walked through the city, I couldn't help but keep my gaze from drifting up to the wonderful buildings. Namely, the COLUMNS!


(Image from Wikipedia)

Namely, the Chicago Cultural Center, formerly the Chicago Public Library. There are these large pillars along every side of the building, up in between the square windows. It's a bit hard to make out in the picture, but they're there. I remember my World History, freshman year, where we learned the three different types of column. Do you know what they are?

The Dorian Column! The plainest of the three.

The Ionian/Ionic Column! This one features curly embellishments.

And finally, the Corinthian Column! This one is super fancy, and features skillfully carved leaves, fruit, and other decorations.




Which one is your favorite? I saw all three types in Chicago, and I must say that I am a fan of the Ionian columns the most.