In the bustling northeastern Illinois metropolis of Chicago, just getting around can be half the adventure. With a public transportation system second in the United States only to New York, options include buses, taxis and the “L” train (Chicago’s elevated subway system, so nicknamed because when it was first completed in 1943, most of it was elevated). Of course there’s always the more scenic option of walking.

On a recent visit to the windy city, my husband, Jeremy, and I decided to forego the plethora of cabs and hoof it to most of our destinations as we explored the arts and the city’s rich architectural history. Touring Chicago on foot would give us the chance to explore corner cafes and bistros and make us feel a part of the city.

The Chicago Architecture Foundation (CAF) provides many options for viewing historic and modern-day architecture. In addition to bus, boat and neighborhood tours, guided walking tours are a great way to observe the city. Most of the tours last two hours, and begin at the ArchiCenter Shop & Tour Center in the Santa Fe Building, at 224 South Michigan Avenue.

While walking through Chicago, one can’t help but take in the beauty and diversity of the city’s architecture.

The CAF tour guides are all volunteers, with a wealth of knowledge concerning not only the history of the buildings themselves, but also of the architects who designed them. Interesting asides about the city’s history keep tour-goers captivated along the journey.

Jeremy and I took the historic skyscrapers tour, which covers skyscrapers built between 1885 and 1935. We learned how Chicago’s architecture was forever changed by the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.

In 1870, Chicago was growing rapidly, with a population of 300,000 people, many of whom worked in manufacturing jobs. Then in 1871, a fire started in a barn outside Chicago, and strong winds spread it to the city.

More than 17,000 structures were destroyed, and several hundred people died in the fire. Since the United States was in a recession, rebuilding didn’t begin until a decade later.

With land at a premium by then, architects began expanding buildings vertically, instead of horizontally. The first skyscrapers built following the fire were 16 to 18 stories high.

During this time, a school of architects was active in Chicago, and they created what became known as the Chicago School of architecture, with innovations in structure and design that helped to make Chicago the birthplace of the skyscraper.

The new style included steel-frame buildings clad with terra cotta, numerous windows to bring in ambient light and simple exterior adornment. Architects who were instrumental in implementing this new style of design included Daniel Burnham and Louis Sullivan.