Huge abstract sculptures of the Puerto Rican Flag.

Beloved bar home to musicians of all eras and reputations.

Orthodox church partially financed by Tsar Nicolas II.

The original Garfield station is the oldest station facility on the "L", with the station house dating from 1892.

A strange rock in Chicago marks the spot where a tree once stood in honor of the 18th President.

A beloved Chicago music venue offering cold beer and lots of “Friendly."

A lush green oasis in the middle of Chicago.

This unauthorized stone mermaid was secretly carved out of public stone before being permanently preserved.

This monument owes its name to a quote by the famous civil rights activist and journalist.

An unassuming store hides relics of its former life as the jazz club that hosted some of the best black performers of the 1920s and '30s.

One of the few remaining relics of the meatpacking hub that made Chicago the "hog butcher to the world."

Former meatpacking facility turned vertical farm and sustainable business complex.

These abandoned grain silos and tunnels are an urban exploration dream.

This cheerfully-named branch of the Chicago River is the fetid result of years of blood, entrails, and meatpacking waste.

Parking lot where a Chicago mayor was inaugurated under very sketchy circumstances.

A European-style bath house in Chicago.

This shop for all your super spy needs hides an educational secret.

Combination beer garden and music venue in the heart of Wicker Park.

A giant bronze coil of feces is both a tribute to doggie defecation and a reminder to pick it up.

The subtle science of a master molecular gastronomist.

Odd, decrepit fountain honors Chicago author who had mixed feelings about his hometown.

Where old school Polish Chicago and young hipster Chicago live side by side.

The faint remains of a Polish news empire still linger.

A Japanese temple, old German townhouses, and public chess tables offer a peaceful escape from the bustle of the North Side.