Photo courtesy of Harry Weese and Associates

Soldier Field, originally called Grant Park Stadium, has been an imposing presence on the Chicago lakefront since its completion in 1924. Dedicated as a memorial to the men who fought in World War I, it was designed to embody civic pride and to be adaptable for a variety of public gatherings. Many famous events took place here, including Notre Dame football games, all-star football games between professional and collegiate players and the Dempsey-Tunney championship boxing match. Neglected and underutilized in the 1950s and 1960s, the National Football League's Chicago Bears gave new life to the stadium in 1971 when they moved to it from Wrigley Field.

Soldier Field, designed by Holabird and Roche, was built as an U-shaped stadium. The north end was closed off with the addition of the Chicago Park District's headquarters in 1939. The stadium's Classical Revival style utilizes the Greek Doric order, even though the building and its architectural detail are of reinforced concrete. The most distinctive feature of Soldier Field is the pair of systole colonnades perched along the parallel east and west sides. Each colonnade, flanked by tetrastyle temples, is formed by a double row of 32 columns.

**Because of incompatible construction at Soldier Field, its status as a National Historic Landmark is currently being reconsidered.

Soldier Field is located at 425 E. 14th St. and is home to the national football (Chicago Bears) and soccer (Chicago Fire) teams.