Cloud Gate, Chicago (must see)

The Cloud Gate is a public sculpture, the centerpiece of AT&T Plaza at Millennium Park, constructed between 2004 and 2006. It was created by the Indian-born British sculptor Anish Kapoor, well-known for his large-scale outdoor works, including several with highly reflective surfaces. The Cloud Gate was his first public outdoor work in the United States and is considered his most famous one.

The Cloud Gate is made entirely of stainless steel; 168 plates are welded together and polished to conceal the seams. The sculpture stands three stories high, measuring 66 feet long, 33 feet high, and 42 feet wide, and weighing 100 tons. It has been lovingly dubbed by the locals as "The Bean," although the design has been inspired by a drop of mercury. Concave at the bottom, it creates a spectacular fun mirror effect for those walking underneath, reflecting distorted images of the Chicago skyline.

At the time, before its installation, the sculpture was subject to controversy among experts, some of whom believed it could not be implemented because of the technical difficulties associated with its construction, assembly, upkeep, and maintenance. Although a feasible solution was eventually found, the project fell behind schedule and was still unfinished by the time Millennium Park was opened in 2004. The Cloud Gate was completed and formally dedicated only on May 15, 2006, and has since enjoyed great acclaim both at home and abroad.