Tower · Chicago, United States
Willis Tower
The Willis Tower, formerly known and still commonly referred to as the Sears Tower, is a 110-story, 1,451-foot (442. Built 1971–1973.
Photo: w_lemay via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0. Cropped and resized for display.
Landmark facts
| Location | Chicago, United States |
|---|---|
| Type | Tower |
| Built | 1971–1973 |
| Architect | Q459464, Bruce Graham |
| Height | Height: 442.1 m |
| Coordinates | 41.8789° N, 87.6358° W |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
What Willis Tower is known for
The Willis Tower, formerly known and still commonly referred to as the Sears Tower, is a 110-story, 1,451-foot (442.
About Willis Tower
The Willis Tower, formerly known and still commonly referred to as the Sears Tower, is a 110-story, 1,451-foot (442.3 m) skyscraper in the Loop of Chicago, Illinois, United States. Designed by architect Bruce Graham and engineer Fazlur Rahman Khan of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), it opened in 1973 as the world's tallest building, a title that it held for nearly 25 years. It currently remains the tallest building in Chicago, the third-tallest building in the Western Hemisphere, as well as the 26th-tallest in the world.
History
Sears, Roebuck & Co. had occupied an office complex on Chicago's west side since 1906. The existing offices were inadequate by 1966, prompting Sears executives to begin searching for a new site.
Planning a visit? Visit the official Willis Tower website — the official site has the current visiting information.
How to get there
| Nearest town | Chicago |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) |
| Distance from the airport | 8.3 miles (straight line) |
Nearest major airport by straight-line distance from the landmark’s coordinates; road distance will be longer.
Airports near this landmark
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) · Chicago, United States · 8.8 miles away
- Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) · Chicago, United States · 15.4 miles away
- General Mitchell International Airport (MKE) · Milwaukee, United States · 75.0 miles away
Landmarks nearby
The closest landmarks in this library, by straight-line distance.
More landmarks in United States
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Frequently asked questions
What is Willis Tower?
The Willis Tower, formerly known and still commonly referred to as the Sears Tower, is a 110-story, 1,451-foot (442.
Where is Willis Tower located?
Willis Tower is in Chicago, United States. Its coordinates are 41.8789° N, 87.6358° W.
How do I get to Willis Tower?
The nearest town is Chicago, and the nearest airport is Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW), about 8.3 miles away (straight line).
When was Willis Tower built?
Willis Tower was built 1971–1973.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willis_Tower — Wikipedia article — overview, history and core facts (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q29294 — Wikidata — built year, architect, height/size, visitors, official website (CC0).
- http://www.willistower.com — Official website of the landmark / managing body.
- https://github.com/jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports — Nearest major airport computed from landmark and airport coordinates (haversine); airport list: jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports.
Page last updated 13 November 2026.