Chicago Union Station Meets the Pantheon: A Celebration of the Corinthian Order of Architecture. Including Decorative Elements for a Transportation Hub.

Article and photographs by Divi Logan. Updated 4 February 2026.

*Click on a photograph to enlarge.

Inspired by watching the Great Courses Series about Greek and Roman technology and how these inventions and designs changed society, I took another look at the layout of Chicago Union Station in relation to the design of Rome’s historic Pantheon. Separated in construction by about 1,800 years, the landmark structures display similarities in design, based on classical principles of architecture.

1. Introduction

In Rome stands a magnificent circular structure with a hefty, coffered concrete dome, built around 126 AD. This is the Pantheon, a temple in constant use for worship since its construction. Time-tested design principles such as arranging building elements along an axis, symmetry, harmony of proportions, hierarchy, repetition, rhythm, pattern, and transformation merge in this building.

Floor plan of the Pantheon in Rome — This floor plan of the Pantheon shows the symmetrical arrangement of transitional spaces such as corridors, niches, and rooms on either side of the entrance corridor. As with aerial views of the Pantheon, similar views of Chicago Union Station show that the barrel vault ceilings of both buildings are not visible. Only when you are within the buildings do the details of the ceilings become plain.

Chicago Union Station from a Map View — From the air, Chicago Union Station is a two square block by one block angular structure, the severe lines broken up in the center by the curving glass and metal vaulted skylight over the Great Hall. Streets surrounding the station are Adams Street to the north, South Canal Street on the east, South Clinton Street to the west, and West Jackson Boulevard on the south. Part of the train shed over the south concourse is shown in the lower right corner. Just south of the station is the Union Station Transit Center, a hub for buses. In the lower left corner is the historic Burlington Building (1911).

West of the Chicago River stands the Beaux-arts headhouse of Chicago Union Station. The station was designed by Daniel Burnham for his 1909 Plan of Chicago and is in the West Loop area. The architecture firm of Graham, Burnham and Company, later known as Graham, Anderson, Probst & White after the death of Mr. Burnham completed the project in 1925. The title of “union” comes from the railroads in the venture: Pennsylvania Railroad, the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy (known as the CB & Q), the Michigan Central Railroad, and the Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul Railway.

2. The Interior of Chicago Union Station: Designs from the Pantheon Display in the Station’s Headhouse

A corridor in Chicago Union Station — The angle of this photograph is inspired by the drawing on the cover of a copy of the architecture textbook De Architectura, by Roman architect Marcus Vitruvius Pollio (better known as Vitruvius). The drawing shows a view through a corridor with a coffered barrel vault ceiling to the other side of the cella and rotunda of the Pantheon in Rome. In the Pantheon, the cella is lit by an oculus in the center of the dome. In Chicago Union Station, a skylight spans the entire length of the Great Hall, the main waiting space for passengers.

This photograph sets the stage for the transition from the modern building to the east of Chicago Union Station’s headhouse to the Great Hall which serves as an information center and waiting space for passengers on lines served by Amtrak and METRA. The space resembles the entrance of a Roman temple and is oriented along the east-west axis, here looking west.

Design principles include symmetrical arrangement of lights (sconces and floor lamps), Corinthian Order pilasters and antae, the use of natural light, and excellence of crafting in the walls of travertine and the marble floors.

Interior view of Chicago Union Station's headhouse, showcasing a large window, ornate ceiling, and architectural elements that reflect classical design principles. — Here are two views of the main corridor that transitions the Great Hall to the ticketing areas and concourses of Chicago Union Station. The left photograph looks east and the right photograph to the west through to the doors to South Clinton Street and additional waiting areas for passengers. Design elements include arches, pilasters, sconces that light the travertine walls, the coffered barrel vault ceiling, a large window lighting the corridor and the skylight of the Great Hall. The lunette over the three doors accessing South Clinton Street is also a Pantheon inspiration. It is ornamented with coffered rosettes.

Barrel-vaulted ceiling in Chicago Union Station — The barrel-vault ceiling of the transition corridor of Chicago Union Station lends itself to curious visual angles. From directly underneath the ceiling, the curvature appears shallow. This is known as curvilinear perspective.

Sets of doors in Chicago Union Station — Tripartite doors arranged within an arch, flanked with Corinthian Order antae and crowned by a lunette grace the Great Hal of Chicago Union Station. These doors connect the Great Hall to South Clinton Street. The lunette is ornamented with coffered rosettes and diamond shapes. The entablature includes dentils, modillions, rosettes, and intricate carvings or moldings of palmettes, twists, swags, and flowers.

3. The Classical Design Principles of Repetition, Rhythm and Symmetry in Chicago Union Station

Repetition, rhythm and symmetry are principles of classical design. The first two are patterned recurrences of features or components and deal with cohesion and movement. These along with symmetry provide harmony and balance.

Symmetry and axis in Chicago Union Station — This southward view of Chicago Union Station’s Corinthian Order Great Hall displays standard principle of classical building design and construction. The four-faced clock, a traditional feature of train stations, is in the center of the hall, marking the point where the directional axes meet. There is mirror symmetry in the arrangement of all the design features- columns, coffered rosettes. the set of statues titled Night and Day, and the lattices in the lunettes above the colonnades. Low relief carved squares echo the coffered ceiling of the barrel-vaulted corridor linking the Great Hall to the train concourses. Colossal colonnades span the entrances and staircases. Bronze sconces flank the doorways. It is a magnificent space, faced in Roman travertine and spanned by a skylight.

Rhythm is the aspect of music dealing with forward movement. It is the regular recurrence of elements. Repetition (of colors, shapes, materials, doors, windows, columns, etc.) guides the viewer along the forms and spaces and creates unity.

the principle of rhythm in architecture — The principles of rhythm and repetition are demonstrated here. Repetitive Columns: The series of evenly spaced columns creates a visual rhythm, guiding your eye along the length of the hall. Arched Windows: The repeated pattern of the large arched windows also contributes to the rhythmic design, providing uniformity and balance. Ceiling Patterns: The decorative elements on the ceiling are consistently repeated, enhancing the sense of rhythm and continuity throughout the space. These elements collectively establish a sense of harmony and flow, making the architecture not only functional but also visually engaging. This view also shows the deep curvature of the barrel-vault corridor ceiling.

Symmetry is the quality of being made up of exactly the same parts facing each other around an axis. Union Station displays fine examples of mirrored symmetrical arrangement of elements and spaces.

staircase in Chicago Union Station — At the left is a view from the landing of the north staircase connecting South Canal Street to the Great Hall of Chicago Union Station. At right is a view of the same staircase looking from the floor through the doors. The restored light fixtures illuminate the coffered ceiling and light from the skylight spanning the Great Hall glows in the entire space. The stairs are in Roman travertine and the walls are faced with the same material. The central portion of the staircase leads the viewer through a series of colossal columns to the doors of one of the event spaces on the west side of the Great Hall.

Colonnades in Chicago Union Station — These are views of colonnades (a row of regularly spaced columns) in the Great Hall of Chicago Union Station. The view on the left is from the second floor (street level if entered from West Jackson Boulevard) and is framed by a pair of the colossal columns. Both it and the view on the right are towards the West Adams Street entrance. The floor level is graded from the entrances of South Clinton Street and end underground.

The North Staircase of Chicago Union Station — The North Staircase connecting South Canal Street to the Great Hall of Chicago Union Station displays the principles of symmetry, repetition, and rhythm. The stairs and walls are of Roman travertine and the floors of marble. A sturdy newel post anchors the balustrade and railings.

4. Features of the Corinthian Columns

Corinthian Order colonnade in Chicago Union Station — The slender nature of the Corinthian column is emphasized in this view along the east wall of the Great Hall in Chicago Union Station. Pilasters and antae follow the elements of the Corinthian Order as they flank the transition corridor between the hall and the train concourses. The pair of statues titled “Night and Day” stand watch above the hall, symbolizing the 24-hour operations of the railroads.

Looking up through a Corinthian Order colonnade — These angles emphasize the slender nature of the Corinthian column as the views look up through a set of colonnades. On the left, a pair of columns frames the staircase connecting South Canal Street to the Great Hall. On the right, the columns, with fine pilasters behind them, frame the transition between West Jackson Boulevard and the Great Hall.

Details of a Corinthian Order column capital — Standard elements of capitals of the Corinthian Order include scrolling acanthus leaves, curling volutes and caulicoli, and fleurons above the caulicoli.

Attic base of a Corinthian Order column — The base of both the column and the pilaster behind it display elements of the Attic base. Elements of the base include a lower torus (ring), followed by a scotia (the hollow, concave molding), a fillet or annulet (narrow band), and an upper torus. The term “fillet” may be used for a narrow band or strip, such as the ridges between the flutes of the column’s shaft.

5. Decorative Elements in Chicago Union Station

Statues are elements of classical architecture. Niches in the Pantheon would have contained statues. A set of statues, Night and Day, grace the Great Hall of Chicago Union Station.

Statues of Night and Day in Chicago Union Station — Shining after the restoration of the Great Hall, two gold-leafed statues, titled *Night* (with the owl) and *Day* (with the rooster), watch over passengers and crews in Chicago Union Station. The statues symbolize the 24-hour operations of the railroads. They are the work of American sculptor Henry Hering.

Decorative elements in Chicago Union Station — The entablature of the Great Hall in Chicago Union Station is richly decorated with moldings and carvings of modillions, fleurons, rosettes, palmettes, swags, twists, and dentils. These elements add to the majestic appearance of the grand space and attest to the careful crafting of the structure. Some of the ceiling’s dozens of coffered rosettes are visible to the upper right of the statue.

Conclusion

Vitruvius, author of The Ten Books on Architecture, said that in order to be well-versed in relevant arts and crafts, and to be conversant with the customers, the architect should study drawing, geometry, history, philosophy, and music (Vitruvius 5). Each of these areas of study plays a role in understanding design and construction.

The principles of classical design continue to serve architects and city planners. These include the axis, symmetry, repetition, and rhythm. These elements create harmony and balance and order in the arrangement of the forms and spaces of structures.

In Chicago Union Station, all the standard principles and elements of classical architecture merge to create spaces in the headhouse. Completed in 1925, the station welcomes passengers and crew members for Amtrak and METRA trains.

Use of the Corinthian Order demonstrates the appeal of balance and excellence of crafting and construction for public buildings, especially those that endure constant use, such as train stations. Such use also shows the need for education in all kinds of arts and sciences, ensuring that the architectural heritage of the United States and the world will be preserved for the enjoyment of future generations.

Glossary

Anta/antae. These are posts or pillars on either side of a doorway or entrance, extending to form a porch, as for example on Greek buildings. Antae are structural elements directly connected with walls when they are topped by blocks used to spread the load from the entablature it supports.

Arch (in architecture and civil engineering). An arch is typically a curved member that spans an opening and carries the load from above. There are many styles of arches: Chicago Union Station includes Roman, segmental (where the circular arc is less than 180 degrees, and semicircular.

Attic base (of a column). This style of base, found on columns of the Corinthian Order and the Ionic Order, consist of a lower torus (ring), scotia (hollow concave molding), fillet, and upper torus.

Axis. The axis is an imaginary straight line that divides a shape evenly into two parts. It is also the point around which something turns.

Beaux-arts. This style of academic architectural style was taught in Paris at the Ecole des Beaux-arts from the 1830s to the end of the 19th century. The style incorporated elements of French neoclassicism, the Renaissance, and the Baroque.

Caulicoli. These are the eight stalks rising out of the acanthus leaves of the capital of a Corinthian Order column. The ending leaves support the volutes, scrolling elements on the capital corners.

Colonnade. A colonnade is a row of columns set at regular intervals and usually supporting a roof structure.

Column. Columns are structural pillars consisting of a base, shaft, and pedestal, with decorative elements distinct to certain architectural orders. Columns transmit, through compression, the weight of the structural elements above them to the elements of the structure below.

Corinthian Order. This most ornate of the architectural orders is distinguished by the acanthus leaves on the column capitals. It is associated with the ancient Greek city-state of Corinth and originated in the 5th century BC.

Fleuron. A fleuron is a flower-shaped ornament, notable on the abacus of capitals of Corinthian Order columns.

Headhouse. The railroad station building known as the headhouse is the main building that serves passengers. They vary in size and styles of architecture.

Lunette. A lunette is an arching aperture in a wall or concave ceiling. It may be crescent-shaped or semicircular and richly decorated.

Pilasters. These are principally structural elements, thickened sections of walls or columns integrated into a wall. They may also be purely decorative elements.

Repetition (in architecture). Repetition refers to the deliberate use of recurring patterns or other elements to create a sense of rhythm, harmony, or continuity in a design. Other elements included are the use of materials, decorations, the spatial layout, and parts of the facade, such as the arrangement of windows doorways.

Rhythm (in architecture). The use of repeated elements in a structure creates sense of movement and harmony in a design. This creates pleasing and predictable patterns.

Rosette. A rosette is a disk of foliage, or a floral design usually found in relief as a decorative motif.

Symmetry. Symmetry in architecture is balance in proportions. Importantly, it is correspondence in size, shape, and relative position of parts on opposite sides of a dividing line, median plane, or about a center or axis.

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