Trianon Ballroom

The Trianon Ballroom was the name given to a number of ballrooms in cities during America's big-band era. The first and most prominent Trianon opened December 6, 1922 in the Woodlawn neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois, and was marketed as "The World's Most Beautiful Ballroom". Designed by renowned theater architects Rapp & Rapp, it was owned and operated by William and Andrew Karzas, who opened the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago four years later. Its name and decor were inspired by the Trianon palace at Versailles. The main ballroom was 100 by 140 feet and was reported to accommodate 3,000 dancers, and the venue was one of the few places in Chicago that was air-conditioned at that time. To ensure that its guests befitted the elegant surroundings, it was the first venue in Chicago to enact a strict dress code, coats and ties for men and gowns for women, with "floor men" to enforce appropriate dress and behavior.