Chrysler Building

You’re standing at the foot of one of New York’s tallest skyscrapers, the Chrysler Building. Measuring 319 meters high, it was the tallest building in the world for almost a year after its construction! It was built by Walter Percy Chrysler, the third-largest American car manufacturer after Ford and General Motors at the time. Architect William Van Alen was tasked with the construction of this iconic Art Deco building between 1928 and 1930. Almost a year later, the Empire State Building would make it the second-tallest building in the city. Today, it ranks fifth. Unfortunately, the Chrysler Building is not open to the public and you can’t climb to the top for panoramic views as is the case with most of its rivals. You can, however, enter the lobby and admire its beautiful Art Deco decor. It’s worth noting that the building was constructed at a time when the post-war boom was in full swing, and the US was asserting itself on the world stage. There was this skyscraper-building frenzy in New York, bringing with it a great deal of competition; the Chrysler Building was in fact rivaling the Bank of Manhattan Trust Building, also under construction at the time. So, naturally, its designer did his best to build the tallest skyscraper. To outmaneuver his competitor, Van Alen had the dome of the Chrysler built inside the building, to keep it hidden from view. He waited until the Bank of Manhattan Trust Building was completed before hoisting it to the top of the structure, thus making it the tallest tower in the city! Today, it might not be the tallest building in town, but it’s undoubtedly the locals’ favorite and that’s saying something, given the number of buildings in the Big Apple!