Chrysler Building, New York City — Visitor Guide & Things to Do Nearby

The Chrysler Building is one of the most beloved skyscrapers in the world and a masterpiece of Art Deco design. Rising 1,048 feet above Lexington Avenue in midtown Manhattan, it has been a defining feature of the New York skyline since 1930. The building was designed by William Van Alen for Walter P. Chrysler, who funded the construction personally (not with company money) so he could pass it to his children. It was completed in a race with the competing Bank of Manhattan Trust Building at 40 Wall Street to become the world's tallest building. Van Alen won through a spectacular trick. He secretly obtained a permit for a 125-foot steel spire, which was assembled inside the building's crown. On October 23, 1929, the spire was lifted through the top and riveted into place in just 90 minutes, pushing the building past its rival. The Chrysler Building held the title of world's tallest for 11 months before the Empire State Building surpassed it in 1931. The building's exterior details celebrate the automobile age: eagle gargoyles on the 61st floor (based on Chrysler hood ornaments), hubcap-inspired decorations on the 31st floor, and the iconic stainless-steel crown with its radiating arches and triangular windows. The lobby is open to the public on weekdays and is one of the finest Art Deco interiors in the world, with red African marble, ornate elevator doors, and a ceiling mural depicting transportation and industry. If you're on a Questo quest through midtown, the Chrysler Building is a stop where ambition, style, and a very clever secret are built 77 storeys high.