Chrysler Building

New York would keep the tallest building in the world until 1974, when the Sears Tower was built in Chicago.

For Walter P. Chrysler, from the car manufacturer, building the tallest building in the world was a status symbol. The Chrysler building was in a race with the Bank of Manhattan (now 40 Wall Street) for obtaining the title of tallest building in the world. It looked like the Bank of Manhattan would win the race, with an expected height of 282 meter (927ft) against around 230 meter for the Chrysler building. But the spire of the Chrysler building was constructed in secret inside the tower.

Just one week after the Bank of Manhattan had reached its top, the spire of the Chrysler building was put in place, making it 318 meter (1045ft) high, thus beating the Bank of Manhattan as the tallest building in the world. It would not keep this title for long: one year later the Empire State Building was erected.

The Chrysler building is one of the last skyscrapers in the Art Deco style. The gargoyles depict Chrysler car ornaments and the spire is modeled on a radiator grille. Since it was restored in 1996 it glitters again like it must have in the 1930s.