Built during the heyday of train travel in America, Grand Central Terminal is still one of the most amazing buildings in Manhattan.
Grand Central Terminal, one of the most iconic buildings in Manhattan, has been called one of the world’s loveliest stations. I got to say, they are not wrong. This iconic station, of all the train stations I have been in throughout my travels still brings a smile across my face I am not sure if it is because of the amazing architecture, the atmosphere, or the fact it is my old gateway to the city that I love that brings on the smile or a combination of all three. There is nothing better than taking a train down into the city into Grand Central Terminal and walking up onto the Grand Concourse to start your excursion to the Big Apple!
Just amazing isn’t it.
Grand Central Terminal is a bustling commuter railroad terminal. It was built in the heyday of American long-distance passenger rail travel and still is the largest station in the world by number of platforms (44 platforms, 67 tracks). Grand Central is still busy as ever serving as the hub for Metro-North Railroad serving Hudson River Valley and lines to Connecticut.
This historic terminal epitomizes a forgotten time in New York City. A total of three buildings have all stood here and severed the same basic purpose, to be grander and out do the competition, the Pennsylvania railroad at Pennsylvania Station (Penn Station) across town.
Public Domain Grand Central Station around 1904.
The current building, the masterpiece, was constructed from 1903 to 1913, designed by the architectural firms of Reed and Stem and Warren and Wetmore. Reed and Stem were responsible for the overall design and layout of the terminal, while Warren and Wetmore added the architectural details and the Beaux-Arts style.
The impressive front entrance of Grand Central Terminal. Clearly a masterpiece of architecture.
In 1947, over 65 million people passed through Grand Central, but rail travel soon went into decline, along with the condition of Grand Central. There were plans to demolish the historic building, replacing it with offices, but that was abandoned after the outcry of many New Yorkers. Many residents of New York were rightfully pissed by the demolition of the gorgeous Penn Station in 1964 to make room for the god-awful piece of architecture known as Madison Square Garden. Due to this public outcry, Grand Central was made a landmark saving it for posterity. In 1994, a massive restoration project was begun at Grand Central, restoring it to what we see today.
The Main Concourse is the ultimate center of Grand Central and is my favorite part. Every time I come to the city; I never miss it. It is a cavernous space, bustling with crowds especially during rush hours. At the center of the concourse is the meeting place people have been using for generations, the four faced clock on the top of the top of the information booth.
The Grand Central Terminal Clock, a meeting place for generations.
Above the ever-busy concourse is the amazing ceiling. The original ceiling was done is 1912 but had to be replaced in 1930. Decades of smoke and grime of obscured it. After a 12-year restoration program that ended in 1998, we can now see the original astronomical ceiling in its full glory, except for one patch to remind visitors what it used to look like before the restoration. While some constellations are inaccurate, they are connected to create amazing images.
The painted ceiling of Grand Central Terminal, one of my favorite things about this place. I love ceilings.
Notice the nice dark spot? That is what the ceiling looked like before the restoration.
All the tops of the windows look like this. The detail is amazing.
Below the main concourse is the Dining Concourse, a favorite place of mine to grab a slice of cheesecake. Here you can find Grand Central’s oldest business, the Oyster Bar and its tile vaulted ceiling.
Public Domain The Oyster Bar, Grand Central’s oldest business.
Grand Central also has convenient access to the subway, although it lacks the rich architecture of the main terminal. The subway was originally opened in 1918 when the IRI Lexington Avenue Line was extended uptown. A shuttle connects Grand Central to another famous NYC landmark, Times Square.
Overlooking 42nd Street, a 13 ft (4 m) clock in front of Grand Central’s Grand Entrance and taxi rank contains the world’s largest example of Tiffany glass. The sculpture around the clock is of Minerva, Hercules, and Mercury and they are 48 ft (14.6 m) high.
Grand Central Terminal’s famously huge clock.
Today, Grand Central is one of the most visited landmarks in New York City and one does not need to wonder why. One just needs to stand under the majestic ceiling to imagine all the millions of people that once walked in the same footsteps. That is one of the reasons I love Grand Central so much. There is so much history under those stars. It is not just the architecture here that brings me back to a forgotten time but also the idea that millions of others have stared at those same stars just as I do every time I come to the city I love.
I may have dodged traffic for this picture. It was worth it.
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