4. Grand Central Terminal

MIDTOWN EAST.   Said to be "Manhattan's only remaining great gateway," Grand Central Terminal (not "station" as it is so often mistakenly called) is a magnificent example of art meeting functionality. Visible on the south side of 42nd Street is a grand beaux arts façade with three high arched windows separated by pairs of fluted columns. At the top is a beautiful clock and crowning sculpture of Transportation (Minerva, Mercury and Hercules statues). Inside the terminal, gold and nickel plated chandeliers hang from light blue ceilings covered with celestial mapping that displays the zodiac constellations (major stars even glow with fiber optic lighting). A new marble staircase on the east end of the main concourse was modeled after the Garnier stair at the Paris Opera. Sixty integrated railroad tracks act as a transport hub for over 500,000 people daily, including commuters from Connecticut and New Jersey. The lower level offers dining and retail shops. In addition to the travel concourse, Vanderbilt Hall is a part of the terminal and makes 12,000 square feet of space available for special events. Arts for Transit, a unique program hosted by the New York Transit Department, encourages the placement of art and musical performance in public transportation areas. Free public tours are given on Wednesdays & Fridays at 12:30pm.   (© 10Best)

Hours:

Terminal Hours  Daily 5:30am-1:30am Private Guided Tour  Daily 8am-6pm Public Guided Tour  Wed, Fri 12:30pm

Admission:

Public Tours Free; Donations Appreciated Guided Tours-Groups of 10 or more - Per Person $5 Guided Tours-Groups of less than 10 - Flat rate $50

Payment Methods:

Website: Visit the Grand Central Terminal website »

Type: Architecture, Historic Sites

	"marc96248" more than a month ago
A lot more interesting architecture than Trump's shopping mall in Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue. This building will be standing long after Trump's ... structures are demolished and redeveloped.
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	"eric38298" more than a month ago
A magnet attracting people from around the world. A perfectly glamorous building that functions as a transportation hub, meeting point, observation center.
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