One of New York’s most beautiful skyscrapers was built at the turn of the 1920s and 1930s, during the race to claim the title of the world’s tallest building.

As was customary at the time, the Chrysler Building is built in the Art Deco style, distinguished by a 56-metre-high steel spire featuring semi-circular architectural elements.

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Thanks to this unconventional, elegant spire, the Chrysler Building is regarded as one of the most striking Art Deco masterpieces in the world.

The height and construction of the skyscraper

Construction of the Chrysler Building began in 1928, and it was originally intended to be built without its famous steel spire. The initial aim was simply to make it the tallest building in the world, but during construction the plans were revised so that it would surpass even the Eiffel Tower and become the tallest structure of all. A 58-metre-high spire was therefore added to the design and installed at the end of 1929; the entire building was then officially opened on 27 May 1930.

At 319 metres, it thus became the world’s tallest structure. However, it held this title for less than a year before being eclipsed by the significantly taller Empire State Building, situated a few blocks away.

Observation deck

Although there is an observation deck at the top of the Chrysler Building, the view from it is no better than that from the nearby SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, from which you can also see the Chrysler Building itself – one of the most beautiful buildings in New York.

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