You are standing in front of the central railway station, Grand Central Station. This is the oldest and most famous train station in New York. This two story building was built in the beaux-art style, a mixture of Italian Renaissance and French Baroque. The station has 44 platforms and 67 tracks. A train station first appeared on this site in 1871. The building gradually changed, obtaining more elegant and lavish features. At the beginning of the last century a grandiose reconstruction was completed which is considered the birth of today's Grand Central Station. The station has therefore recently observed its 100th anniversary. There are rumors that in the near future plans to enlarge the station will be carried out. A new level will be constructed which will permit an increase in the number of tracks to 75 and the number of platforms to 48. Inside the station pay attention to the clock located at the center of the main concourse of the station. The clock face is made from opalescent glass and semiprecious opal. In today's market, the value of the clock is considered to be at a minimum 10 million dollars. Now look up and observe the ceiling. It is decorated with frescoes showing the signs of the Zodiac and 2500 stars, 60 of which are translucent. When looking at this ceiling astronomical map in the main concourse, if you have an interest in astronomy, you will probably notice a small mistake. The cosmos in the fresco is presented as a reflection in a mirror so that the constellations are not correctly related to each other as seen from earth. The fault of this completely lies with the artist Paul Elle who oriented himself to the draft design looking at it from above. But the commissioners of the ceiling, the Vanderbilt family, found humor in the mistake. They suggested considering the purpose of the frescoes to show how the heavens appear to God looking down from above.Look to the right of Grand Central Station at the unique sky scraper rising high above other buildings, the Chrysler Building. If you were to ask people on the streets, "What is your favorite building in New York?", with some certainty we can guess that more than half of those asked would answer, the Chrysler Building.The building was commissioned by the automobile magnate Walter Chrysler in 1929. By plan every detail of the 77 story  building was to call to mind a Chrysler Plymouth automobile. The steel winged gargoyles are modeled after the 1929 Chrysler radiator cap, the stepped terraces are similar to the styled hub caps and the entire spire brings to mind the car's radiator grill. The automobile theme can also be found in the design of the vestibule. Do not pass by the enormous lobby ceiling mural measuring 30 x 31 meters by Edward Turnbull entitled Transport and Human Endeavor illustrating industrial scenes.Cinematography has often turned its attention to the Chrysler building. In the last of the Men in Black trilogy the main hero jumps back in time precisely from the Chrysler building, from one of the winged gargoyles. If you see this episode again you will be able to make out the upper part of this building in the close ups. In the year of its construction, the Bank of Manhattan Building (now simply called 40 Wall Street) was also constructed. Both buildings competed in a battle for the title of the tallest building in the world. Therefore, the details of construction were kept in strict secrecy. The Bank of Manhattan building was finished first and seemed to be several flowers higher. But the architect of the Chrysler, William Van Allen,  planned a cunning trick to gain victory and guaranteeing that his "child" would have the title of the highest building in the world for almost a year. In a special pit inside the building he clandestinely constructed a 38 meter spire which was raised and attached to the top of the Chrysler building which guaranteed its success in the battle.If you walk down to the end of 42nd street you will come out onto the banks of the East River. The buildings of the UN complex are located here, constructed in the middle of the last century. The interior of the UN can be seen by taking an arranged tour.Photo New York City - Grand Central Station by Ka!zen is licensed under CC BY 2.0