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photo: Carol M. Highsmith
Grand Central Terminal has ranked among the most important New York City landmarks for more than 100 years. The St. Paul, Minnesota, firm of Reed and Stern bested much more prominent architecture firms to win the 1903 design competition for the terminal. It later teamed up with the New York firm of Warren and Wetmore to complete the Beaux-Arts–inspired design.
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This page contains a single entry from the blog posted on February 3, 2007 5:06 PM.
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Comments (11)
It's Grand Central Terminal.
Grand Central Station is a post office of much less architectural distinction.
Posted by Patrick Mullen | February 7, 2007 11:51 PM
Posted on February 7, 2007 23:51
Patrick,
Thanks. We'll make the change.
Posted by Andy | February 8, 2007 10:17 AM
Posted on February 8, 2007 10:17
Makes you think where the original Pennsylvania Station would have ended up on this list.
Posted by Anonymous | February 9, 2007 1:04 AM
Posted on February 9, 2007 01:04
I was told that the constellations on the ceiling are inverted because the lights were placed as they appear looking down on the ceiling, not as they appear looking up at it. Is that right?
Posted by Will Doak | February 9, 2007 11:24 AM
Posted on February 9, 2007 11:24
I have to say of all the places in DC, the terminal continually took my breath away when I would enter it. The sounds, the soft lighting, and the beautiful decorations are ethereal.
Posted by Josh | February 9, 2007 11:29 AM
Posted on February 9, 2007 11:29
The constellations were mistaken drawn as mirror imaged, so the Vanderbilts tried to cover it up by saying that it was supposed to be that way because its the view of God down onto the sky.
Posted by Anonymous | February 9, 2007 9:39 PM
Posted on February 9, 2007 21:39
In point of fact it's called a terminal because it's the end of the line for that part of the New York Central railroad not because it's somehow more important.
A station is a facility where trains continue through to other destinations - Pennsylvania Station for example had lines that continued onto Long Island.
BTW a Union Station was a facility built to serve more than one railroad.
Posted by Olive Thomas | February 10, 2007 7:35 PM
Posted on February 10, 2007 19:35
If Grand Central made it to #13, I'd imagine that the original (1912) Pennsylvania Station would have made it to #0 (Higher than highest) position if it were still standing. (Fortunately a few of us still have stark memories of that building, which is poorly preserved by gloomy black and white photos in old art books.)
If you had to name one building that combined breathtaking architecture and amazing function to the highest order, Penn Station commanded first place--at the same level as the Roman aqueducts in Europe. But it's nice to have Grand Central as a consolation prize.
Posted by RonLev | February 10, 2007 8:05 PM
Posted on February 10, 2007 20:05
I admit I never was able to see Penn Station, but judging from the pictures, I'd have to say Grand Central was, is and will always be the most beautiful train station/terminus in the world. Penn Station was massive, but had nowhere near the grace of GCT.
Posted by aaron | February 10, 2007 11:19 PM
Posted on February 10, 2007 23:19
On my only visit to New York City this was the second most vivid architectural memory I have. I loved the feel of the place and how one could stand in one place and watch all the bustling.
Posted by Chau | March 12, 2007 2:15 AM
Posted on March 12, 2007 02:15
Some years ago, I had the pleasure of arriving at Grand Central on an Amtrak train from Upstate NY. It was the night before Thanksgiving and GCT was at it's mobbed, bedlam best. To come up the upper level platform ramp from the grotto of the train shed to the overwhelming thrill of the Grand Concourse in full, holiday crush was one of the defining experiences of Gotham, my home town.
Alas, the following year, Amtrak diverted it's trains to Penn and GCT was no longer the gateway to long distance travel. I'm grateful for the memory.
Posted by John M | March 14, 2007 6:14 PM
Posted on March 14, 2007 18:14