Chrysler Building
크라이슬러 빌딩
The Chrysler Building is a 77-storey skyscraper in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, at the corner of 42nd Street and Lexington Avenue. Finished in 1930, it stands 319 metres (1,046 feet) tall to the tip of its needle-like spire. It was designed by the architect William Van Alen for Walter Chrysler, the head of the Chrysler car company, who paid for it himself as an investment for his children rather than as a company office.
See it on the 3D globe →At a glance
- Country
- United States
- Location
- New York, USA
- Built
- 1930
- Height
- 319 m
- Type
- Skyscraper
Quick answers
Where is Chrysler Building?
Chrysler Building is in New York, USA, United States.
When was Chrysler Building built?
Chrysler Building was built in 1930.
How tall is Chrysler Building?
Chrysler Building is about 319 m tall.
An Art Deco masterpiece crowned by a terraced stainless-steel sunburst and eagle gargoyles.
Its gleaming crown of stacked stainless-steel arches with triangle-shaped windows makes it one of the most recognisable buildings in the world. It is often called the finest example of Art Deco, a 1920s and 1930s style full of bold geometric patterns and shiny, machine-age materials. For about 11 months it was the tallest building on Earth, until the Empire State Building opened in 1931.
The race to the sky
In 1929 two New York towers were racing to become the city's tallest: the Chrysler Building and 40 Wall Street, designed partly by Van Alen's former business partner. 40 Wall Street was planned to reach 927 feet. Van Alen had a secret plan. His team built a 185-foot steel spire in five pieces and assembled it hidden inside the building's dome. On 23 October 1929 they hoisted it up through the top, and the work took only about 90 minutes. Suddenly the Chrysler Building was taller than 40 Wall Street and even taller than the Eiffel Tower.
Car-inspired decorations
Because Walter Chrysler made cars, the building is decorated with car parts in giant form. Around the 31st floor there is a band of brick patterns showing hubcaps and mudguards, and huge metal ornaments copied from the winged caps of 1929 Chrysler radiators stick out from the corners. Higher up, on the 61st floor, big steel eagle heads lean out over the street like the gargoyles on old cathedrals. The crown and spire are covered in a special shiny stainless steel called Nirosta, which keeps its sparkle without rusting.
Why it's famous
When it opened, some critics called its design silly, but over time people came to love it. Today it is seen as one of New York's greatest landmarks. In 2007 American architects ranked it ninth on a list of America's favourite buildings. Its outside and lobby are protected as official New York City landmarks, and it is a National Historic Landmark of the United States. It is still the tallest brick building in the world with a steel frame.
Fun facts
- It was the tallest building in the world for about 11 months, until the Empire State Building.
- The spire was hoisted into place on 23 October 1929, the day before the stock market crash that began the Great Depression.
- The 27-tonne spire was raised so quickly and quietly that newspapers did not report it until weeks later.
- It was the first building in the world to stand taller than 1,000 feet.
- A famous photo shows the photographer Margaret Bourke-White perched on one of the 61st-floor steel eagles, high above the street, taking pictures.
On the globe
The model shows the Art Deco skyscraper crowned with its terraced stainless-steel sunburst and eagle gargoyles in New York. Zoom in to look at the shiny crown and the slim spire on top.
Quiz time
Which is taller: Chrysler Building or One Vanderbilt?
Show the answer
One Vanderbilt. (319 m vs 427 m) One Vanderbilt →
Nearby on the globe
Sources
- Read more on Wikipedia
- Chrysler Building — Wikipedia
- Chrysler Building — The Skyscraper Museum (Ten Tops)
Updated: 2026-10-13