Grand Central Terminal

Opened in 1913, Grand Central Terminal is a masterpiece of Beaux‑Arts architecture by Reed & Stem and Warren & Wetmore. It features a majestic façade with a 13-ft Tiffany clock, crowned by the “Glory of Commerce” sculptural group, framed by Corinthian columns and large arched windows. Inside, the soaring Main Concourse (275 × 120 × 125 ft) is capped by a celestial mural of the zodiac constellations and a grand four-faced opal clock — iconic symbols of the terminal and New York City.

Below street level, Grand Central seamlessly integrates transportation, retail, dining, and cultural experiences. It serves as a bustling hub for Metro‑North Railroad and, since 2023, includes the Grand Central Madison LIRR terminal—recently honored with a UNESCO Prix Versailles award for its interior design.

Interesting Facts

• Largest train station by platforms: 44 platforms serving 67 tracks — a Guinness record.

• The celestial mural, painted in 1930, features reversed constellations—a design “error” that sparked enduring fascination.

• Saved from demolition in the 1970s through a pivotal landmark lawsuit championed by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis—completed restoration in the 1990s.

• The exterior’s sculptural group (“Glory of Commerce”) by Jules‑Félix Coutan (1914) is among the largest public works of its kind.Home to a famed “whispering gallery” in the Oyster Bar and a dramatic Graybar Passage ceiling by Edward Trumbull