Chrysler Building

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Standing at 1,047 feet high (319 m), the Chrysler Building was briefly the world's tallest building before it was surpassed by the Empire State Building in 1931. It is still the world's tallest brick building.

On October 23, 1929, the bottom section of the spire was hoisted onto the top of the building's dome and lowered into the 66th floor of the building. The other remaining sections of the spire were hoisted and riveted to the first spire section in sequential order in just 90 minutes.

Approximately 3,826,000 bricks were manually laid by hand for the non-loadbearing walls of the skyscraper.

The Chrysler Building was designed by architect William Van Alen to house the Chrysler Corporation.

Various architectural details, especially the building's gargoyles, were modeled after Chrysler automobile products like the hood ornaments of the Plymouth in the 1920's.