New York Dearest
The guide, $35
A place · Landmark · Midtown · on 2 of my lists

The Chrysler Building.

Worth it, says Antonina. The Chrysler Building is easily one of the most beautiful skyscrapers in New York.

Antonina Pattiz
Antonina PattizI went myself · from my The Most visited attractions in New York

The Chrysler Building, in my photographs

14 frames from my visits
  • Crowds photograph the sun setting directly down a Manhattan street next to the Chrysler Building during Manhattanhenge.
    Summer
  • Cherry blossoms bloom along the East River with the Manhattan skyline including the Chrysler Building in the background.
    Spring
  • Cherry blossoms line a riverside park with the Manhattan skyline including the Chrysler Building across the water.
    Spring
  • Cherry blossoms bloom along the East River with the Manhattan skyline and Chrysler Building in view.
    Spring
  • Crowds photograph Manhattanhenge as the sun aligns with the street grid beside the Chrysler Building.
    Summer
  • The sun sets directly between skyscrapers on 42nd Street with the Chrysler Building visible, a Manhattanhenge view.
    Summer
  • The Manhattan skyline with the Chrysler Building rises above the East River at dusk.
    Spring · After dark
  • Long-exposure traffic light trails stream down 42nd Street toward the Chrysler Building at dusk.
    After dark
  • A crowd photographs the Manhattanhenge sunset aligning with 42nd Street and the Chrysler Building.
    Summer

The Chrysler Building by season

Where The Chrysler Building appears on New York Dearest

It's on 2 of my lists. Each entry below is what I wrote about it there, with my verdict on that list, the fullest first.

Worth it
  • Address405 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10174
  • From my guide, updated September 2026.

The Chrysler Building is easily one of the most beautiful skyscrapers in New York. It may not have an observation deck, but it remains one of the most admired architectural landmarks in NYC. I love walking up Lexington Avenue and seeing the spire peek out between buildings, it always stops me for a second. The Art Deco detailing, the steel crown, the gargoyles, it’s all timeless and so distinctly New York.

While you can’t go to the top like other observation decks in the city, you can enter the lobby during business hours and admire the elegant interior. I like pairing a quick Chrysler Building visit with a walk to Grand Central, which is just a few blocks away.

It’s a great stop for photography lovers, architecture buffs, or anyone trying to see the most famous landmarks in New York City. The Chrysler Building is one of the best-known skyscrapers in the world, and standing beneath it, you understand why. Even surrounded by taller, flashier buildings, it still holds its own.

Read it on the list
Worth it, says Antonina. Been? Say if you agree.
Worth it

At the time of construction (early to mid 1900’s) everyone was vying for the honor of building the tallest building in the world, the architects behind the Chrysler Building were no exception.

I’ve been here in every season. My favorite? Fall, when the light hits just right.

Completed in 1930, this gleaming Art Deco skyscraper, with its distinctive terraced crown and sleek stainless steel cladding, reaches a height of 1,046 feet. It briefly held the title of the world’s tallest building before being surpassed by the Empire State Building two years later.

What makes the Chrysler Building stand out is the ornate design inspired by Chrysler cars. Topped with eagle gargoyles and radiator cap sculptures adorning its facade, the building isn’t open to the public, but it’s a marvel to behold from an observation deck.

Some spots just hit different when you stumble on them yourself.

Read it on the list
The Chrysler Building

Nearby, from my lists

Worth it, within a ten-minute walk
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The Chrysler Building

Midtown