Happy birthday, Chrysler Building!

The Chrysler Building, one of the most remebered landmarks in New York City, has reasons to celebrate today. It was a day like today, May 27, but in 1930, when it was opened to the public with a big ceremony.

By that time, the Chrysler Building was not only the tallest building in the world, but also the tallest structure in the world, beating even the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France. The total height of the building is 319 m (1046 ft). Unfortunately for the building, it held only during a short time the world Guinness record as the highest building in the world, as the Empire State Building, with a total height of 381 m (not considering the antenna on its top, which was added some years later) was finished on May 1, 1931, just a few blocks away from the Chrysler Building's site. However, the Chrysler Building is still considered the tallest brick building in the world.

This building, designed by the architect William van Alen, is one of the purest expressions of the Art Déco architecture, which flourished mainly during the 1930's. The decoration of the tower was inspired in some features that were used at that time in Chrysler cars, for example, the hood's ornamentation.

Long life for one of the most beautiful skycrapers in the world, the Chrysler Building!