Grand Central Terminal of New York
It is the main attraction for the indigenous New Yorkers, the largest and one of the most beautiful stations in the world ... This is Grand Central Terminal. It is the oldest railway station in New York. Every day, its halls receive about 750,000 passengers.
10 facts about New York's Central Station
1. The symbol of the Grand Central Terminal is Opal Watches. The dial of this chronograph is made of opal. Its cost, according to experts, is estimated at $ 10-20 million.
2. There is a tennis court at New York's Central Station. It was built in the 60s of the last century by Geza Gazdag. Later it was bought by Donald Trump.
3. All the information boards of New York's Main Station are always in a hurry for exactly 1 minute!
4. Grand Central Terminal has a secret platform. It is used only when the President comes to New York and only on duty. However, in case of danger, this railway track will be used for the safe transportation of the first person of the state. It was built for President Roosevelt when he contracted poliomyelitis and was paralyzed to hide this fact from the public eye.
5. The Central Station of the Big Apple is decorated with stucco branches of oak and acorns. The fact is that for the construction of the Grand Central Terminal in 1871 the Vanderbildt family donated almost $ 6,5 million. Oak with acorns was their family tree-symbol.
6. Even the ceiling of New York's Central Station is unique. It depicts a fresco with signs of the Zodiac and 2500 stars ... Only in the mirror image. The fact is that the artist Paul Elle, who created this masterpiece, looked at the sketch from top to bottom. This caused a mistake. However, the customers not only did not resent such an incident, but also supported the author. They said, now passengers of the station will be able to see what the Universe looks like through the eyes of God.
7. In one corner of the main hall of Grand Central Terminal there is a stain on the ceiling. This is not a bad repair. A brown speck was left especially during the next restoration in 1998, when the ceiling was cleaned of tobacco smoke. This is a reminder to all smokers about the harm of their addiction.
8. The Central Station of New York can boast of unusual chandeliers. Even they have their own story! Lamps in chandeliers do not have plafonds. Thus, the Vanderbildt family demonstrated the strength of electricity and the electric railway that it sponsored.
9. At the Central Station of New York there is a Whisper Gallery. This is a marble transition with arches. Its trick is that whispering something near one wall, you can safely expect that it will be heard by your interlocutor at the second.
10. Under the main hall of the Grand Central Terminal is the largest basement of New York. Its area is about 200 000 square meters. It occupies the underground space from 42 to 97 streets. In this cellar there is a secret room called M42, which is not even in the drawings. There are the generators that feed all the electric trains and the so-called red button, which stops all trains.