The Chrysler Building is the New York skyscraper completed in 1930 and developed by Chrysler Corporation chairman Walter Chrysler.
Architect William Van Alen designed the 77-story Art Deco tower for Chrysler, whose company headquarters occupied part of the building. Construction began in 1928 during New York City’s intense race to build the world’s tallest skyscraper.
The building briefly held that title in 1930, after its distinctive stainless-steel spire was secretly assembled inside the tower and raised into position. Its height reached 1,046 feet (319 metres), surpassing 40 Wall Street before the Empire State Building opened in 1931.
The Chrysler Building is often confused with the Empire State Building because both were completed during the same Manhattan skyscraper boom. Unlike the Empire State Building’s limestone exterior, the Chrysler Building is especially famous for its Art Deco ornament, including automobile-inspired details and a gleaming crown.