MAIN SWITCHBOARD TERMINAL

New York, which sadly lost its Penn Station, one of the finest architectural monuments of its time, which has little in common with today's Penn Station, might also have lost Grand Central had it not been for a vigorous popular protest led by Jackie Onassis. It took eight years to completely refurbish the station, which was celebrated on October¹, 1998. This enormous station, completed in 1913 after 10 years of work, was once the departure and arrival point for the great trains to Chicago and California. Today, tens of thousands of commuters pass through its breathtaking concourse, under a star-decorated ceiling over 40 m high. The building's facade is adorned with statues and topped by a large clock. This majestic Beaux-Arts-style building boasts a sumptuous interior with marble halls and corridors. In the main hall(Grand Concourse), the information desk in the center is topped by a beautiful 4-sided copper clock. Its large windows on either side, which let in the sun's rays, give this waiting room a cathedral-like air. Cars appear upside down! The ceiling is a thing of beauty, depicting on a midnight-blue background the twinkling constellation of a winter's night, with its 2,500 stars. Even at peak times, the whole area leaves an impression of silence and calm. Stores, restaurants (including the famous Oyster Bar) and a fresh produce market(Grand Central Market) occupy the building's lower(Dining Concourse) and upper(Balcony Level) levels. Many New Yorkers come here for lunch because of the low prices of the basement's pleasant food court, and because the station is within easy reach of Midtown's offices. For the record, just next to the Oyster Bar, you may see two people talking to columns... They're not crazy! If you stand facing the wall on either side of the ceramic vault, it's possible to have a conversation, even in a whisper, which is why the place is nicknamed the whisper gallery. A phenomenon made possible by the architecture of the vault! Well-known to fans of the Gossip Girl series, Grand Central has been the setting for scenes from famous films such as Madagascar, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Arthur, Unbreakable, Superman, Cloverfield and The Avengers. Grand Central Madison, the new Long Island Railroad (LIRR) terminal, opened in 2023.