Grand Central Terminal, Railway terminal in Midtown Manhattan, United States
Grand Central Terminal is a railway station in Midtown Manhattan with a grand main concourse whose vaulted ceiling rises 38 meters (125 feet) and displays a celestial map painted with golden stars and constellations. Below the concourse lie two levels containing 44 platforms and 67 tracks spread across several floors.
The building opened in 1913 after replacing two earlier station structures on the same site. Construction required clearing more than 120 older buildings in the neighborhood.
Commuters rush through the hall each weekday while tourists pause to gaze at the painted ceiling or browse the many shops and restaurants. This dual role as working station and public gathering place shapes the daily life of the building.
The building can be entered through multiple doorways on 42nd Street and Vanderbilt Avenue, with the main concourse serving as the central reference point. Ramps and staircases lead down from there to platforms on lower floors.
The Whispering Gallery near the Oyster Bar uses four arched corners where someone can speak quietly into the wall and be clearly heard diagonally across the space. This acoustic effect results from the curved tile structure.
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