The New York City Traveler

 Grand Central Terminal is one of the most dramatically beautiful buildings in New York City. You don’t have to be a catching one of the Metro-North commuter rails to visit Grand Central Terminal. The terminal is an attraction all on its own.

Be sure to enter the Grand Central Terminal on 42nd Street at Park Avenue for the most impressive exterior views. Hovering above you, with the clock in the center, is Jules-Alexis Coutan’s 50-foot neoclassical scupture, Transportation, depicting Mercury, Hercules and Minerva.

This Beaux-arts jewel is not just a pretty face, but also a fully-functioning rail station. It also hosts over 100 retail businesses and the famous ninety-four year old restaurant, Oyster Bar. Grand Central Terminal sees over 600,000 visitors and commuters on a daily basis.

Grand Central Terminal’s most beautiful feature is the elaborate gold-leaf on cerulean blue oil masterpiece painted in 1912 by French artist Paul Cesar Helleuin in the Main Concourse. This painting portrays the Mediterranean sky with the October-to- March zodiac. Years of pollution from cigar and cigarette smoke obscured the beautiful painting but during a 12-year restoration project the painting was rediscovered. You can now see the painting in all of its original brilliance with a few upgrades: the 60 largest stars that were previously lit with 40 watt light bulbs are now lit with fiber optics.

Location: 42nd Street at Park Avenue (map)

Getting There: S, 4, 5, 6, and 7 trains to Grand Central

Hours: Grand Central Terminal is open daily from 5:30am until 1:30am. A free self-guided walking tour map can be found here. In addition, the Municipal Arts Society sponsors a tour every Wednesday at 12:30 pm. Suggested donation is $12. Call (212) 935-3960 for more information. The Grand Central Partnership sponsors a free 90 minute tour of the terminal and surrounding neighborhood every Friday at 12:30 pm. Call (212) 883-2420 for more information.

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