Grand Central Terminal is the most beautiful Beaux-Arts architecture and historic landmark in New York. In early summer this year, I finally had the opportunity to visit Grand Central on my fourth visit to the city.
I was motivated to visit Grand Central by an article I read about the power of classical music. It said: In the 1990s, the crime in Grand Central Terminal was rampant, when the former prosecutor-turned-mayor of New York Rudy Giuliani took office. Mr. Giuliani adjusted the background music system, using high-quality audio equipment playing Mozart’s classical music all day long, resulting in significantly reducing crime by 33%!
With such a creative way to solve the thorny problem of the high crime rate, I think Mr. Giuliani must be a wise mayor and a lover of classical music. I also love the music of Mozart, its gentle and moving melodies seem to touch the depths of one’s soul.
Unfortunately, I did not hear Mozart on that day. I wonder if Grand Central is still playing Mozart’s music. I was a bit overwhelmed while standing in the magnificent main concourse and forgot to go to the information booth under the Four-Faced Clock to ask the question.
The Grand Central Terminal which was opened in 1913 sits in Midtown Manhattan. It is the largest train station in the world, with 44 platforms and over 100 track numbers. It is also one of the busiest train stations in the world, serving nearly 200,000 passengers every day.
The majestic building was nearly torn down in the 1960s, but with the help of former First-Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, it was designated an historic American landmark.
An American flag has been hanging in the terminal’s main concourse since a few days after the September 11 attacks in 2001. It’s a good reminder of the American spirit.
