Diane Pham

Originally published in January 2017. More than 750,000 people visit Grand Central a daily; some to shop, some to dine, but most to hit the rails. Beyond being a pulsating artery of New York City, the transit hub is also a spectacular work of architecture with an undeniable beauty and an incredible history. RECOMMENDED: Full guide to Grand Central Terminal in NYC Opened in 1913, the station was designed by architecture firms Reed & Stem and Warren & Wetmore in a Beauxs-Art style and has become one of the city’s most celebrated landmarks. However, while it’s difficult not to be entranced by the station’s grandeur today, this hasn’t always been the case. Like most of New York City landmarks, Grand Central has fallen in and out of favor over the last century, and as one might expect, it harbors some fascinating tales. From a massive screw-up in the celestial ceiling to a thwarted Nazi plan to blow the station to smithereens to the terminal’s surprising Donald Trump connection, ahead are the top 10 secrets of Grand Central Terminal.  Image: Courtesy New York Public Library 1. Grand Central has been rebuilt three times The Grand Central you see now is not the original building. Indeed, the terminal as it exists today is actually the third iteration of the structure. The original station was known as the “Grand Central Depot” and erected in 1871. The depot served the region’s three major lines, but the city’s rapidly growing population ultimately led to its demolition in 1900. So

New York’s buildings are as diverse as its population, and across the city you’ll find a collection of structures that draw inspiration from numerous architectural styles that span globe—just look at the Beaux-Arts Grand Central Terminal, the Neo-Georgian brick townhouses of Greenwich Village, or the Modernist swoops that make up the Guggenheim Museum. And as wide-ranging as they may be, they somehow meld to create a perfect storm of creative expression and beauty. However, that’s not to say that straight up strange stuff hasn’t been built around town. Ahead we’ve picked out ten of New York City’s oddest buildings, each constructed in places you’d never expect. From a bright orange pagoda-meets-Victorian-styled home in leafy Brooklyn to a wood cottage above a West Village apartment building, this is as fearless as architecture gets. 1. Palazzo Chupi, 360 West 11th Street Photo: Courtesy Wikipedia Commons Atop an unassuming former carriage house sits a bright pink palace that looks like it’s been yanked from from the banks of a Venetian canal. The Palazzo Chupi—named after the colorful lollipop you enjoyed as a kid—is actually the home of artist Julian Schnabel. Schnabel decided one day he needed more space and rather than adding a few more floors of brick to his existing historic structure, he dreamt up the audacious topper instead. While some locals applauded Schnabel’s temerity, others were repulsed, with one critic even describing the Palazzo as "an exploded MalibuBarbie