How was the spire added?

Assembled inside the building and raised through the roof

What fills the lobby ceiling?

A huge mural by Edward Trumbull

Chrysler Building Quiz: Art Deco Eagles and Spire

In 1929 builders hoisted a hidden spire through the roof to beat a rival skyscraper, and this Chrysler Building quiz explains how that stunt made it briefly the tallest building in the world. Play 10 interactive questions on William Van Alen, Walter Chrysler, steel eagles, radiator cap ornaments, the sunburst crown, the lobby murals and the Empire State Building.

Start Chrysler Building Quiz

🎯 Daily Trivia Challenge • 🧠 10 Questions • ⏱️ 150 Seconds

Question 1 / 10 Time: 150s

Architect
Who designed the Chrysler Building?
Owner
Which car company founder commissioned it?
Opened
In which year was the Chrysler Building completed?
Spire
How was the spire added?
Record
Which building took the tallest title from it in 1931?
Eagles
What creatures stick out from the 61st floor?
Caps
What do the decorations on the 31st floor resemble?
Crown
What material covers the sunburst crown?
Style
Which architectural style is the building?
Lobby
What fills the lobby ceiling?

Explanations: answer key for all 10 questions

Q1: Who designed the Chrysler Building?
Answer: William Van Alen
His Art Deco design is one of New York's most admired.
Q2: Which car company founder commissioned it?
Answer: Walter Chrysler
Chrysler paid for the building himself.
Q3: In which year was the Chrysler Building completed?
Answer: 1930
It opened in May 1930.
Q4: How was the spire added?
Answer: Assembled inside the building and raised through the roof
The surprise lifted it above its rival at 40 Wall Street.
Q5: Which building took the tallest title from it in 1931?
Answer: Empire State Building
The Chrysler Building held the title for less than a year.
Q6: What creatures stick out from the 61st floor?
Answer: Steel eagles
The eagle gargoyles echo Chrysler hood ornaments.
Q7: What do the decorations on the 31st floor resemble?
Answer: Chrysler radiator caps
Car details celebrate the client's business.
Q8: What material covers the sunburst crown?
Answer: Stainless steel
The Nirosta steel still shines today.
Q9: Which architectural style is the building?
Answer: Art Deco
Its geometric ornament is classic Art Deco.
Q10: What fills the lobby ceiling?
Answer: A huge mural by Edward Trumbull
The mural celebrates transportation and human work.

Chrysler Building Quiz – New York's Art Deco Jewel

The Chrysler Building, completed in 1930, was designed by William Van Alen for car maker Walter Chrysler. During a race to build the world's tallest skyscraper, workers assembled a spire inside the tower and raised it through the roof in about 90 minutes.

The stunt made it the tallest building in the world until the Empire State Building surpassed it in 1931. Its stainless steel crown with sunburst windows, steel eagles on the 61st floor and radiator cap ornaments on the 31st floor celebrate the automobile.

The lobby features marble, chrome and a giant ceiling mural by Edward Trumbull. The building is a landmark of Art Deco design and a symbol of the New York skyline.

What This Quiz Teaches

Architecture fans and New York visitors will enjoy these questions.

Who built it
How the spire was raised
Which record it held
What its decorations show
What style it represents

Did You Know?

The Cloud Club once operated near the top.
The building is about 319 meters tall.
Its lobby is open to visitors on weekdays.
Van Alen fell out with Chrysler over fees.
The crown lights up at night.