Woolworth Building

The Woolworth Building looms over lower Broadway with a facade of intricate terra cotta and stone carvings that give it the appearance of a medieval church. When the structure opened in 1913, it was the tallest in the world, a title it held for seventeen years. Because of its Neo-Gothic spires and cathedral-like grandeur, it quickly earned the nickname the Cathedral of Commerce. The tower was financed entirely in cash by Frank W. Woolworth, who made his fortune founding the famous five-and-dime retail empire.