In addition to housing the largest stock exchange in the world by dollar value ($10.1 trillion), the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) building stands as a grand and impressive work of neoclassical architecture on Wall Street in lower Manhattan.
On the outside, six Corinthian columns rise to support a magnificently sculpted pediment designed by American sculptor John Quincy Adams Ward. The marble sculptures, entitled "Integrity Protecting the Works of Man," depict characterizations of integrity, agriculture, mining, science, industry, and invention. The inside, which is not open to the public, features a 109 by 140-foot trading floor with 72-foot high marble walls, an enormous skylight, and 24 miles of wiring to run the massive annunciator boards. Although developers originally estimated $1 million in building costs when the cornerstone was laid in 1901, the structure's final cost reached $4 million upon opening in 1903.
Aside from the day-to-day chaos of buying, selling, and trading, the NYSE has closed for several events throughout history including the onset of World War I and the attacks of September 11. The NYSE crashed on October 24, 1929, causing the Black Tuesday sell-off panic that marked the beginning of the Great Depression. The highest price paid for NYSE membership was $4 million on December 1, 2005, and the highest number of shares traded in a day was 5.7 billion on August 16, 2007.
Attraction Information
- Subway Stop:
- 2, 3, 4, 5 trains to the Wall Street Station
- N, R trains to the Rector Street Station
- Contact:
- Location: 11 Wall Street, New York, NY
- Phone: 212-656-3000
- Website: www.nyse.com
