History and architecture
Cass Gilbert completed the Woolworth Building in 1913 for retailer F. W. Woolworth. Its Gothic ornament gave a modern commercial tower the appearance of a much older architectural tradition, earning it the enduring nickname Cathedral of Commerce.
The facade uses architectural terra cotta alongside granite and limestone over a steel-and-masonry structure. From Broadway, examine the lower decoration before looking up to the tower. The building's position opposite City Hall Park makes it a useful place to compare a commercial skyscraper with the civic architecture around the park.
What to look for
- The Gothic ornament around the Broadway entrance.
- Repeated vertical lines drawing the eye toward the tower.
- The change from the broad base to the narrower tower above.
Sources and further reading
- The Woolworth Building: Building History and Architecture
- The Woolworth Building: Building Specifications
Reviewed September 5, 2026.