New York City has often been on the forefront of architectural ingenuity. Concurrently, many of the City’s notable buildings were inspired by Old World architecture. Presented below, the second part of our series provides a survey of New York City buildings and their Italian inspirations. The authorities differ on the authenticity of some of these claims, after comparing them let us know what you think.

1. Saint Mark’s Campanile/Metropolitan Life Insurance Building, Bankers Trust Building, and Thurgood Marshall United States Courthouse

Saint Mark’s Campanile is the bell tower of St Mark’s Basilica in Venice. The present campanile was constructed in 1912 and is a recreation of a 1514 one that collapsed in 1902. It served as the inspiration for the Metropolitan Life Insurance Building (1 Madison Avenue), the Bankers Trust Building (14 Wall Street), and the Thurgood Marshall United States Courthouse.

The former Metropolitan Life Insurance headquarters was once the tallest building in the world.

Cass Gilbert died while the Thurgood Marshall United States Courthouse was still under construction. His son, Cass Gilbert Jr., oversaw the courthouse’s completion