NYC superlatives, oldest structure, largest planet Earth, narrowest building

New York City is chock full of superlatives. “Best” pizza and tallest building (in the United States) are just some of the superlatives that immediately come to mind. But there are tons of quirky and surprising ones too like the smallest park, the shortest-lived building, the narrowest shop, and even the tiniest subway door. Here, we’ve compiled a few of our favorite and most surprising New York City superlatives. A list like this could go on forever, so let us know what quirky superlatives you would award! Leave a comment or reach out on social media by tagging @UntappedNY!

1. The Largest Planet Earth (on Earth!): The Unisphere

Unisphere in Flushing Meadows

The Unisphere in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park is the largest representation of Earth not only in New York City but on the entire planet Earth! Many New York superlatives can apply to larger regions outside the City. For example, our largest cathedral, St. John the Divine, is one of the largest in the world, and our tallest building, One World Trade, is the tallest in the U.S.

The Unisphere was designed by landscape architect Gilmore D. Clarke as a centerpiece for the 1964 World’s Fair. The stainless steel structure weighs 350 tons and has a 120-foot diameter. Capital cities of the world are marked by lights on the stainless steel structure and mountain ranges are shown in relief. Circling the globe are three orbital rings that represent the path of early satellites.