The world's most beautiful building...

My oh my! Detroit is full of some fantastic architecture. I figured I'd give you a taste of some of it.

I recently whipped out my camera and took some (admittedly poor!) photos at the incredible Fisher Building. According to an article in the Detroit News: When the Fisher brothers decided to build a building in their name, they hired famed architect Albert Kahn and "gave him a blank check and the instructions to build 'the most beautiful building in the world.'" It was completed in 1928 for $10 million.

The Fisher now houses a number of shops and a theater.

What are you waiting for? Come inside:


Everything is golden. Take a look at the stunning elevator doors below.


This towering hall made me feel like I was in a Parisian museum.



Check out the lamps. The News story also said that 500 to 600 light bulbs are changed at a time in the Fisher arcade. I hope they're fluorescent.)





Wow!


By the numbers:
40: varieties of marble from France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Greece, Africa, New York, Massachusetts and Missouri.
430: tons of bronze in the building, including 2,000 window frames and 256 cast or etched elevator doors.
600 (feet): length of the L-shaped arcade, measuring 30 feet wide and 44 feet high.
500,000: square feet of office space
99,000: square feet of retail space and the Fisher Theater.
60: nude figures on the ceiling, no two are alike. The rest of the ceiling is covered with hemlock, oranges, eagles and other folk art.
Other tidbits: The exterior is American Vertical architecture. The first three stories are of Minnesota granite; upper floors are Maryland marble...The interior contains a barrel vaulted ceiling, embellished with cherubs and eagles.
Source: Detroit News