Beneath City Hall Park lies one of New York City’s greatest architectural contradictions: a subway station designed like a cathedral, sealed off from the public for nearly 80 years. City Hall Station was meant to be the ceremonial gateway to the world’s first modern subway system, complete with vaulted Guastavino tile ceilings, skylights, chandeliers, and handcrafted oak furnishings. And yet, despite being hailed as the most beautiful station in America, it was quietly abandoned in 1945. In this