The Empire State Building is one of the most iconic buildings in New York City and remains one of the most iconic in all of the world. It is a massive 102 story skyscraper that dominates part of the Midtown Manhattan skyline. The name is derived from "Empire State" a nickname for the State of New York. For around forty years it was the tallest building in the world - until the World Trade Center was built in 1970. Today one can visit the Empire State building and the views from the top are incredible of the city. It is easily one of the most recognizable landmarks in all of the United States and should be part of anyone's itinerary for visiting New York City any time of year.

About The Empire State Building

  • Number of Stories: 102
  • Height: 1,250 Feet or 380 Meters

Once the world's tallest building for the better part of half a century, today it is the world's 49th tallest building - and the 6th tallest in the Americas. The Empire State building was designed to be the world's tallest building - to ensure that, its design was changed fifteen times.

The Empire State Building rises on the location of the old Waldorf Astoria Hotel. This hotel was stunning, historic, and renowned in its time, but after being acquired for an estimated $20 million it was swiftly demolished. From the ashes of its site would raise what was arguably the world's most ambitious building project to that date. It was officially opened by then-President Hoover who pressed a button in Washington, D.C. turning on the lights of the Empire State Building for the first time.

  • Construction Started: March 17, 1930
  • Building Opened: May 1, 1931
  • Officially Opened: By President Hoover
  • King Kong: Scaled It March 1933 - Before Being Shot Down

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Famously the site of where "beauty killed the beast", the 1933 King Kong Movie was released in 1933, but filmed in 1932. So the Empire State Building had only just been completed at the time. It has since featured in more than 250 TV shows and movies.

  • Losses: Despite The Massive Publicity Being The Tallest Building And The Destination Of Gaint Apes, It Failed To Make A Profit Until the Early 1950s

Today anyone can visit this iconic building and it even attracts a massive 4 million tourists from all around the world annually. They visit the 86th and 102nd-floor observatories plus another on the 80th floor that opened recently in 2019.

  • Risk: There Is Currently Little Risk Of Being Shot Off The 102nd Floor Observatory By Bi-Planes
  • Landmark: It Was Added To The National Register of Historic Place As A National Historica Landmark in 1986

This year in 2021 the Empire State Building has been celebrating its 90th birthday - the celebration is year-long. It was built surprisingly quickly in just 1 year and 45 days.

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Visiting The Empire State Building

  • Days Open: 365 Days A Year (Including All Holidays)
  • Opening Times: Midday From 12.00 PM

102nd Observatory

The 102nd Observatory is known as the Top Deck and this is the highest as one can go. The 102nd flood has been reimagined and offers eye-watering floor-to-ceiling views that can stretch out for up to 80 miles on a clear day. Here one is really looking down at New York City's many other skyscrapers and landmarks.

  • Ticket Price: Starting At $75.00 Per Adult

86th Observatory

The 86th Observatory is known as the Main Deck and it is perhaps New York's most famous open-air observatory. It boasts stunning 360-degree views where one can gaze out and see all of New York City with a stunning bird's eye view. New York landmarks that can be seen include Central Park, the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge, and much more.

  • Ticket Prices: Starting At $42.00 Per Adult

Sunrise At Empire State

One of the best times to see the City is during sunrise. This is seen from the 86th-floor observation deck and is limited to just 40 visitors.

  • Ticket Prices: $114.80

CityPASS

One of the best and most affordable ways to see NYC is with a CityPass. With this one can see NYC's top 6 attractions and together the package deal offers 40% savings relative to buying the tickets individually. It includes the Empire State's 86th Floor observatory.

  • CityPASS Tickets: Starting From $136.00 Per Adult ($228.00 Cost of Individual Tickets)

Time does what time does! After opening, the cost of viewing New York City from the Empire State Building was 10 cents. In 6 months the building managed to collect over $3,000 in nickels and dimes. The prices have risen a little since then.

For those who wish to learn more about visiting the Empire State Building and its other exclusive and luxury tours that open up much more of the building, check out their website Empire State Building NYC.

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