Empire State Building:
New York City's premier skyscraper and a symbol of an era

The Empire State Building is perhaps the most recognizable skyscraper in the world; it’s impossible to imagine the Manhattan skyline without it. Erected at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and 34th Street, this 102-story giant held the title of the world’s tallest building for four decades.

The Race of the Sky-High Giants and Record-Breaking Timelines

The history of the building’s construction is closely tied to the spirited “skyscraper race” that swept through New York in the late 1920s. Architect William F. Lamb was tasked with designing the skyscraper in the shortest possible time. Construction began in March 1930, at the height of the Great Depression.

The pace of construction was astonishing even by today’s standards: workers erected an average of 4.5 floors per week! More than 3,400 people worked on the construction site at any given time, including the famous high-rise riggers from the Mohawk tribe, who were unafraid of heights. The building, standing 381 meters tall (443.2 meters including the spire), was built in just 1 year and 45 days.

Art Deco architecture and the mooring mast

The Empire State Building became the benchmark for the monumental Art Deco style. The building features distinctive stepped terraces that taper toward the top, allowing sunlight to reach the city streets.

Fun fact: The tower’s metal spire was originally designed as a mooring mast for airships! The plan was for Zeppelins to moor directly to the top of the skyscraper, and for passengers to descend to the 102nd floor. However, due to strong updrafts and safety concerns, this idea was quickly abandoned, and the spire was later equipped with television and radio antennas.

In the photographs of the skyscraper, the austere geometric elegance of the facade – clad in light-colored Indian limestone and stainless steel – is clearly visible.

The Lights of Manhattan and Iconic Observation Decks

The top of the Empire State Building is equipped with dynamic LED lighting that changes colors to celebrate national holidays, major sports victories, and world events.

For tourists, the building’s main attraction is its observation decks:

• 86th floor (open-air observatory) — a legendary observation deck with a 360-degree panoramic view, offering stunning vistas of Central Park, the Hudson River, and the Brooklyn Bridge.
• 102nd floor (enclosed panoramic observatory) — a viewing deck located at the very base of the spire, featuring floor-to-ceiling panoramic windows.

Looking at the photos taken from the top of the building, it’s easy to get a sense of the scale and incredible rhythm of the city that never sleeps.