Empire State Building, New York

Empire State Building, New York

The Empire State Building is Manhattan’s best known landmark and stands as a testament to the American spirit.

The Empire State Building is Manhattan’s best known landmark and stands as a testament to the American spirit. The third tallest building in New York City after One World Trade Center and 432 Park Avenue, it is an integral part of the city’s famous skyline.

Completed in 1931, the 381 m tall Art Deco building was easily the tallest building not just in New York, but the entire world for many years before being overtaken by another New York landmark - the twin towers of the World Trade Center. The iconic spire was initially designed to be a moor for zeppelins, but now is a dock for broadcast transmission antennae. The Empire State Building lights up in changing color to recognize various occasions throughout the year.

The 80^th floor has the Dare to Dream exhibit which tells the story behind the building’s construction through period photographs, architectural sketches, construction notes, documents and mementos from the 3400 workers, engineers, and architects who built it. The Main Deck on the 86^th floor is the highest open-air observatory in New York, offering 360-degree views of the city and beyond. Get panoramic views of Central Park, Brooklyn Bridge, Times Square, the Statue of Liberty, and the Hudson river through binoculars. The Top Deck on the 102^nd floor offers further gorgeous views all around.

The building has been a part of popular culture ever since King Kong climbed it in 1933, and can be seen in Andy Warhol’s Empire, Sleepless in Seattle, and several other movies.

Expect long lines, and a lot of them - you'll have to wait in line to pass through a security checkpoint, wait in line to get tickets, wait in line for the elevators, and then make your way through the crowd on the observation deck. It is recommended to buy Skip-the-Line tickets in advance to save time.