Empire State Building

Standing at 1,454 feet tall — including the color-changing antenna — the Empire State Building was the tallest structure in the world until 1970, when the newly built World Trade Center beat it out. Nowadays, it is the 54th-tallest building in the world, but that hasn’t made the sight of it any less impressive, as recognizable as its Art Deco design is.  

Since it opened in 1931, the Empire State Building has been popular for its unique style, its 86th- and 102nd-floor observatories, and its former status as the tallest building in the world. It has also made a huge imprint on popular culture, starting with the release of the classic adventure film King Kong in 1933. No matter what other buildings pop up along the New York City skyline, the Empire State Building will always be what most people think of first.  

Continue reading to learn more about the building’s history, construction, and how you can visit today. 

History of the Empire State Building 

The site where the Empire State Building now stands was once owned by John Jacob Astor, America’s first multi-millionaire and patriarch of a prominent Knickerbocker family. In 1893, his grandson built a hotel on the site — the first iteration of the Waldorf-Astoria — but it was eventually moved uptown to Park Avenue, and the site was sold to an engineering company. 

After 1928, plans for the site began to come into being; it began as a proposed 50-story building, but that was eventually upped to 80 floors. In 1929, the plans were revised again to add floors and a spire to ensure that the Empire State Building would be taller than the Chrysler Building. Despite the looming economic recession after the Wall Street Crash of 1929, the Empire State Building still managed to be completed by winter of 1931.  

New Yorkers and other Americans were intensely proud of the Empire State Building, given its role as the tallest building in the world; it was thought that it would take a long time before it could be surpassed, even by New York itself, and they were right: the Empire State Building was the tallest in the world for almost 40 years. 

How to Visit the Empire State Building 

Now, beyond admiring the beautiful Art Deco facade of the Empire State Building from street level, you must see the city from its panoramic observation decks. Inside the building is a guide to the history and architecture of the Empire State Building, the perfect start to a stroll around the decks.  

The building is open from 11am to 10pm each day. Tickets to the 86th floor are $44 for adults and $38 for children; while tickets to the 102nd floor and the 86th floor are $79 for adults and $73 for children. You can buy tickets here. In addition to the observation decks, the Empire State Building is also home to a collection of gift shops and restaurants.  

See all of New York City spread out in front of you with a visit to the Empire State Building, one of the most famous destinations in the world.