The open air 86th Floor Observation Deck is the
perfect place to take in all that New York has to offer, putting yourself in the center of it all with a
360-degree view of the city. Experience one of a kind views of The Hudson
River, East River, Central Park, The Brooklyn Bridge, Times Square, Lady
Liberty and much more!
Built from 1929-31, the Empire State was New York’s
tallest building until 1972, when the World Trade Center was finished. In 2001
when the WTC fell, this old, stone faced skyscraper was again briefly the
tallest until the completion of One World Trade Center. Enter the lobby, and
you enter a designated historic landmark that evokes the luxury of a past age.
Construction began on the Empire State in 1930, with
its steel framework rising 4.5 storeys each week. By 1931, President Hoover using the wonder of technology was able to
press a button in Washington DC to turn on the lights for the first time
The tallest building in the world soon found fame
when, in 1933, the original King Kong movie saw a big monkey clinging
to its summit while clasping actress Faye Wray in his hairy hand. That was
fictional, but real drama was to come in 1945 when a B-25 bomber crashed into
the building during thick fog
The Empire State was sold in 1951 for 34m USD (the
price today of a one-bedroom apartment in lower Manhattan) and was bought again
in 1961 for 65m USD at that time the highest price ever paid for a building.
The new owners celebrated by having it cleaned for the first time since its
construction (it took them six months).
By 1976, 50 million people had visited the
observatory and by 1986 the Empire State was a recognised National Historic
Landmark. It still draws visitors from all over the world, either to see the
view, get married, experience the amazing Art Deco lobby or simply take a
selfie with New York’s most iconic skyscraper.
