The Empire State Building has towered over Midtown Manhattan since 1931. It went up in barely more than a year, was the tallest building on Earth for almost four decades, and is still one of the most recognisable skylines in the world. Here are 15 fun facts about New York’s most famous skyscraper.
The Empire State Building at a glance
Address: 350 Fifth Avenue, at West 34th Street, Manhattan, New York
Opened: 1 May 1931
Height: 381 m (1,250 ft) to the roof, 443 m (1,454 ft) including the antenna
Floors: 102
Architects: Shreve, Lamb & Harmon
Style: Art Deco
1It was built in just 410 days.
Work on the steel frame began on 17 March 1930, and the building opened on 1 May 1931. At the peak of construction, the frame rose by around four and a half storeys a week, helped by an efficient system of rails and carts that moved materials around each floor.
2It was the world’s tallest building for nearly 40 years.
When it opened, it overtook the brand-new Chrysler Building to become the tallest building in the world. It kept that title until 1970, when the North Tower of the original World Trade Center rose above it.
3The president switched the lights on from Washington.
At the opening ceremony on 1 May 1931, President Herbert Hoover pressed a button in the White House that officially turned on the building’s lights.
4The spire was meant to be a dock for airships.
The top of the building was designed as a mooring mast where passengers would step off airships. Strong winds at that height made it far too dangerous, and the idea was quietly dropped after a few attempts.
5New Yorkers called it the “Empty State Building”.
It opened during the Great Depression, and much of its office space sat empty for years. The building did not make a profit until the early 1950s.
6A bomber flew into it in 1945.
On 28 July 1945, a US Army B-25 bomber lost its way in thick fog and crashed into the north side of the building between the 78th and 80th floors. Fourteen people were killed: the three men on board and eleven people inside the building.
7A lift operator survived a 75-storey fall.
In the same crash, a lift operator named Betty Lou Oliver was badly injured. Rescuers put her into a lift whose cables had been damaged, and it fell about 75 storeys to the basement. She survived, and still holds the Guinness World Record for the longest survived lift fall.
8It is struck by lightning about 20 times a year.
The building acts as a giant lightning rod for the city. It is hit roughly 20 to 25 times a year, and the strikes are harmlessly carried down to the ground.
9Its lights can show 16 million colours.
The tower lights change colour for holidays, causes and celebrations. Since 2012, an LED system has been able to display around 16 million colours, and the lights are switched off on some spring and autumn nights to protect migrating birds.
10There are two observation decks.
The open-air deck on the 86th floor is the most famous, with views across all of New York. A smaller, glass-enclosed observatory sits on the 102nd floor, 381 metres above the street.
11People race up 1,576 steps to the 86th floor.
The Empire State Building Run-Up has been held since 1978. Runners climb 86 flights of stairs from the lobby to the observation deck, and the fastest finish in under ten minutes.
12It has its own postcode.
The building is so big that it has its own US ZIP code: 10118.
13It has starred in hundreds of films.
Its most famous screen moment came in King Kong (1933), when the giant ape climbs the spire. It has also appeared in films such as An Affair to Remember, Sleepless in Seattle and Elf.
14It is one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World.
In 1994 the American Society of Civil Engineers named it one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. It had already been made a National Historic Landmark in 1986.
15It went green in its 80s.
A major retrofit finished around 2011 replaced its 6,514 windows with insulated glass and upgraded its heating and cooling, cutting the building’s energy use by around 40%.
FAQs about the Empire State Building
How tall is the Empire State Building?
381 metres (1,250 feet) to the roof, and 443 metres (1,454 feet) to the tip of its antenna.
How long did it take to build?
Just 410 days, from the start of steelwork in March 1930 to the opening on 1 May 1931.
Is it still the tallest building in New York?
No. Several newer skyscrapers are taller, led by One World Trade Center, which reaches 541 metres (1,776 feet) to the top of its spire.
How many floors does it have?
102, with observation decks on the 86th and 102nd floors.
Sources and further reading
Explore more: facts about the Statue of Liberty.
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