The Empire State Building is a skyscraper with history and unique characteristics. Empire State Building: the history of the famous tower When the Empire State Building was built

The Empire State Building is one of the most famous skyscrapers, known not only in but throughout the world. It is on a par with such famous buildings as the pyramid of Cheops and. This building was and remains a symbol of the brilliant New York. Forty years ago, the Empire State was the tallest building in the world, but it still impresses with its size. On the wall of a huge marble-decorated hall, the Empire State Building skyscraper is presented as the eighth wonder of the world.

Features Empire State Building

The 102-story Empire State Building is located on Fifth Avenue. It was built in 1931 and is the tallest skyscraper in New York.

Despite its large size, the skyscraper looks quite elegant: the proportions of the Empire State Building are simple and refined. The upper floors are built somewhat deeper in relation to common line facade. The building was built in a modest but elegant Art Deco style. Strips of stainless steel stretch upward along the gray stone façade, and the upper floors are arranged in three ledges.

Standing on the sidewalk in front of a 102-story skyscraper, it is very difficult to see the whole building as a whole - it is so big. The dimensions of the building are really amazing: the height without a tower is 381 meters, and together with television tower, built in the 50s, it reaches a total height of 449 meters. The weight of the structure is 331 thousand tons.

Of course, it is best to move around the floors with the help of elevators, but there are eccentrics who prefer to climb the stairs to the very last floor, which has 1,860 steps. Once a year there is a competition for the fastest climb. The winner receives one million dollars.

The rest still prefer to use elevators. Office space can accommodate 15,000 people, and elevators can carry 10,000 passengers in one hour.

The Empire State is not only the center of offices, but also a real entertainment for tourists. Inside the hall, which has a length of 30 meters and a height of three floors, there is a huge panel with images of eight, one of which is the Empire State Building itself. The Guinness Hall of Records contains information about unusual records and record holders. There are observation decks on the 86th and 102nd floors, which can be reached very quickly by elevator. From here you have an amazing view of the city.

History of the Empire State Building

The Empire State Building is located at 350 Fifth Avenue, New York. This part of Manhattan is still considered very prestigious. Skyscrapers, which are enough here, only further emphasize the respectability of this area.

New York and Chicago were the first cities where the construction of high-rise buildings began. There were many reasons for this. Firstly, technical innovations have already been actively applied - lightweight building reinforcement, high-speed elevators, strip foundations, etc. Secondly, with late XIX century, the price of land was quite high, so the construction of multi-storey buildings turned out to be economically viable. But, despite the lower price, office space in a skyscraper was and still is very prestigious. Now, to rent an office in a skyscraper, you have to pay much more than for similar apartments in an ordinary building.

The modern Empire State Building was built on the site where, since 1860, there was a center for the local aristocracy. Then there were two noble houses that belonged to members of the wealthy Astor family. Subsequently, the Waldorf and Astoria hotels were built here. These two hotels functioned in the 90s of the XIX century. Both hotels were demolished in 1929 to clear the site for the Empire State Building.

The building was erected on a two-story foundation (to make the skyscraper more stable) and supported by a steel structure weighing 54,400 tons. Ten million bricks and 700 kilometers of cable were spent on the construction. Construction was led by John Jacob Raskob (founder of General Motors). The project was completed by the architectural firm Shreve, Lam & Harmon.

The building was built simply with unheard of speed. A little more than a year and a half, 38 teams of builders (5 people each) assembled the frame of a skyscraper from a huge number of metal beams, which were delivered to the construction site along a specially built road. The construction was very difficult and risky: every day the workers had to balance on the narrow beams of this frame.

The skyscraper grew literally before our eyes. Approximately four and a half floors were built every week, and in the most intensive period, 14 floors were erected in 10 days. The entire building was built in 1 year and 45 days.

On May 1, 1931, the official opening of the Empire State Building took place, which received the status of the tallest building on our planet, overtaking the previous record holder - the headquarters of the Chrysler automobile corporation.

The opening of the skyscraper coincided with the great economic depression. Not many could afford to rent an office in this building. Then the building was even nicknamed "Empty State Building" (Empty state building). It took ten years until all the premises were finally commissioned.

At first, the creators of the skyscraper planned to build a flat roof in order to arrange a platform for airships here. But later this idea was abandoned: the site was an expensive pleasure, and the airships came out and fashion. In 1950, it was decided to build on the skyscraper: a small TV tower was installed on the roof, 447 meters high.

The name of the Empire State Building skyscraper comes from the words "building", which in English means "building" or "structure". "Empire State" (translated from English as "empire state") is the unofficial name of the state of New York.

The skyscraper quickly gained notoriety as it turned out to be very attractive for suicides. The first suicide occurred in 1933, only 3 years after the discovery. In the same year, the film "King Kong" was released, and the image of this building was firmly connected in the minds of millions of viewers with a huge monster climbing the walls of a skyscraper. To top it all off, in 1945, due to poor visibility, a plane crashed into the 79th floor. 14 people were killed, and the damage amounted to one million dollars. Then they began to say that the Empire State Building skyscraper was almost a diabolical invention. True, successful businessmen called all this nonsense and continued to fight for the right to rent an office in the most respectable building in Manhattan.

In 1986 Empire building The State Building has been designated a National Landmark. More than 35,000 tourists visit it every year, not counting the fact that more than 50,000 people work in the building itself.

For more than a decade, the Empire State Building has been considered a symbol of New York and the entire American state.

The Empire State Building is one of the most famous buildings in the world. Its authors, the architectural agency Shreve, Lamb and Harmon, were the first in history to decide to create a project for a building with more than a hundred floors. Opened on Mahatten in 1931, built in less than a year and a half, it was rightly considered the "eighth wonder of the world", which was reflected in the painting of its hall. But in the 70s, the construction of the World Trade Center deprived it of the palm among the tallest buildings, and the growth in the number of skyscrapers, not only in the United States, but also in other countries, made the halo of uniqueness fade.

As a result new stage development, which came to the life of the Empire State Building at the end of the 20th century, defined it as a participant in the race, no longer technological or construction, but tourism. The owners of the skyscraper, leaving it as a huge office building, which employs over 20 thousand people, are also focusing on its attractiveness for tourists. In particular, the unique gold painting of the ceiling in the lobby in the spirit of the 1930s has been restored, both observation decks (86th and 102nd floors) are equipped so that they have a 360 ° view, a visitor center with a separate entrance from 34 museum that inscribes Empire history State Building in the history of New York. These and other changes lead to the fact that visiting the Empire State Building today is not only about looking at the Big Apple from a height of 373 meters, it is also about touching the living history of one of the most famous megacities in the world, developing before your eyes.

Height of the Empire State Building in New York

There is anecdotal evidence that the investors who invested in the Empire State Building project did not discuss the number of floors with the architect, asking him to design the building as high as possible. Architect William Lamb started with 50 floors, but ended up with 103 floors.

The height of the Empire State Building from the base to the roof is 381 meters, including the antenna installed on the roof - 443.2 meters. For 2020, this is the second largest building in New York, the third in the USA, and the 51st in the world.

From the moment of commissioning and until 1970, this skyscraper in Manhattan remained unsurpassed in height not only in the States, but throughout the planet. A competitor appeared a dozen blocks to the south - in December 1970, the north tower of the World Trade Center was completed. Including the antenna, the new building reached a record height of 530 meters.

In subsequent years, the skyscrapers of other states moved the Empire State Building to more distant positions in the world lists. So by the time of the destruction of the twin towers in 2001, he returned to the leader's position only in the ranking of New York. But even in it, in 2012, the building was in second place, since the Freedom Tower, 417 meters high (along the roof), was erected on the site of the World Trade Center.

Construction Empire State Building

The developers of the Empire State Building project created it in just 2 weeks. Efficiency is explained by the fact that they used developments from other orders. On the site of the future skyscraper, one of the hotels of the Astoria chain stood, it was to be demolished. Work began in 1929. John Raskob, one of the businessmen who financed the construction of the skyscraper, hoped to attract investment and begin construction of a new building in the same year, but in October the New York Stock Exchange collapsed, and a crisis began.

Neither Raskob nor another curator of the project, Alfred Smith, lost money, but people who planned to invest in the project went bankrupt. Despite the loss of a source of funds, the threat of low demand for offices in the future skyscraper due to the apparent crisis, Raskob and Smith chose to take out a loan rather than abandon the project altogether.

Construction of the Empire State Building started on January 22, 1930, at the height of the Great Depression.

In the winter months, the demolition of the hotel was completed, and in parallel, a hole was dug under a giant foundation. The construction of the first load-bearing structures began on March 17. The pace of construction from the first stage was impressive. The first 14 floors were erected in 10 days, and later they built about 4 floors per week.

By November, 75 floors had been built, and the steel structures were up to the 95th floor. Since that time, the simultaneous interior decoration of the finished levels began. The installation of 66 elevators has also begun, each with a lifting speed of 366 m/min. About 3,500 workers worked on the construction of the building. The Empire State Building was commissioned on May 1, 1931, just 405 days after construction began.

Skyscraper observation decks

The building has 2 observation decks: on the 86th and 102nd floors. To get to them, you need to purchase a ticket. It is separate for each site. Tourists can access the Empire State Building through the Visitor's Center, which is located on 34th Street. Tickets are sold from vending machines with a simple interface. If you have any difficulties, you can contact one of the employees present in the hall for help.

The vending machines partially solved the problem of queuing at the ticket office, but be prepared to spend some time waiting at the exit to the site. To avoid this, tourists visiting the Empire State Building are advised to come to the opening of the site at 8:00 or after 22:00. There are not many people at this time. In addition, at the beginning of the day you can watch the city wake up, and in the late evening enjoy the ocean of lights of the Big Apple.

The observation deck of the 86th floor is located at an altitude of approximately 340 meters, the 102nd floor - at a level of 371 meters. Both have a full all-round view, and are decorated on the ceiling and floor with projections of the nearest buildings, which can be seen if you approach the panoramic windows. From here you have a view of both the Statue of Liberty and Central Park. To better understand the details of the opened view, it is worth downloading the free Observatory Experience application from the official website of the skyscraper. Also on the sites you will find powerful binoculars that will allow you to see the details of the panorama.

What else to see

The Empire State Building is known not only for its observation decks, but also for its architecture, restored lobby interiors, a small museum where you can take pictures in the huge paw of King Kong, as well as a kind of illumination. Acquaintance with these details will make the impression of visiting a skyscraper brighter.

Lobby

Since 2009, visitors to the lobby of the Empire State Building have been able to see the same ceiling that appeared over the heads of the first visitors to the skyscraper in 1931. A large fresco, created using aluminum and gold, was covered with a false ceiling in the middle of the 20th century and decided to be restored only fifty years later.

Art Deco painting depicts a sky full of planets and stars, which at the same time represent an assembly line of gears. So the designers of the last century expressed their respect for the era of discoveries and technological progress. Also noteworthy is the wall behind the reception desk in the lobby, which depicts the skyscraper itself and the rays emanating from its top.

It took the restoration team 18 months to completely restore the frescoes, as well as authentic lamps in the spirit of the 30s of the 20th century, while the entire building was built in only 13 months.

Museum and gift shop

A museum is organized on the 2nd floor, which tells not only about the history of the skyscraper and New York, but also about the place of the Empire State Building in popular culture. Here you can see photos of Manhattan streets in the 1920s, find out what vintage Otis elevators were and how they worked, as well as get acquainted with films, cartoons, comics, clips and other pop culture products that showcase the Empire State Building.

Among these films is the film "King Kong", filmed in 1933, as well as its remake, released in the "zero". The museum has even decorated a corner, which consists of an image of King Kong peering through the window and models of his fingers breaking through the wall. The brave ones can take pictures with them!

Near the museum there is a gift shop where you can buy magnets, dishes and other items with the image of the Empire State Building. It also sells clothes with the image of a skyscraper.

Stairs

Another notable object is the staircase, which consists of 1860 steps. Every year on February 5, it hosts high-speed climbing competitions. At the same time, the distance is limited to 1576 steps - the participants finish on the 86th floor. Also on the stairs of the Empire State Building are training firefighters and rescuers in New York. Tourists can get on the stairs only on the days of the competition, participating in the race. The rest of the time it is closed to visitors, only high-speed elevators are used for lifting.

Backlight

The skyscraper's ambient lighting system also makes it one of New York City's most notable buildings. Spotlights are located on the upper tiers. They have been working every day since 1964, with each day of the week having its own color.

On holidays and in honor anniversaries a unique range of shades is selected. For example, on the days of the games of the New York teams, the building takes on the color of their official colors, on the day of the celebration of the anniversary of Elizabeth II. In 2002, it became purple and gold (the official colors of the Windsor family), and when gay parades are held, the facade is painted in all the colors of the rainbow. The skyscraper's official website even has a backlight gamut schedule.

How to get to the Empire State Building in New York

If you're staying at a hotel in Manhattan or are close to a skyscraper, use the walking trail map posted on the building's website. If you plan to get to the Empire State Building by public transport, then use the subway or bus.

Underground. 34 Street - Herald Square Station is a 5-minute walk from the building. It is followed by trains of routes B, D, F and M (Sixth Avenue line), N, Q, R, W (Broadway line).

Bus. Opposite the skyscraper on West 34th Street is the W 34 St & 5 Av bus stop. Routes such as M34-SBS, M34A-SBS, QM10, QM12, QM15, QM16, QM17, QM18, QM24 go to it.

To order a taxi ride, use mobile applications Uber, Via, Gett, Arro, Waave or others.

Panoramic view of Manhattan from the 102nd floor of the Empire State Building:

What is the view from the Empire State Building: video

The Empire State Building, which for a long time was the tallest building in the world, repeats its own image on the central panel of a huge (30 meters long) and high (three floors) lobby.

In this seemingly “holy” image, the Empire State Building, painted in gold paint, is surrounded by a halo of divine radiance and medallions illustrating the achievements of mankind on the path to progress.

An object:
Location: New York, USA
Project: Shreve, Lamb and Harmon
Height: 381 m
Materials: steel, brick, aluminum and limestone
Year of construction: 1931
STYLE: art deco
The onset of an economic depression cut the projected cost of construction in half

The "center of the universe" and the eighth wonder of the world, the Empire State Building is frankly proud of having once held the world height record. He took it from him in 1931 and owned it until 1972, when the construction of the World Trade Center marked the beginning of a new era.

John Jacob Raskob was tormented by envy. The founder of General Motors simply could not live knowing that his rival, Walter Chrysler, had recently built the most high building in the world. But Raskob had his own ideas. He went to William Lamb, one of the partners in the architectural firm of Shreve, Lamb, and Harmon, and shared with him his dream of a skyscraper that would outshine the Chrysler building. Raskob asked a very simple and at the same time intimidating question: “How tall can you make it without it falling over?”

Soon the old Waldorf Astoria Hotel on Fifth Avenue near 34th Street was demolished to make way for the Empire State Building.

It was named so thanks to George Washington: when he sailed along the Hudson River, he noticed that this place would be "symbolic for the new empire."

After the destruction of the Twin Towers, the Empire State Building reluctantly returned to its role as the main symbol of New York and America. Its easily recognizable image is built on the foundation of statistics that operate with unprecedented numbers: 10 million bricks, a total weight of 365,000 tons, 59,800 tons of steel beams, 687 km of electrical wires and 2 million square meters windows, which are constantly cleaned by a special team.

bold plan

Only two criteria were stated: that the building should look like a pencil, and that it be taller than anything on Earth. Not surprisingly, the size and weight of the project threatened danger. Its location was considered commercially "not very profitable." No prospective tenant has turned up yet. And the stock market began to fall, and then the whole country was in the face of the Great Depression.

With such an unstable foundation, the building needed another, stronger one. 210 concrete and steel columns were driven into the granite base of Manhattan Island. This platform, only two stories deep, had to support a tower 102 stories high (380 meters) and weighing about 365 tons.

An architect once said, "Of what we do in peacetime, building skyscrapers is the closest thing to war." For this battle, an army of workers and craftsmen was assembled, 3,000 of them working on the construction site at any time of the day. High-rise fitters were considered heroes among them, many of them

They were Indians from the Mohawk and Iroquois tribes, because Native Americans are known for their fearlessness. These brave guys worked 13 hours a day for only $1.92 an hour, they hung at insane heights and riveted over 50,000 heavy steel beams, each weighing a ton - enough to pave railway between New York and Baltimore. The remarkably smooth beams, with an error of no more than 3 mm, were installed and fastened together in just eight hours after they were produced at the Pittsburgh plant.

Despite the fact that the project was changed 16 times during the development and design process, it was built 45 days ahead of the deadline, and another 5 million remained from the budget. An amazing $41 million skyscraper rose above the city in record time (less than 14 months), and so far no one has built such buildings faster. Nowhere does the building deviate more than 6 mm from the center, it has 10 million bricks and 2 hectares of windows. The sophisticated art deco style is emphasized by graceful, gradually converging walls, or "ledges", which are officially recognized in New York City building codes.

Architectural features of the Empire State Building:

The architectural power of this building lies in its volume distribution. A series of buildings rises from the five-story base, gradually turning into a central structure that extends like a telescope to a height of 86 floors. Tapering, the structure continues to rise until it passes into the antenna.
The movie King Kong (1933) used symbolic images of the Empire State Building as scenery. Against the backdrop of the tower and antenna of the building, which was already planned to be used as a pier for airships, an allegorical struggle was unfolding between the creation of Nature and artificial civilization.
Across the skyscraper's façade are endlessly repeating rows of modular windows, grouped horizontally but also aligned vertically, emphasizing the directionality of empty and filled spaces.
During the construction of the Empire State Building, ready-made blocks were used, which significantly reduced the time of its construction.
Since the 1940s, the Empire State Building has been one of New York's tourist attractions. About two million tourists annually climbed its observation deck to admire the breathtaking views of the city from there.
On major holidays and significant days, the top of the skyscraper sparkled with multi-colored illumination.

The entire dynamic bulk of the evil symbol of power and power of the 1930s is distributed over volumes, uncontrollably striving upwards under the attentive gaze of the audience. From a five-story base with an area of 0.65 hectares, a series of buildings rises, which gradually narrow, after which the corner sections pass into a central structure that extends like a telescope to a height of 86 floors. The structure continues to rise, imperceptibly passing into the antenna.

The sense of plasticity emanating from this giant object, firmly rooted in the ground and at the same time aspiring to the sky, is enhanced by repeating rows of modular windows, grouped horizontally, but also aligned vertically, which emphasizes the orientation of empty and filled spaces and creates a recognizable ornamental motif.

The forms of the Empire State Building, closely associated with Art Deco, are revealed from a completely unexpected side and from completely unexpected angles. First of all, there is a triumphant, but somewhat threatening image of the Tower of Babel; then the cinematic imagery of that era, like the fantastic buildings in Fritz Lang's film Metropolis, and images from the comics; and finally, the fantastic images of the city of the future, drawn by Hugh Ferriss.

It is important to emphasize that the extreme vertical orientation of the Empire State Building was the result of changes in the rules governing urban development in Manhattan. In order to equalize the rights of individual citizens who built houses on their own land with the rights of those who agreed with the need to build skyscrapers, two types of structures were developed, depending on the place of construction.

The first represented a kind of ziggurat, when the building was built in ledges, but up to a certain height, while the second, with a clearly defined central section, could, theoretically, rise to any height - these were skyscrapers with a central tower, or "bell tower", which replaced the old ones, "vertically oriented" skyscrapers.

The Empire State Building, along with the Seagram Building, is a landmark of midtown New York, just as the twin towers were a landmark of downtown - from the observation decks of these skyscrapers, breathtaking views of the city and the surrounding landscape opened up.

The Empire State owed its success at the beginning of the “career” to the last circumstance. Its owners had difficulty finding companies willing to rent office space. Fortunately, the viewing platforms, which have become a place of pilgrimage for tourists, saved the building from imminent bankruptcy. Considering that the construction of the building and its commissioning fell on the years of the banking collapse and the Great Depression that followed it, from which America recovered only after World War II, making the Empire State Building prosperous was far from easy.

The symbol of the city

After the skyscraper was built, there were so few tenants in the 186,000 m2 of total space that it was nicknamed the "Empty State Building". But now there are more than 15,000 employees in the offices, and countless visitors come to them. If you climb to the observation deck in one minute, you can take a look at the surroundings at a distance of up to 128 kilometers.

Until 1972, the building remained the tallest in the world, then the infamous towers of the World Trade Center were built.

Even if from a financial point of view it was not an ideal investment, as a symbol of America it was a huge success. Hollywood was ready to exploit it - interiors, observation decks and views from them appear in all their splendor in films such as King Kong (filmed in 1933, when construction had just closed), In the City (1949) , Empire (filmed by Andy Warhol in 1964) and Manhattan (filmed by Woody Allen in 1979). His role in these films was the main one: the gymnastic platform for the exercises of a giant gorilla, the background against which the love story unfolds, the stage for the experimental theater of the absurd.

The Empire State is so popular that it almost humanizes in the imagination of many New Yorkers and some fringe artists. In his paintings, M. Vriesendorp exaggerates many features of skyscrapers and endows them with human qualities. Here is the plot of the most famous of them: Rockefeller Center opens the doors of the bedroom and to its amazement finds in the same bed the masculine Empire State Building and the feminine-elegant Chrysler Building. The bed cover is painted in the form of the city plan of Manhattan. The Statue of Liberty plays the role of a night lamp, and other skyscrapers look in with curiosity through the bedroom window.

Built for purely promotional purposes rather than out of any practical necessity, the Empire State Building, more than any other skyscraper of its generation, succeeded as the standard-bearer and symbol of the American dream. His image was replicated in countless advertising projects, and along with the images of the Chrysler Building, the Rockefeller Center and the Statue of Liberty, he rose - on a planetary scale - to the level of an icon.

The appearance in the relatively young city of Las Vegas of skyscrapers cut in the New York pattern testifies to the wide popularity and triumph of this model, designed to symbolize the imperial state (New York) and continues to this day to represent the paradoxical spiritualism of the financial power of capitalism.

The Empire State Building is, first of all, a huge office center, and also one of the most attractive tourist sites in the city. The skyscraper is considered the second largest office building in the country, second only to the US military - the Pentagon. 85 floors of the Empire State Building are occupied by offices, where 21 thousand employees work daily, and observation decks are located on its two floors.

The designers planned to use the long spire of the skyscraper as a mooring mast for mooring airships. But later this idea was abandoned, because strong winds almost always blow at the level of the spire. In addition, the architects had little idea of the features of aeronautics on airships. In the drawings, they depicted passengers who enter the spire of the Empire State Building from the nose of the aircraft, when in reality loading and unloading should take place in a gondola located under the airship. So the idea of the designers could not be implemented in principle.

Back in December 1931, just six months after construction was completed, an antenna was installed on the spire of the building, with the help of which, as an experiment, NBC conducted the first transmission of a television signal. And 10 years later, the era of commercial television began. Today, the high-rise building of the Empire State Building houses the transmitters of almost all TV channels and radio stations in the city.

Construction history

The first half of the last century was held in New York under the motto "Who will be able to build the tallest skyscraper?". Since 1913, for 27 years, the Woolvolt Building has held the palm. This building had 57 floors and reached a height of 241 m. Then the 70-story Trump Bilbing, located at 40 Wall Street, became the leader. It rose 282.5 m into the sky. This record did not last long - only two months. The next favorite was the Chrysler Building. The height of this skyscraper with a long spire reached 320 m.

Construction stages of the Empire State Building

Before the designers of the new high-rise building was a difficult task. They needed to create more than just a new champion. They wanted to build a building that would become a real legend.

The design work was led by the architect William Lamb, who at that time already had experience in designing the Reynolds Building and the Carew Tower. The well-known financier and businessman John Raskob undertook to invest in large-scale construction, as well as Pierre Dupont, who at the same time was one of the leaders of America's largest chemical concert, DuPont, and the automotive giant General Motors.

The site for the new record-breaking skyscraper was chosen at the intersection of West 34th Street and Fifth Avenue. In those days, there was an old Waldorf-Astoria hotel (Waldorf-Astoria). It consisted of two buildings, which were connected by a wide hall. Both buildings were built in the 90s XIX years century, designed by New York architect Henry J. Hardenberg. And the Esther family owned this hotel.

When the decision was made to build a huge skyscraper, a new building began to be built for the hotel on Fifth Avenue. In the late autumn of 1929, the old hotel began to be demolished, and more than 16 thousand trucks of broken bricks and stone fragments were taken out of here.

Famous footage from the construction of the Empire State Building

Skyscraper in September 1930

The main construction began on March 17, 1930, on St. Patrick's Day, and it began with earthworks and the laying of a huge foundation. Then, in record time - from the beginning of April to the end of November - a frame was erected from steel beams. The skyscraper was recognized as the tallest building in the world back in September 1930, when the builders completed the installation of the 85th floor of the frame.

The construction was huge - 3,439 people took part in it, most of which were emigrants who had recently arrived on American soil. Mohawk Indians were used in high-altitude work, since these natural climbers were considered excellent fitters and were not at all afraid of heights.

This feature has been explained in different ways. Some believed that the Mohawks had a vestibular apparatus developed from birth, because their women constantly carried babies with them, swaddling children in special cradles. Others claimed that during the hunt, the Indians were accustomed to placing their feet on narrow paths one after another, and it was easier for them to keep on narrow metal structures. Another version said that the Mohawk warriors perceived the height as a challenge and courageously coped with the difficulties that arose in order to achieve victory. In any case, the fact remains that members of this Indian tribe took part in all high-rise construction projects in Canada and the United States and coped with difficult high-altitude work better than other workers.

During the week, the Empire State Building grew by an average of 4.5 floors. Once a record was set: workers built 14.5 floors in just 10 days. In order for the builders not to wander far from their workplaces during lunch breaks, food for them (hot lunches, sandwiches, drinks and ice cream) was served immediately to five levels of the building.

View of New York on the opening day of the Empire State Building (1931)

Unsuccessful attempt airship docking with the spire of the Empire State Building in 1952

In addition, rapid construction became possible due to the simplicity of the design, the components of which were conveniently delivered and lifted up. Pittsburgh became the supplier of steel structures for this skyscraper. And the logistics were so streamlined that often beams were attached to the frame, which the steel plant had produced just three days before.

However, such a large-scale construction, unfortunately, was not without casualties. According to official statistics, five workers died during the construction of the skyscraper. The duration of construction work and the cost of them broke all records. The high-rise building was built in just one year and 45 days - until May 1, 1931. Instead of the planned 43, it cost $24.7 million. Such a low cost was due to the fall in prices during the Great Depression.

On the official opening day of the Empire State Building, President Herbert Hoover solemnly turned on the lights in the new skyscraper and did it right from the White House. And all the architects who participated in the design were awarded various honorary awards.

However, the Great Depression still continued, and it was only by 1948 that the funds spent on the construction of a new skyscraper were returned. All this time, an important source of income was the observation deck on the 86th floor of the Empire State Building, which was visited annually by up to 3.5 million people. Most of the office space remained empty for a long time, so the townspeople initially called the new skyscraper Empty (empty).

View of the tower from New York street

architectural features

In the early 30s of the last century, the built Empire State Building became not only the tallest building in the world, but also the first skyscraper to have over 100 floors. Its wide base is 60 m by 124.5 m. With free ledges, this 102-story building rises to a height of 381 m. And the spire, framed by ribs in the form of wings, increases it to 443 meters.

The Empire State Building record stood for over 30 years. Only in 1972, when the buildings for the World Trade Center were built in the city, did the high-rise on Fifth Avenue take the second position. But when, after the terrorist attack in September 2001, the twin towers were destroyed, the old skyscraper again received the status of the tallest building in the city.

The Empire State Building is over 250,000 sq. m. On the longitudinally striped facades of the skyscraper, there are 6.4 thousand windows, and the total area of the glazed surface is close to two hectares.

Like many high-rise buildings of that time, the skyscraper was built in the Art Deco style. This eclectic style, which absorbed the features of neoclassicism and modernism, was born in the 20s of the last century. It was very popular all over the world in the 1930s and 1940s and was reflected not only in architecture, but also in painting, fashion, car design, household items and interiors.

On the outside, the Empire State Building's brick walls are clad in Salem limestone, which came from Indiana. It is good for its uniformity and texture resembles the surface of bread. And the recesses in the interfloor spaces were lined with a darker finishing stone. The peculiarity of the finish was that the stone was fixed without additional corners and supports, directly to the steel frame beams. And the joints between stone slabs and windows were skillfully covered with chrome-plated steel strips.

Interior of the Empire State Building

Entrance lobby at the Empire State Building

The entrance lobby of the high-rise building is decorated with rich purple and gray Germanic marble. A large panel mounted here features a bas-relief made of aluminum, where you can see the shining sun and the silhouette of the Empire State Building.

Corridor on the 80th floor

The internal layout was determined more by a fixed budget and short construction time than by any architectural refinements, therefore, in the created premises, the installations created in the project are strictly maintained - no more than 8.53 m from windows to corridors. Such dimensions were necessary to ensure that all offices have the right level of lighting.

In order for employees and visitors to be able to go up to any floor of the building, 73 high-speed elevators are installed in it, on which you can reach the 80th floor within one minute. Those who want to climb to the top floor on foot will have to overcome 1860 steps.

The location of the elevators and the fixed dimensions of the office space determined the entire configuration of the Empire State Building skyscraper and the arrangement of its ledges. Floor sizes decrease with height, and the number of elevators also decreases. Thus, the tallest building in the city turned out to be very functional.

tourist attraction

Observation deck at the top of the Empire State Building

The silhouette of the skyscraper is well recognizable. He became a real "crown" and decoration of New York. The designers of the Empire State Building have created a structure that, like the Gothic cathedrals of the Middle Ages, dominates the entire city. From the side of Fifth Avenue, the entrance to the building is "guarded" by sculptures of eagles. This skyscraper is so popular in the USA that numerous souvenirs with its image can be bought everywhere.

On the 86th and 102nd floors of the Empire State Building, two large observation decks are specially equipped for tourists. The upper platform is smaller and not full view.

Observation deck on the 102nd floor

The observation deck on the 86th floor is attractive because it has a full 360° panorama. You can climb it on foot, breaking the stairs of more than 1.5 thousand steps, or by elevator. From here you can see the city streets and skyscrapers of Manhattan, the Brooklyn Bridge, the green islands of parks and the strait. A good view of the city is from the platform both when the sun is shining and at night. It is convenient that all the sights that can be seen from above are marked on the diagram placed on the observation deck.

In addition, a special tourist attraction has been created on the second floor of the Empire State Building skyscraper, which simulates a flight over the city - the New York Skyride. This simulator is very popular with visitors to New York and especially those traveling with children. For 25 minutes of "flight" you need to pay $ 52. The entrance to the attraction is from 33rd Street and is open from 8.00 to 22.00 all year round.

Views from observation decks

In 1964, during the days of the World's Fair, floodlights were installed on the Empire State Building skyscraper, illuminating its upper part with white light. After 12 years, decorative lighting was made colored. And today, on the days of major holidays and memorable dates, the building is illuminated in different ways: red, orange and yellow on Thanksgiving Day, white and blue on Presidents' Day, green on St. Patrick's Day. On Valentine's Day, the top of the skyscraper turns red, pink and white. And about 50 couples annually perform a wedding ceremony in a high-rise building.

Tickets to the Empire State Building

1. Before visiting the famous high-rise building in New York, you should take care of tickets in advance. The easiest way to buy them is on the official website of the Empire State Building: www.esbnyc.com. Tickets for the observation deck on the 86th floor will cost $32 for adults, $29 for those over 62 years old, and $26 for children from 6 to 12 years old. Tickets for both observation decks (86 and 102 floors) are for everyone visitors over 6 years old cost $85. You will have to pay extra for the opportunity to skip the queues. It is noteworthy that tickets are valid for a year from the date of purchase, and it is not difficult to print them on a printer.

skyscraper red light

You can also purchase a City Pass from travel agencies. This is a tour of New York with the right to visit six of the city's main attractions. In this case, a visit to the Empire State Building is possible at a reduced price.

On the Internet, you can find many companies offering to visit the famous skyscraper. However, they do not sell tickets, but vouchers. And you have to spend time to then exchange these vouchers for real tickets.

Empire State Building Observation Deck

2. No need to take anything extra with you. Luggage storage at the entrance to the Empire State Building is not provided. And security during mandatory checks will not allow bulky bags, suitcases, drinks, water, and even large camera tripods to be brought into the building.

3. It's a good idea to stock up on a few 50 cents ahead of time. They will be needed to use the binoculars located on observation decks.

Observation deck on the 86th floor

4. The observation deck on the 86th floor is open to all winds, so you should take care of the appropriate clothing and headgear.

5. The skyscraper opens to visitors at 8 am and closes at 2 am. In the mornings, the queue is much smaller. And on holidays and weekends there are so many people that it is better not to plan a visit here.

The remains of a bomber on the facade of a skyscraper

The state of New York is often referred to by Americans as the Imperial State, which is why the tallest skyscraper in the city is called the Imperial State Building.
The Empire State Building is so huge that the country's postal department assigned it its own index - 10118.
55,000 tons of steel, 10 million bricks, 200 thousand cubic meters were spent on the construction of a high-rise building. feet of stone, 2 million feet of electrical wire and 1,170 miles of elevator cables. The marble floor in the Empire State Building covers an area of 30,000 square meters. m. The skyscraper itself weighs about 331,000 tons.
The strength of the Empire State Building skyscraper was tested as a result of tragic events. At the end of July 1945, a B-25 Mitchell military plane crashed into him between the 79th and 80th floors. This happened because in conditions of heavy fog and low visibility, the aircraft commander, Lieutenant Colonel William Smith (Jr.), lost control. The impact was so strong that one of the bomber's engines flew through the entire building. As a result of this tragedy, 14 people died and 26 people received various injuries. However, the building itself suffered little damage. The outer walls were damaged and a fire broke out inside, which was extinguished after only 40 minutes. All the consequences were eliminated very quickly, and the next day the offices were working as usual.
The famous high-rise building "became famous" thanks to the film about King Kong. It was from this skyscraper of the Empire State Building that he fell, shot by police helicopters. Many suicides tried to commit suicide by jumping down from a high-rise building, so now guards are constantly on duty at the observation decks, and a metal canopy was equipped over the sidewalk to protect pedestrians.

King Kong on top of the Empire State Building. Frame from the 1933 film

How to get there

The Empire State Building skyscraper stands in the central part of Manhattan. On the subway lines N, Q, P you need to go to the station "34th Street / Herald Square". If you use ground public transport, you can drive up to the skyscraper by buses M4, M10, M16 and M34.