Empire State Building: the history of the famous tower. The iconic skyscraper Empire State Buildings and its history Empire State Building what

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 department - 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 two of its 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 peculiarities of aeronautics on airships. The drawings depicted passengers emerging onto the Empire State Building spire from the nose of the aircraft, when in reality the loading and unloading would take place in a gondola located under the airship. So the designers’ idea could not be realized 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 NBC conducted the first transmission of a television signal as an experiment. And 10 years later, the era of commercial television broadcasting began. Today, the high-rise Empire State Building houses transmitters for almost all television channels and radio stations in the city.

History of construction

The first half of the last century took place in New York under the motto “Who will be able to build the tallest skyscraper?” Since 1913, the palm belonged to the Woolvault Building for 27 years. This building had 57 floors and reached a height of 241 m. Then the 70-story Trump Building, located at 40 Wall Street, became the leader. It rose into the sky at 282.5 m. 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 already reached 320 m.

Stages of construction of the Empire State Building

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

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

The location for the new record-breaking skyscraper was chosen at the intersection of West 34th Street and Fifth Avenue. At that time, there was an old Waldorf-Astoria hotel there. It consisted of two buildings, which were connected by a wide hall. Both buildings were erected in the 90s of the 19th century according to the design of New York architect Henry J. Hardenberg. And this hotel was owned by Esther's family.

When the decision was made to build a huge skyscraper, construction began on a new building for the hotel on Fifth Avenue. At the end of autumn 1929, the old hotel began to be demolished, and more than 16 thousand truckloads of broken bricks and stone fragments were removed from here.

Famous footage from the construction of the Empire State Building
Skyscraper in September 1930

The main construction began on March 17, 1930, St. Patrick's Day, and began with excavation work 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 builders completed the installation of the 85th floor of the frame.

The construction was huge - 3,439 people took part in it, most of whom were emigrants who had recently arrived on American soil. Mohawk Indians were used in high-altitude work, since these natural climbers were considered excellent installers 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 their children in special cradles. Others argued that when hunting, the Indians were accustomed to placing their feet one after the other on narrow trails, and it was easier for them to stay on narrow metal structures. Another version said that Mohawk warriors perceived heights as a challenge and courageously dealt with the difficulties that arose 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 complex high-rise 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. To ensure that construction workers did not stray far from their jobs during lunch breaks, food for them (hot lunches, sandwiches, drinks and ice cream) was served on five levels of the building at once.

View of New York City on the opening day of the Empire State Building (1931) An unsuccessful attempt to dock an airship with the spire of the Empire State Building in 1952

In addition, quick construction was made possible thanks to the simplicity of the design, the components of which were convenient to deliver and lift to the top. Pittsburgh became the supplier of steel structures for this skyscraper. And the logistics were so streamlined that often the frame was anchored with beams that the steel plant had produced just three days earlier.

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 costs for it broke all records. The high-rise building was built in just one year and 45 days - until May 1, 1931. It cost 24.7 million dollars instead of the planned 43. Such a low cost was due to the fall in prices during the Great Depression.

On the day of the official opening 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 was still ongoing, and it was only possible to return the funds spent on the construction of a new skyscraper by 1948. 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 unoccupied for a long time, so the townspeople initially called the new skyscraper Empty.

View of the tower from the street of New York

Architectural features

In the early 30s of the last century, the Empire State Building, built, became not only the tallest building in the world, but also the first skyscraper with 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 wing-shaped ribs, increases it to 443 meters.

The Empire State Building's record stood for more than 30 years. It was not until 1972, when the World Trade Center was built in the city, that the Fifth Avenue high-rise took second place. But when the twin towers were destroyed after the terrorist attack in September 2001, the old skyscraper again received the status of the tallest building in the city.

The area of ​​the Empire State Building exceeds 250,000 square meters. m. There are 6.4 thousand windows on the longitudinally striped facades of the skyscraper, 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.

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

Interior of the Empire State Building

Entrance lobby to the Empire State Building

The high-rise building's entrance lobby is decorated in rich purple and gray Germanic marble. The large panel installed 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 delights, therefore, in the created premises, the installations created in the project were strictly maintained - no more than 8.53 m from windows to corridors. These dimensions were necessary to ensure the required level of lighting in all offices.

To ensure that employees and visitors can climb to any floor of the building, it has 73 high-speed elevators, which can take you to the 80th floor within one minute. Those who want to climb to the top floor on foot will have to climb 1,860 steps.

The location of the elevators and the fixed dimensions of the office spaces determined the entire configuration of the Empire State Building and the arrangement of its ledges. The size of floors decreases 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 clearly recognizable. It has become a real “crown” and decoration of New York. The designers of the Empire State Building created a structure that, like the Gothic cathedrals of the Middle Ages, dominates the entire city. From 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 does not have a 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, overcoming a staircase 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, green islands of parks and the strait. There is a good view of the city from the site both when the sun is shining and at night. Conveniently, all the sights that can be seen from above are marked on a diagram placed on the observation deck.

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

Views from observation decks

In 1964, during the World's Fair, spotlights were installed on the Empire State Building skyscraper, illuminating its upper part with white light. After 12 years, the decorative lighting was made colored. And today, on 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 get married in the high-rise building.

Empire State Building Tickets

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 to the 86th floor observation deck for adults will cost $32, for those over 62 years old - $29, and for children from 6 to 12 years old - $26. Tickets to both observation decks (86th and 102nd floor) for everyone visitors over 6 years old cost $85. You will have to pay extra for the opportunity to skip the lines. It is noteworthy that tickets are valid for a year from the date of purchase, and they are not difficult to print.

Red illumination of a skyscraper

In addition, you can purchase a City Pass from travel agencies. This is a tour of New York with access to 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 will 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. There are no lockers at the entrance to the Empire State Building. And during a mandatory check, security will not allow bulky bags, suitcases, drinks, water, or even large camera tripods to be brought into the building.

3. It would be a good idea to stock up on a few 50-cent coins in advance. They will be needed to use the binoculars located at the 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 appropriate clothing and hats.

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

Remains of a bomber on the facade of a skyscraper

• Americans often call the state of New York the Empire 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 zip code - 10118.
• 55,000 tons of steel, 10 million bricks, 200 thousand cubic meters were spent on the construction of the high-rise building. feet of stone, 2 million feet of electrical wire and 1,17 thousand 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 was tested by tragic events. In late July 1945, a B-25 Mitchell military plane crashed into it 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 right through the entire building. As a result of this tragedy, 14 people died and 26 people were injured in various ways. However, the building itself suffered little damage. The outer walls were damaged and a fire broke out inside, which was extinguished after just 40 minutes. All consequences were eliminated very quickly, and the very next day the offices worked as usual.
• The famous high-rise building became famous thanks to the film about King Kong. It was from this Empire State Building that he fell, shot by police helicopters. Many suicides have tried to commit suicide by jumping from a high-rise building, so security guards are now constantly on duty at the observation decks, and a metal canopy has been installed over the sidewalk to protect pedestrians.
King Kong on top of the Empire State Building. Still from the 1933 film

How to get there

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

Today, the famous skyscraper Empire State Building has again become the tallest building, ranking fifteenth in height in the world and third in the world.

The first decades of the last century for New York became a period of a kind of competition between skyscraper builders - who could build the tallest. In 1913, the Woolworth Building, which had 57 floors, created a sensation. For 17 years it was the highest. In 1930, it was briefly surpassed by the 70-story skyscraper at 40 Wall Street, and then by the seventy-seven-story office of the automobile giant Chrysler.

The main task that was set to the builders of the Empire State Building was to surpass in height all the buildings that existed at that time.

William Lamb was appointed head of the design of this skyscraper. This architect was no stranger to such matters, having previously successfully designed the Carew Tower in Cincinnati and the Reynolds Building in North Carolina. The construction was financed by businessman John Raskob, as well as Pierre DuPont, owner of the giant chemical concern DuPont and the leading US automobile corporation General Motors.

The building was to be located on the site of the obsolete old Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, at the intersection of West 34th Street and busy Fifth Avenue. Preparations for construction and digging a foundation pit for the tallest building in New York began in January 1930, and, in fact, construction began on March 17 of the same year, timed to coincide with one of the most popular American holidays - St. Patrick's Day.

The Empire State Building was built by more than 4 thousand workers, mostly immigrants from a number of European countries who had recently arrived in the United States. Also working with them as high-altitude installers were representatives of the Mohawk (or “Mohawk”) Indian people, who traditionally have no fear of heights. Construction work on the construction of the skyscraper was characterized by a fairly high incidence of industrial injuries. Five accidents were fatal.

The Empire State Building was built very quickly; its construction took only 1 year and a month and a half. The building was put into operation on May 1, 1931. Construction cost $40 million (in 1931 prices).

One of the most remarkable moments was the fact that the Empire State Building became the first skyscraper in history with more than a hundred floors. Together with the spire, it is 443 meters high (381 meters without the spire), and has one hundred and two floors. For forty-one years it was the tallest building not only in America, but in the whole world. In 1972, it was surpassed in height by the World Trade Center towers. However, the tragic events of September 2001 associated with the terrorist attack on these towers returned the Empire State Building to the first position in New York.

The skyscraper has 6,500 windows covering an area of ​​more than two hectares, the total area of ​​the building is about 250,000 square meters. Employees working in the building and visitors can use 73 elevators.

The architectural style that the Empire State Building belongs to is Art Deco. This style was very typical for the USA in the 30s, especially for high-rise buildings. The name of the skyscraper comes from the humorous nickname “Empire State”, given by the Americans to the state of New York.

Basically, the Empire State Building is occupied by office space (85 floors). Floors 86 and 102 are specially designed for tourists; there are platforms for viewing the city. The building has a special category in the US postal classification and is even assigned a separate zip code.

The total number of employees in the Empire State Building is more than twenty thousand. Of all US office buildings in terms of usable space, it holds second place, second only to the Pentagon.

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My favorite skyscraper

Meet one of the oldest skyscrapers in the world - the Empire State Building. This steel giant is already in his eighties. Today, the building, despite its venerable age, occupies 10th place in the chart of the tallest buildings on the planet. It is noteworthy that the Empire State Building (abbreviated ESB) remains the tallest building in New York, and until 1972, the Imperial Building held the lead among the skyscrapers of our planet.

During the 29 years of existence of the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center, the Empire State Building had to be content with a second role, but the terrorist attack that occurred on September 11, as a result of which the Twin Towers fell, returned everything to its place - the Empire Building again became the First in New York. unwittingly winning another round in the “race” for height. It is worth noting that the Empire State Building is the second largest among all US buildings and is second only to Chicago's Sears Tower.

The construction of the Imperial Building, and this is how the name of the skyscraper is translated from English, began during the era of the Great Depression. During that difficult period for the country, tens of thousands of unemployed and bankrupt businessmen probably wondered why Rockefeller Jr. was investing his savings in a pompous project. However, the Empire State Building was erected in record time. It took workers only 1 year and 3 months, or more precisely 410 days, to give life to the 381-meter giant. The full height of the Imperial House is over 400 meters. Specifically, together with the spire and antennas, it is 448.7 m. Of course, these decorative elements and antennas are not included in the calculation of the tallest building in the world. Otherwise, the Empire State Building would still be in the top five finalists for the title of “Skyscraper No. 1.”

In the present, the Empire State Building is the main architectural landmark of New York. The observation deck of the Imperial Building is visited by more than one million tourists a year. The observatory receives up to 10,000 visitors daily. Even in the 21st century, the technical condition of the building remains impeccable; it still functions as the largest office center and is the place of work for over twenty thousand employees. The owner of the skyscraper is W&H Properties Corporation, and the tenants of the premises are about 640 companies occupying more than 10,000 office rooms.

Finding the Empire State Building is quite easy, because the structure is clearly visible from anywhere in New York. However, he also has an exact address - Manhattan, Fifth Avenue, which is located between West 33rd and 34th Streets.

The Americans awarded the Imperial Building various titles, such as a National Historic Landmark of the United States and the Best American Architectural Design. The Empire State Building is also considered one of the 7 Wonders of the World. This is evidenced by a colorful panel placed in the hall at a height of three floors. This picture depicts all 7 Wonders of the World in sequence. And the eighth picture is reserved for the ESB itself.

History of construction

As mentioned earlier, the construction of the Imperial House began during the Great Depression, namely in March 1930. The building was designed by the architectural bureau Shreve, Lamb and Harmon. Over 3,400 workers were employed at the site, and mainly emigrants from Europe worked on the construction site, as well as a detachment of Mohawk Indians from a reservation near Montreal. Apparently unemployment in those days was not as bad as during the era of the real global financial crisis.

The construction of the 102-story skyscraper proceeded at an accelerated pace. Perhaps, such a rush was dictated by the notorious thirst for championship, because at the same time as the ESB, two more high-rise projects were at the implementation stage - 40 Wall Street and the Chrysler Building. Every week, crews completed 4.5 floors, and during the most acute periods of the high-altitude race, builders had to work almost around the clock to move at a speed of 14 floors per 10 days. So, on May 1, 1931, all the main work on the construction of the building was completed, and the festive illumination was lit on the top of the Empire State Building.

After the ESB was put into operation, hard times began for the owners of the building, and all because the huge office space could not be occupied by tenants. The skyscraper was at one time even nicknamed the Empty State Building. Basically, the building was used as a kind of attraction - people came here from all over America and other countries of the world to climb to the observation deck, located at a 380-meter height and from there look at the City of Dreams New York. Naturally, such excursions were paid (as they are now), but the income received from tourists did not compensate for the high costs of maintaining the building and, even more so, did not recoup the costs of its construction. As a result, the Empire State Building was sold to Rogers Stevens and Partners in the early 50s of the 20th century. A truly astronomical sum for that time was paid for ownership of the skyscraper - 51 million US dollars. The new owners established management of the building and EST soon began to make a profit.

Design features and dimensions of the Empire State Building

The Empire State Building is built in the Art Deco style, which gained popularity in the 30s of the last century. Later, it was precisely this kind of architecture - simple, strict and majestic - that would become dominant in Stalin's high-rise buildings. Today it will seem strange to us how almost 100 years ago it was possible, using simple technologies and modest knowledge in engineering, to build such a giant. However, in fact, the construction of the Empire State Building was scientifically justified. The impetus for skyscraper construction was given back in 1880 by J. Bogardus, who presented his developments of durable frame metal structures made of cast iron. In addition, in the mid-19th century, Otis developed a passenger elevator. Several decades later, improved elevators produced by the company of the same name will become a mandatory attribute of almost all high-rise buildings in the world.

Perhaps, of all the 10 tallest skyscrapers in the world, only the Empire State Building has simple contours. The Imperial House is the embodiment of rationalism in architecture. There is no place for pomp and pretentiousness. The size of the building gives it majesty, and the giant does not need artificial decorations at all. The only decorative element of the façade is the stainless steel strips that soar upward. Yes, there are still three ledges at the top of the building. The skyscraper dresses in festive attire in the evenings and on especially special occasions (like Christmas or St. Patrick's Day), then the ceremonial multi-colored illumination at the top is lit. During the day, the Empire State Building is an example of elegance and style - a sort of powerful clerk in a gray stone suit.

The building contains 102 floors, of which 85 are occupied by offices, and the remaining 16 levels are superstructures used for technical needs. On the 86th floor there is an observation deck providing a 360-degree view. There is another observatory on the 102nd floor - it is smaller in size and the view from it is not as rich as we would like. According to the owners of the ESB, over 110 million people from around the world have visited the observation decks during the existence of the skyscraper.

The ESB has 2 underground floors that serve as car parking. The air conditioning system units and waste processing unit are also located there. The Imperial House has low pressure steam heating. The total length of all pipes in the building is 113 km!

It is worth noting that the ESB is the first building in the world that has more than 100 floors. This scope is explained by the fact that the height of the ceilings in the building is not very high, but this circumstance does not at all impair the skill of the developers and builders. In total, the Empire State Building contains 6,500 windows, the total glazing area is 2 hectares. There are 73 high-speed Otis elevators running between floors, which can transport 10,000 people at a time. The total length of the elevator shafts is as much as 11 km!

However, you can go upstairs, namely to the 86th floor, if you wish, on foot. There are 1860 steps in total. However, few people dare to take this path. Sometimes the Empire State Building hosts races to the top floor. Record holders reach the finish line in 10 minutes. Yes, physical training must be at a high level.

The Empire State Building is a rather heavy structure, because the main part of the building is made of steel and stone. The weight of the skyscraper is 331 thousand tons. To withstand such a colossus, the builders had to form a 2-level foundation with an area of ​​8000 square meters. and use steel structures weighing more than 54 thousand tons to support it. Thanks to the special design of metal supports, the weight of the structure is distributed evenly, the metal supports the stone and transfers the load to a solid foundation. Thus, the main role in the stability of the ESB is assigned to steel beams, columns and piles. During the construction of the Empire State Building, external scaffolding was not used, which greatly reduced the cost and accelerated the construction of the building.

During construction, more than 10 million bricks of granite and limestone were used (about 5,662 cubic meters of rock were used to form them) and over 700 km of electrical cable for communications.

The upper part of the ESB serves not only for festive lighting of the city, but also serves as a carrier for television and radio antennas. Initially, they wanted to set up a station for mooring airships on the roof of the skyscraper, but this idea had to be abandoned very quickly, since at the top of 381 meters a strong wind blows, which prevents the landing of the “heavenly slugs.” Also, the operation of airships within the city became more and more dangerous from year to year, since dense buildings with skyscrapers provoked accidents. In general, the roof of the Imperial House was empty. Soon, with the development of television and radio broadcasting, it was necessary to install an antenna at the highest point of the city. And then a spire over 60 meters high was placed on the roof of the ESB, which played the role of fastening these same antennas. Today it is difficult to imagine a building without these “decorations” - the antennas fit perfectly into the overall concept of the House and even gave it a finished look. At the top of the mast there is a special light that notifies aircraft when they are approaching an obstacle.

Interesting interior features and attractions

It was already said above that inside the Empire State Building there is a hall that is 30 meters long and three floors high; on its walls there are colored panels depicting the 8 Wonders of the World - 7 main ones and one “New”, which is the Imperial House itself. In addition, in the Empire State Building there is a Guinness Hall of Records - this is a kind of museum, the exhibition of which tells about outstanding records in various areas of human life.

Tourists are also interested in visiting an attraction called New York Skyride. It was opened in 1994. By taking a ride on this attraction, you can get the complete illusion of an aerial voyage around New York. Airplane passengers are invited to experience a truly unforgettable experience. The aircraft shakes and spins due to the storm, and the brave pilot Kevin Bacon tries his best to maintain balance. In the new version of the attraction, more attention is paid to the educational and patriotic aspect, whereas previously this carousel had a more entertainment function. The duration of the “flight” is 25 minutes.

Epilogue

The Empire State Building is quite old for a skyscraper. Especially considering the fact that the building contains more than 100 floors, this giant may have to be dismantled someday, but for now the Imperial House is a worthy decoration of New York and one of the “eternal” symbols of the United States of America.

The largest city in the United States has more than five thousand skyscrapers. Only in New York could an office building become a historical landmark. The face of the American metropolis is giant high-rise buildings, and this building does its job well. The Empire State Building is an unshakable symbol of the Big Apple and one of the most recognizable skyscrapers in the world. If you like to travel and study unusual architectural treasures, then this building will find something to surprise you.

Today, the Empire State Building (ESB) is a national monument and a must-see landmark in New York City. Over 130 million people have already visited the observation decks of this building, which is comparable to the population of an average country.

Where is the Empire State Building located?

The famous skyscraper adorns the island of Manhattan, and its 102 floors are visible from several kilometers away. The building is located on Fifth Avenue between West 33rd and 34th streets, 1 km from Times Square. From 1931 to 1972, the Empire State Building held the title of the tallest structure on the planet until the North Tower of the World Trade Center was built. After the 2001 terrorist attack, the skyscraper again ascended to the pedestal, but this time as the tallest building in New York.

This is interesting. At the beginning of the 21st century, many high-rise buildings appeared in the world, and in America itself, that surpassed the Empire State Building - the Freedom Tower in New York (104 floors), the Royal Clock Tower in Mecca (120 floors), the Shanghai Tower in Shanghai ( 128 floors), Hong Kong International Commerce Center (118 floors). The tallest building at the moment is the Burj Khalifa, which has 163 floors. The skyscraper opened in 2010.

In 1986, the Empire State Building was included in the list of national treasures of the country, and in 2007, the building became the first on the list as the best architectural solution. The owner and manager of the building is W&H Properties.

How to get there

You can get to the famous skyscraper by public transport. If you go by subway, you need to get off at the 34th Street/Herald Square station on lines N, Q, R. You can get there by bus - M4, M10, M16, M34. Nearby are Times Square, the Museum of Modern Art of New York, and the Morgan Library and Museum.

History of creation

The site where the Empire State Building is now located was the site of John Thompson's farm until the 18th century. A spring flowed here, flowing into the Golden Perch Pond - a reservoir that is still located in the area from the high-rise building. In the 19th century, the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel stood here, hosting New York's social elite.

At the time of its construction, the structure became the first in the world, which had over 100 floors, or rather 102. The height of the Empire State Building in New York is 381 m, and with the spire - 443 m. The skyscraper has antennas from which television and radio broadcasts are carried out. The first experimental television broadcast was made from the top of the skyscraper on December 22, 1931 - six months after completion of construction. Today, the spire of the structure as a transmitter is used by almost all radio and television channels in the city.

Spotlights that illuminate the Empire State Building with colorful lights were recorded back in 1964. The building is painted in honor of holidays and memorials - on Presidents' Day the building glows red, blue and white, on Valentine's Day - red, pink and white, and on St. Patrick's Day - green.

Thousands of tourists come to the building every day. The thing is that there are two observation decks on the 86th and 102nd floors. On the first platform you can see the whole of New York; it is more difficult to get to the last floor - the platform is smaller and only a small number of visitors are allowed there. The skyscraper itself also houses an attraction that simulates flying over the city on the Hudson.

Construction or who became the architect of the Empire State Building

The building was designed by Gregory Johnson and his architectural firm Shreve, Lamb and Harmon. It was this company that prepared the drawings in a couple of weeks, taking as a basis their previous project - the Carew Tower in Cincinnati in Ohio. The plan was created from top to bottom. The main contractors were the Starrett brothers and Eken, and the construction was financed by John Raskob.

Useful for tourists:

The preparation of materials began on January 22, 1930, and construction began on St. Patrick's Day - March 17 of the same year. The project involved 3,400 workers, most of whom were immigrants from Europe, as well as the Mohawk Indian foundry workers from the Kanawake reservation near Montreal. The skyscraper has 102 floors, and the total weight of the structure is 365 thousand tons. They spent $41 million on construction.

This is interesting. It is believed that the ESB architects, when they met with investors, heard the question: “How high can you build a building without it falling?” The builders understood this hint well - the skyscraper was to be called the tallest skyscraper in America, and at the same time in the world.

The construction of a skyscraper became part of the competition - the winner received the right to be named tallest building. Wall Street and the Chrysler Building competed for the title. These structures held the title for less than a year, as ESB beat out its rivals on the 410th day of construction.

Thanks to the popular nickname of the state of New York, the skyscraper of the Imperial State or the Empire State Building got its name. Construction built in 13 months, which is very fast for the first half of the 20th century. For comparison, the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center were built in seven years.

Opening

The official “coming out” of the Empire State Building was solemn: President Herbert Hoover pressed a button in Washington and turned on the lights in the building. Ironically, the lamps on the high-rise spire were lit for the first time on the day of Franklin Roosevelt's victory over Hoover in the November 1932 election.

This time was also marked as the Great Depression. The structure began to be called the Empty House of the Imperial State, since no one rented office space in the ESB. And the whole point was not only the crisis, but also the uncomfortable location - the metal structure occupied almost the entire internal area. The offices were cramped and looked like small closets. Afterwards, the building was reconstructed, creating modern comfortable premises. The legendary skyscraper is the penultimate one hosts Donald Trump and Hideki Yokoi sold for $57.5 million in 2002. The new owner of the skyscraper is the real estate company of Peter Malkin, which manages a couple of historic buildings in New York. Today, the view of the Big Apple from the Empire State Building is the most magnificent because of the opportunity to see a 360-degree panorama.

Architectural style

At the beginning of the 20th century, steel frames began to be used for the construction of multi-story buildings, which had previously been used for the construction of bridges and railway stations. In 1930, the Chrysler Building with a height of 319 m received the palm as the tallest building in the city. The building overtook the Bank of Manhattan, which reached a height of 282 m. However The Empire State Building surpassed everyone in 1931- towering 381 m above New York. The total weight of the structure is 365 thousand tons, and the steel structure has a mass of 59 thousand tons. There are 10 million bricks in the walls.

By increasing the length of the shafts and the speed of passenger elevators, the maintenance of the high-rise was simplified. The Empire State Building has 62 elevators arranged in groups. But according to city zoning laws, high-rise buildings must have narrowed upper floors. To better illuminate the streets, architects began to build skyscrapers that were completely different from the Chicago high-rises at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. The new style of multi-storey buildings combined the motifs of art deco and avant-garde geometricism.

One of the interesting places of the ESB is the spire. The structure has 16 floors and also houses a control room. The top of the building was going to be used as a pier for airships. The Spire only accepted two airships, and then all were canceled due to the risk of collision. There is also an antenna mast at the top of the structure, which is decorated with illumination from time to time. Only in the first few years the observation deck on the spire visited by several million people. The annual profit was $1 million, a significant amount during the Great Depression era.

The width of the Empire State Building depended on the requirements for ventilation and natural light. Before the installation of powerful air conditioners, the depth of the room from the window to the back wall could not be more than 8.5 m. The building has 6,500 windows connected by vertical steel strips. The outer covering of the walls is made of gray limestone, which is framed with aluminum sheets. The support platform has five floors and occupies the entire area of ​​its site. There is a three-story lobby in the center, surrounded by two tiers of shops. Due to the fact that there was no place on the construction site where materials could be stored, they were delivered on schedule and immediately lifted upstairs. The construction process was similar to a factory assembly line, which is why it was possible to build a skyscraper in such a short time.

The ESB style is art deco, created at the International Exhibition of Decorative and Industrial Arts in Paris in 1925. The style incorporates motifs from various historical forms - from the culture of Ancient Egypt to the development of the Mayans. Art Deco is characterized by the use of new materials - chromed steel, glass and plastic. In their reviews, tourists note that the architecture of the Empire State Building is unusual, since all the most interesting things are located outside.

Empire State Building inside

But what is inside the famous skyscraper, since the building was not built for tourist purposes? ESB is an ordinary office high-rise, which during the years of construction was called the Empty State Building (empty - empty). Companies were reluctant to occupy the premises, but the situation soon changed due to interior remodeling. Just 10-15 years ago, small firms were the main tenants of 100 m2 offices. Today, entire floors are occupied by large companies thanks to colossal reconstructions of the internal halls.

• It is more convenient to climb to the upper floors of the Empire State Building by elevator, but some people try to climb the 1860-step staircase. This could very well be a training session, as once a year the building hosts a competition to see who can climb the fastest. The winner is awarded one million dollars. The office space can accommodate 15 thousand people, and the elevator carries 10 thousand passengers in one hour;
• Empire State is not just an office, but entertainment for tourists. In the lobby, which is 30 meters long and three floors high, hangs a giant panel depicting the eight wonders of the world. Naturally, one of them is the Empire State Building itself. There is a Guinness World Records room where information about unusual achievements and record holders is stored;
• On July 28, 1945, a plane crashed into a building. It was a B-25 bomber that flew between the 79th and 80th floors. The disaster claimed the lives of 11 people;
  every year the skyscraper is visited by more than 35 thousand tourists, and more than 50 thousand people work in the building itself.

Opening hours

The Empire State Building is open to the public from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. The last rise is at 1.15 am. On the 86th floor there is an observatory, from where you can see amazing city panoramas from a height of 320 m. On average, they spend about an hour at the observation decks, but the visiting time is not limited in any way.

Ticket prices

Since the observatory opened in 1931, the building has been visited by more than 110 million people. Accordingly, there are long queues before entering. It is recommended to buy tickets in advance to avoid the line of tourists. There is a standard version of the city pass, which allows you to visit the observation platform on the 86th floor and an audio guide. The cost of entry to the site on the 86th floor is $32, and if express without queues - $55. You can also visit the 102nd floor for $52 and $75 without waiting.

What to see nearby

If visiting the famous skyscraper is not enough, then you can check out the attractions nearby. The list below will help you have a good time:

• . The city on the Hudson is home to one of the most famous and largest parks in the world. Central Park is located in Manhattan on an area of ​​3.4 km2. 25 million people come here every year. There are hotels opposite the park, so it’s convenient to combine a walk and not be interrupted from your planned activities;
• . Sports complex, which is located on Eighth Avenue. This is a multifunctional facility that is used more than 300 days a year for various events. It hosts New York Knicks basketball games and New York Rangers hockey tournaments, concerts and performances. During hockey matches the hall seats 18,200 people, and during concerts - 2,000 visitors;
• . The pride of America, which rises above New York on Liberty Island near Manhattan. For more than 100 years, the symbol of democracy has been welcoming and seeing off hundreds of ships in the Big Apple harbor. It is an interesting attraction for tourists and a beacon of freedom for Americans;
• . One of the oldest hanging structures in the country, which was the longest in the world until 1903. Steel slings were used for the first time to build the Brooklyn Bridge. The main span over the East River is 487 m long and the total length is almost 2 km.

New York is built up with metal giants that turn into symbols of the city. The sights of the city on the Hudson skillfully combine historical art forms and modern technology. The Empire State Building is a must-see - as it says in every tourist brochure. Do you consider the skyscraper a real landmark of New York?

The building was designed by the architectural firm Shreve, Lamb and Harmon. The creators of the skyscraper designed it in the Art Deco style. Unlike most modern skyscrapers, the facade of the tower is made in a classical style. The only decorative element of the gray stone facade is vertical strips of stainless steel. The hall inside is 30 meters long and three floors high. It is decorated with panels depicting the seven wonders of the world, and an eighth is added to them - the Empire State Building itself.

The skyscraper was built in a record 410 days, on average 4.5 floors were built per week, and sometimes in 10 days the new building grew by 14 floors. 5,662 cubic meters of limestone and granite were used for the construction of the external walls. In total, the builders used 60 thousand tons of steel structures, 10 million bricks and 700 km of cable. The building has 6,500 windows. Its design is such that the main load is borne by the steel frame, not the walls. It transfers this load directly to the powerful “two-story” foundation. Thanks to the innovation, the weight of the building was significantly reduced and amounted to 365 thousand tons.

By the time construction was completed, the height of the building was 381 m (after the television tower was erected on the roof of the Empire State Building in 1952, its height reached 443 m).

On May 1, 1931, the official opening of the skyscraper took place. The Empire State Building was opened by the then president of the country, Herbert Hoover: with the flick of a switch from Washington, he lit the lights of the tallest man-made structure in the world at that time.

The Empire State Building was the tallest building in the world for more than 40 years. The skyscraper lost this title only after the construction of the “twin” towers of the World Trade Center in 1972. The tragic death of the “twin” towers during the terrorist attack of September 11, 2001, returned the Empire State Building to the status of the tallest building in New York, although the skyscraper could no longer lay claim to world leadership.

The Empire State Building occupies about one hectare of land on Manhattan Island, at the intersection of 5th Avenue and 34th Street. The building houses the offices of 640 companies employing about 50 thousand people.

The skyscraper is a landmark of Manhattan and New York. Thousands of tourists visit the famous skyscraper every day. In one minute, using a high-speed elevator, they can go up to the observation deck located on the 86th floor and see the panorama of New York: its streets, squares, parks, bridges and even ships at sea. On the 102nd floor there is a glass-enclosed circular observatory. From a height of 381 m, a panorama of five states opens up.

A landmark of New York is considered not only the skyscraper itself, but also its unique lighting system. The tradition of lighting up the Empire State Building in different colors on various holidays has existed for a long time. So, on US Independence Day, the skyscraper turns blue-red-white, and on St. Patrick's Day - green, on Columbus Day - green-white-red. To do this, plastic disks are changed on 200 floodlights illuminating the 30 upper floors.

Even before a television and radio tower was placed on the roof of the skyscraper, it was planned that the upper part of the Empire State Building would serve not only for the festive lighting of the city. The architects designed the roof structure in such a way that it would serve as a pier for passenger airships, which in the 30s. of the last century were a fashionable vehicle and successfully competed with passenger aircraft that were not yet very reliable. The 102nd floor was a berthing platform with a gangway for boarding the airship. A special elevator running between the 86th and 102nd floors could be used to transport passengers whose check-in had to be done on the 86th floor. In reality, not a single airship has ever docked on top of the Empire State Building. The idea of ​​an air terminal turned out to be unsafe - strong and unstable air currents at the top of the 381-meter building made docking very difficult. And soon airships basically ceased to be used as a means of transport.

On the second floor of the building there is an attraction, opened in 1994 for tourists. The attraction is called New York Skyride and is a simulator of air travel over the city. The duration of the attraction is 25 minutes. From 1994 to 2001, an older version of the attraction operated, featuring actor James Doohan, Scotty from Star Trek, as an airplane pilot, humorously trying to maintain control of the plane during a storm. After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, this attraction was closed. In the new version, the plot remained the same, but the World Trade Center towers were removed from the scenery, and actor Kevin Bacon became the pilot instead of Doohan. The new version pursued, first of all, educational and informational purposes rather than entertainment. It also included patriotic elements.

In terms of the number of films the Empire State Building has been featured in, the building rivals top movie stars. It all started with King Kong, filmed in 1933, where the final battle of a huge gorilla with American Air Force fighters took place on the roof of this skyscraper. Now the list of films in which the Empire State Building appears, given on the official website of the skyscraper, includes 91 films.

Among other things, the Empire State Building is also the site of some of the most unusual competitions. Every year in early February, skyscraper staircase running competitions are held here. Athletes climb 1,576 steps of the building - from the 1st to the 86th floor - in a few minutes. In 2003, Paul Craik set a record that has not yet been broken - 9 minutes 33 seconds.

Over its almost 80-year history, the Empire State Building has experienced a significant number of different incidents. On July 28, 1945, a USAF B-25 Mitchell bomber, lost in dense fog, crashed into the building between the 79th and 80th floors. One of the engines pierced the skyscraper and fell onto the roof of a neighboring building, the other fell into the elevator shaft. The fire that resulted from the collision was extinguished within 40 minutes. 14 people died in the incident. Elevator Betty Lou Oliver survived a fall from 75 floors in an elevator, an achievement included in the Guinness Book of World Records.

There were fires after that too. So, in August 1988, a fire started on the 86th floor, and the fire reached the very top of the skyscraper. Fortunately, there were no casualties then. In 1990, there was another fire that claimed the lives of 38 people.

There were also incidents of a different kind. In February 1997, 69-year-old Palestinian Ali Hassan Abu Kamal climbed to the observation deck, pulled out a pistol and opened fire on tourists. He killed one person, wounded six, and then shot himself. When the site reopened two days later, visitors were already being probed with magnetometers.

Since its construction, the Empire State Building has attracted people who want to commit suicide. Over the entire period of operation of the building, more than 30 suicides were committed here. The first suicide occurred immediately after construction was completed by a recently laid off worker. As a result, in 1947, a fence had to be erected around the observation site, since in just three weeks there were five suicide attempts there. At the same time, funny things happened: in 1979, Miss Elvita Adams decided to take her own life and jumped from the 86th floor. But a strong wind threw her to the 85th floor, and she escaped with only a broken hip.

The material was prepared based on information from open sources