History Of The Empire State Building In 60 Seconds

The Empire State Building is New York City’s architectural pride and joy. This Manhattan skyscraper stands at 102-storeys tall and was beaten only in 1970 as the tallest building in New York, by the World Trade Center’s North Tower. Below we give you a 60 second run down of the empire state building’s history.

Along with the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building has become one of the United States’ most profound cultural icons. Featuring prominently in films about New York since its completion in 1931, perhaps the most significant portrayal of the Empire State Building is in the 1933 movie, King Kong. Other memorable films in which this world famous skyscraper appears are An Affair to Remember (1957), Empire (1963), and of course, Sleepless in Seattle (1993).

Dubbed by the American Society of Civil Engineers as one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World, the Empire State Building’s eye-catching art deco style draws interest from design buffs from all over the globe.

Boasting one of the most visited outdoor observatories in the world, the Empire State Building has seen over 110 million people come through its doors to take in the Manhattan skyline at its best.

When visiting the site, it’s worth stopping in on the 2nd and and 80th floors to explore the Sustainability and Dare to Dream exhibits, respectively. The former is an educational showcase on the Empire State Building’s award-winning retrofit beginning in 2009 to reduce total energy consumption by over 28% and the latter is an inspiring exhibit detailing the planning and building process of the Empire State Building.
Each year, the Empire State Building maintains traditional lightings for the following religious holidays: Easter, Eid al-Fitr, Hanukah, and Christmas. While personal lighting requests for occasions such as birthdays, weddings, or anniversaries are not granted, one can apply to become an Empire State Building Lighting Partner here.

Looking for more history in the big apple? Check out our guide to the 12 historic events that shaped NYC.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.