EMPIRE STATE BUILDING

Today, at 443 m, the Empire State Building ranks^5th in the USA after One World Trade Center, the new Central Park Tower and Chicago's Willis and Trump Towers. When it was completed in 1931, it may have been the tallest building in the world, but it was only a half-empty skyscraper: the Great Depression had ruined the real estate market, and most of the 4,000 offices in this jewel of the city had no takers. It was a momentary disaster, however, as the New Deal was just around the corner. Salvation came in the form of a romantic monster, King Kong, who ensured the giant's universal reputation on cinema screens the world over. Inevitably, it's the giant ape clinging to the skyscraper that comes to mind, as we drift up to the ^86th and ^102nd floor observatories for an unparalleled panorama of Manhattan, 320 m above sea level. After 10 months of refurbishment, the ^102nd-floor observatory in the skyscraper spire reopened in autumn 2019, now offering 360-degree views of Manhattan! When booking online, choose the floor you'd like to visit. If you choose the ^102nd floor, you'll also have access to the ^86th floor observatory. The CityPass only gives access to the ^86th floor, but it allows two visits on the same day, the idea being to go up once during the day, then come back at nightfall. The best time to get up there is at sunset. It's also the time when the wait is the longest (you have to pay extra for the ticket), but it has to be said that the view is even more spectacular when the setting sun floods Manhattan with its orange light and the buildings gradually light up... Rockefeller Center is opposite, as is the enigmatic Chrysler Building, slightly off-center. Midtown radiates all its raw power. Now surpassed by many other buildings, the Empire State remains a symbol of American greatness and genius, and even more so since the fall of the World Trade Center towers: more than 4 million visitors come to see its sights every year, and 20,000 souls work there every day, making it the second largest office complex in the USA, just behind the Pentagon in Washington D. C.C. The majestic marble lobby, dominated by a splendid bas-relief depicting the building, is reminiscent of the Chrysler Building lobby and its warm colors. The hundred or so floors that make up the building belong to companies and are not open to the public. On certain days, the Empire State Building is lit up in particular colors, in reference to a singular event. It's green for St. Patrick's Day, red and blue for Independence Day, or blue to celebrate the city's baseball team, the Yankees. When there's no event to celebrate, it's lit up in white. To find out what color the building is and why, visit www.esbnyc.com/explore/tower-lights/calendar. Finally, a few dizzying figures on the Empire State Building: 113 kilometers of pipes, 257,211^m2 of surface area, 760,000 meters of electrical wiring and a total weight of 347,000 tons. Last but not least: 10,118, the zip code that was created just for this skyscraper!