Empire State Building Marvel of 20th century

If there ever will be a landmark Hall of Fame, the Empire State Building is sure to make it into that list. Nearly every NYC tour guide lists Empire State Building as a must visit. The monumental structure, located at the 350th Avenue between the 33rd and 34th street, and that is home to thousands of businesses was architected by Shreve, Lamb & Harmon Associates and constructed by Starrett Bros. & Eken.

When the construction began, there was a skyscraper race going on and the Empire State Building had to win it. When it opened on May 1, 1931, it was the tallest building in the world and became a symbol of 20th century man’s to achieve the impossible! The building comprises of 102 floors, and stands 1,454 feet tall from bottom to the tip of the lightning rod. All the floors are rentable for businesses. The 86th and 102nd floor has observatories for a delightful view of the city.

If you are planning a NYC tour, make sure to keep Empire State Building on your list so as not to miss a historical landmark. Most companies that arrange for NYC tours include Empire State Buildings as one of their visit sites but it is better to confirm. As one of the hottest tourist location in the Big Apple, millions of visitors every year flock to this structure and relive some of the greatest moments of cinema. Who does not remember the climb of King Kong to the top of Empire State Building or the romantic meeting in An Affair to Remember.

Here are some interesting facts and figures about the immortal Empire State Building:
1. Excavation began on January 22, 1930.
2. Construction began March 17, 1930 and took a total time of 1 year and 45 days, way ahead of the given schedule of 18 months.
3. Took 7,000,000 man-hours to complete.
4. Building alone cost $24,718,000 at the time of construction and the land and building altogether was $40,948,900.
5. Have 1,860 steps from street level to 102nd floor.
6. Have 6,500 windows, that is a lot to clean!
7. Five entrances on 33rd street, Fifth avenue and 34th street.
8. Have 73 elevators, including 6 freight elevators at operating speeds of 600 to 1,400 feet per minute.
9. 17 million of feet of telephone wire is servicing the building!

Next time when you visit the Big Apple, come and see the marvel of the 20th century that dominated the skyscrapers all over the world for 40 years (1931-1971).

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