The Empire State Building is at 5th Avenue at 34th Street. This is among the most striking buildings in the city, the nation, even the world. The observation deck on the 86th floor is open to the general public, offering an amazing view of the city. On the second floor, you'll find the New York Skyride, a simulated helicopter ride over Manhattan.
This, NYC's original skyline symbol, the Empire State Building, is a limestone classic built in just 410 days during the depths of the Depression. It stands 102 storeys and almost 449m (1472ft) tall and the famous antenna was originally to be a mooring mast for zeppelins, but the Hindenberg disaster put a stop to that plan.
One airship accidentally met up with the building: a B25 crashing into the 79th floor on a foggy day in July 1945, killing 14 people. Taking the ear-popping lift to the 86th or 102nd floor observation desks can entail a bit of waiting around, but it's worth it when you get there.
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Empire State Building Gallery,
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