The Empire State Building is a 102-story skyscraper located in New York on Manhattan Island. From 1931 to 1972, before the opening of the North Tower of the World Trade Center, it was the tallest building in the world. In 2001, when the towers of the World Trade Center collapsed, the skyscraper again became the tallest building in New York. The architecture of the building belongs to the Art Deco style.
In 1986, the Empire State Building was listed as a National Historic Landmark in the United States. In 2007, the building was ranked number one on the American Institute of Architects' list of America's Best Architecture. The building is owned and operated by W&H Properties. The tower is located on Fifth Avenue between West 33rd and 34th streets.
At the end of the 18th century, on the site where the ESB is now located, there was a farm of John Thompson. At that time, there was a stream here that flowed into the Sunfish Pond, which is now a block from the skyscraper. In the late 19th century, the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel was located here, where the social elite of New York lived.
The ESB was designed by Gregory Johnson and his architectural firm, Shreve, Lamb and Harmon, who completed the blueprints for the skyscraper in just two weeks, using her previous work, the Carew Tower, in Cincinnati, as a basis. Ohio. The building was designed from top to bottom. The main contractors were the Starrett Brothers and Eken, and the project was funded by John J. Raskob.
Construction was led by Alfred E. Smith, a former New York City superintendent.
Preparations for construction began on January 22, 1930, and the construction of the skyscraper itself, thanks to the influence of Alfred Smith as president of Empire State, Inc., began on March 17, St. Patrick's Day. The project employed 3,400 workers, mostly European immigrants, as well as hundreds of Mohawk foundry Indians, mostly from the Kahnawake Reservation near Montreal.
However, initially no one could have imagined that the Empire State Building would become such a famous skyscraper. So, the architectural historian Carol Willis (CarolWillis) in one of her books notes that the main task in the construction of a skyscraper was to meet the specified amount, so the appearance of the building was given the least attention.
This construction was part of an intense competition for the title of the tallest building in the world. The other two buildings competing for the title, 40 Wall Street and the Chrysler Building, were still under construction when work began on the ESB. Each of them held the title for less than a year, the Empire State Building beat them in this competition after only 410 days after construction began. The official opening of the ESB, on May 1, 1931, was very pompous: President Herbert Hoover turned on the lights in the building by pressing a button in Washington. Ironically, the first time the lamps were used on top of the skyscraper was to commemorate Franklin Roosevelt's victory over Hoover in the November 1932 presidential election.
Let's take a look at how such skyscrapers were built at that time with the help of a blogger.
The bulk of the material is rudzin
, the owner of the most interesting diary
"Lunchtime atop a Skyscraper" (Lunch on top of a skyscraper) - photograph from the series "Construction Workers Lunching on a Crossbeam - 1932" by Charles C. Ebbets
Such a miracle as a skyscraper would not have been possible without the invention of the steel frame. Assembling the steel frame of a building is the most dangerous and difficult part of construction. It is the quality and speed of assembly of the frame that determines whether the project will be implemented on time and within budget.
That is why riveters are the most important profession in the construction of a skyscraper.
Riveters are a caste with their own laws: the salary of a riveter for a working day is $15, more than any skilled worker at a construction site; they do not go to work in the rain, wind or fog, they are not on the contractor's staff. They are not alone, they work in teams of four, and if one of the team does not go to work, no one comes out. Why, in the midst of the Great Depression, is everyone turning a blind eye to this, from an investor to a foreman?
On a platform of boards, or simply on steel beams, there is a coal stove. In the oven, the rivets are 10 cm long and 3 cm diameter steel cylinders. The "cook" "cooks" the rivets - drives air into the furnace with small bellows to heat them up to the desired temperature. The rivet has warmed up (not too much - it will turn in the hole and have to be drilled; and not too weak - it will not rivet), now you need to transfer the rivet to where it will fasten the beams. It is only known in advance which beam will be fastened when, and it is impossible to move a hot furnace during the working day. Therefore, often the attachment point is located 30 (thirty) meters from the "cook", sometimes higher, sometimes lower by 2-3 floors.
The only way to pass a rivet is to drop it.
The “cook” turns to the “goalkeeper” and silently, making sure that the goalkeeper is ready to receive, throws a red-hot 600-gram blank with tongs in his direction. Sometimes there are already welded beams on the trajectory, you need to throw it once, accurately and strongly.
The “goalkeeper” stands on a narrow platform or simply on a bare beam next to the riveting site. His goal is to catch a flying piece of iron with an ordinary tin can. He cannot move without falling. But he must catch the rivet, otherwise it will fall like a small bomb on the city.
"Shooter" and "emphasis" are waiting. The "goalkeeper", having caught the rivet, drives it into the hole. The “emphasis” on the outside of the building, hanging over the abyss, holds the rivet head with a steel rod and its own weight. The "shooter" with a 15-kilogram pneumatic hammer rivets it from the other side within a minute.
The best team does this trick over 500 times a day, the average - about 250.
In the photographs - the best brigade in 1930, from left to right: “cook”, “goalkeeper”, “emphasis”, and shooter.
The danger of this work can be illustrated by the following fact: masons at a construction site are insured at a rate of 6% of their salary, carpenters - 4%. The riveter's rate is 25-30%.
One person died at the Chrysler building.
Four people died on Wall Street 40.
Empire State has five.
The frame of the skyscraper consists of hundreds of steel profiles several meters long and weighing several tons, the so-called beams. There is nowhere to store them during the construction of a skyscraper - no one will allow organizing a warehouse in the city center, in conditions of dense development, on municipal land. Moreover, all structural elements are different, each can be used in one single place, so an attempt to organize even a temporary warehouse, for example, on one of the last floors built, can lead to great confusion and disruption of construction deadlines.
That is why, when I wrote that the work of riveters is the most important and most difficult, I did not mention that it is also the most dangerous and difficult. The work is harder and more dangerous than theirs - the work of the crane crew.
The order for the beams was agreed with the metallurgists a few weeks ago, trucks bring them to the construction site to the minute, regardless of the weather, they need to be unloaded immediately.
The Derrick Crane is a hinged boom, located on the last floor built, the installers are on the floor above. The winch operator can be located on any floor of an already constructed building, because no one is going to stop lifting and distract other cranes to lift a heavy mechanism several floors higher for the convenience of installers. Therefore, when lifting a multi-ton channel, the operator does not see either the beam itself, or the car that brought it, or his comrades.
The only guideline for control is the strike of the bell, given by the apprentice at the signal of the foreman, who, along with the entire brigade, is dozens of floors above. Blow - turns on the winch motor, blow - turns it off. Several crews of riveters work nearby with their hammers (have you ever heard the noise of a jackhammer?), other crane operators raise other channels at the commands of their bells. It is impossible to make a mistake and not hear the blow - the channel will either ram the crane boom, or throw the installers preparing to fix it from the installed vertical beam.
The foreman, controlling the derrick through two operators, one of whom he does not see, achieves the coincidence of the holes for riveting on the installed vertical beams with the holes on the raised channel with an accuracy of 2-3 millimeters. Only after that can a couple of installers fix the swaying, often wet channel with huge bolts and nuts.
In New York on 6th Avenue there are monuments to these guys, installed in 2001. The most famous photo became the model, she is the first in the preview here. So, at first they made a monument exactly like in the photo, i.e. 11 dudes are sitting on a beam. And then the most extreme on the right was removed under the root. And only because of the fact that he has a bottle of whiskey in his hands!!! I understand if this was done in our country during Gorbachev's time, but they had it in 2001!! Apparently they did not want to destroy the legend about the brave guys. Now these are 10 quite decent guys sitting on a steel beam. Fine. But somehow it's embarrassing.
Photography by Samuel H. Gottscho, 1932
In New York on 6th Avenue there are monuments to these guys, installed in 2001. The most famous photo became the model, she is the first in the preview here. So, at first they made a monument exactly like in the photo, i.e. 11 dudes are sitting on a beam. And then the most extreme on the right was removed under the root. And just because he has a bottle of whiskey in his hands!!! I understand if this had been done here in Gorbachev's time, but they had it in 2001!! Apparently they did not want to destroy the legend about the brave guys. Now these are 10 quite decent guys sitting on a steel beam. Fine. But somehow it's embarrassing.
The opening of the ESB coincided with the Great Depression in the United States, so at first most of the office space was empty. In the first year of operation, the construction of the observation deck cost the owners of the building approximately $ 2 million, they received the same amount from renting out the premises. Due to the lack of tenants, New Yorkers began to call the skyscraper the "Empty State Building". The building did not turn a profit until 1950. In 1951, ESB was sold to Roger L. Stevens and his associates for a record $51 million, brokered by the well-known upper Manhattan real estate firm Charles F. Noyes & Company. At the time, it was the highest price for a single building in real estate history.
The spire of the skyscraper, made in Art Deco style, was originally designed as a mooring mast and parking place for airships. The 102nd floor was originally a landing platform, with a special ladder located on it. A separate elevator between the 86th and 102nd floors was supposed to take passengers upstairs after they checked in on the observation deck on the 86th floor. However, after several attempts to bring the airship to the skyscraper, it turned out to be difficult and dangerous due to the strong ascending air currents arising from the huge height of the building. In 1952, a large television tower was attached to the spire of the skyscraper.
Over the years of its existence, the Empire State Building has proven itself to be an extremely durable structure. So on July 28, 1945, a B-25 bomber literally crashed into a skyscraper. Several people were killed, and dozens were injured of varying degrees of severity. The bomber engine flew through the entire building, but the damage to the skyscraper was limited to the destruction of the outer walls and a fire in some rooms.
On July 28, 1945, a US Air Force B-25 "Mitchell" bomber piloted in heavy fog by Lieutenant Colonel William Smith crashed into the north face of the building between the 79th × 80th floors. One of the engines broke through the tower and fell on a neighboring building, the other fell into the elevator shaft. The fire that arose as a result of the collision was extinguished after 40 minutes. 14 people died in the incident, and elevator operator Betty Lou Oliver survived after falling in an elevator from a height of 75 floors - this achievement was included in the Guinness Book of Records. Despite the incident, the building was not closed, and work in most offices did not stop the next business day.
damage to the Empire State Building skyscraper after a collision with a plane
Over the entire period of operation of the building, more than 30 suicides were committed here. The first suicide occurred just after the construction was completed by a recently fired worker. In 1947, a fence was erected around the observation site, since in just three weeks there were 5 suicide attempts here. In 1979, Miss Elvita Adams decided to take her own life and jumped from the 86th floor. But a strong wind threw Miss Adams to the 85th floor, and she escaped with only a broken hip. One of the latest suicides occurred on April 13, 2007, when a lawyer jumped from the 69th floor.
Clickable, panorama
The ESB rises 1250 feet (381m) above the street on the 102nd floor, and if you count the spire at 203 feet (62m), the total height of the skyscraper is 1453 feet and eight inches (443m). The building has 85 floors of retail and office space (2,158,000 square feet/200,000m2) and an observation deck, both indoors and outdoors, on the 86th floor. the remaining 16 floors are an Art Deco tower ending in an observatory on the 102nd floor. At the top of the tower is a 203-foot (62m) spire, most of which is covered with television antennas, with a luminous rod at the very top.
The Empire State Building was the first building to have over 100 floors. It has 6,500 windows and 73 elevators, and 1,860 steps lead from the street to the 102nd floor. The total area of all floors is approximately 2,768,591 square feet (257,000m2); The base of the ESB has an area of approximately 2 acres (0.8 ha). The building houses more than a thousand organizations, it also has its own zip code - 10118. As of 2007, approximately 21,000 employees work in the building every day, which makes the ESB the second largest office complex in the United States, after the Pentagon. The construction of the skyscraper lasted one year and 45 days. It originally had 64 elevators located in the center; at the moment, there are 73 elevators in ESB, including service ones. The elevator goes up to the 86th floor, where the observation deck is located, in less than a minute. The total length of the pipes of the skyscraper is 70 miles (113 km.), The length of the electrical wires is 2,500,000 feet (760,000 m.). The skyscraper is heated with low pressure steam; despite its enormous height, a building needs only two or three pounds of steam pressure per square inch to heat the building. The skyscraper weighs approximately 336,000 tons.
In 1964, a floodlight system was installed on the tower in order to illuminate the top in a color scheme corresponding to any events, memorable dates or holidays (St. Patrick's Day, Christmas, etc.). For example, after Frank Sinatra's 80th birthday and the subsequent death of Frank Sinatra, the building was illuminated in blue tones, due to the singer's nickname "Mr. Blue Eyes". Following the death of actress Faye Wray in late 2004, the tower's lights were completely turned off for 15 minutes.
The cost of building the ESB was $40,948,900. Unlike most modern tall buildings, the Empire State Building has a classic façade. Entrances at 33rd and 34th Streets, sheltered by modernist steel canopies, lead to corridors 2 stories high, traversed by steel or glass bridges at second floor level, surrounding the elevators. There are 67 elevators in the central part of the building.
The lobby is three stories high and uses the aluminum parts of the building in place of the antenna, which was not on the spire until 1952. The north corridor contains eight illuminated panels designed by Roy Sparkia and Renee Nemorov in 1963, making the building the eighth wonder of the world, along with the traditional family.
During the finishing of the building, long-term predictions were made about its performance to ensure that the use of the building now does not prevent it from serving future generations. This explains the redesign of the power supply system.
Traditionally, in addition to the usual lighting, the building is lit in the colors of the New York sports teams on the days when these teams play in the city (orange, blue and white for the New York Knicks, red, white and blue for the New York Rangers and etc.). During the US Open tennis tournament, the illumination is dominated by yellow (the color of a tennis ball). In June 2002, during the celebration of the anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the backlight was purple-gold (the colors of the House of Windsor).
Very often this building is the hero of feature films. Take King Kong for example.
In 1964, floodlights were installed on top of the building to illuminate the building at night, colors chosen to match the seasons and other events such as St. Patrick's Day and Christmas. After the skyscraper's eighteenth birthday and the subsequent death of Frank Sinatra, for example, the building was illuminated with blue light, which hinted at the singer's nickname - "Ol' Blue Eyes". After the death of actress Fay Wray (King Kong movie) at the end of 2004, the skyscraper stood in complete darkness for 15 minutes.
Searchlights illuminated the ESB in red, white, and blue for several months after the destruction of the World Trade Center, after which they returned to their usual routine. Traditionally, in addition to the regular schedule, the skyscraper is lit up in the colors of New York sports teams on their home game days (orange, blue, and white for the New York Knicks; red, white, and blue for the New York Rangers). Rangers), etc.). The building is illuminated by tennis ball yellow during the US Open in late August or early September. The skyscraper has even been lit up twice in bright scarlet for Rutgers University, the first time during a football game on November 9, 2006 against the University of Louisville when the brightest red in the history of the university was won, and the second time 3 April 2007, when the women's basketball team played against Tennessee (Tennessee) during the national championship.
In June 2002, during the Golden Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain (Elizabeth II), New York lit up the ESB in red and gold (the colors of the monarchs of the Royal House of Windsor (Royal House of Windsor)). New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said it was a token of gratitude to Her Majesty for the fact that after September 11, 2001, the national anthem of the United States was played at Buckingham Palace.
In 1995, the skyscraper was lit up in blue, red, green and yellow to celebrate the launch of the Microsoft Windows 95 operating system (Microsoft's Windows 95). It was a breakthrough for home computers and the launch was met with fanfare.
The building was also painted purple and white to commemorate the graduation of students from New York University.
When the New York Mets defeated the New York Yankees in the Subway Series in May 2007, the next night the building was lit up in the colors of the winners, orange and blue.
In October 2007, the skyscraper was painted green for three days in honor of the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Fitr (Eid ul-Fitr). Such lighting, first applied in honor of the Muslim holiday, is planned to be used every year.
On April 25-27, 2008, the skyscraper was painted "lavender" to celebrate the release of Mariah Carey's new album E=MC2.
The Empire State Building is home to one of the most popular open-air observatories in the world, with over 110 million visitors. The observation deck on the 86th floor provides an impressive all-round view of the city. There is another observation deck open to the public on the 102nd floor. It closed in 1999 but reopened in November 2005. It is fully glazed and much smaller than the first; on busy days it is sometimes closed.
New York is the main media center of the United States. since the September 11, 2001 attacks, almost all of the city's commercial broadcast stations (both radio and television) have been transmitted from the top of the ESB, although some FM radio stations are located in the nearby Conde Nast Building. Most New York AM stations are transmitted from New Jersey.
Communication facilities for broadcast stations are at the top of the ESB. Broadcasting from the building began on December 22, 1931, when Broadcasting began at Empire on December 22, 1931, when the Radio Corporation of America (RCA) began broadcasting experimental television broadcasts via a small antenna mounted on a spire. They rented the 85th floor and built a laboratory there, and in 1934 RCA was merged into a dubious venture by Edwin Howard Armstrong to test his FM system with a skyscraper antenna. When Armstrong and RCA left the building in 1935 and his FM equipment was removed, the 85th floor became the site of RCA's television studio, first as experimental W2XBS channel 1, which became commercial station WNBT, channel 1 (now WNBC-TV) on July 1, 1941. channel 4). The National Broadcasting Company station (WEAF-FM, now WQHT) began broadcasting via aerial in 1940.
NBC continued to have sole use of the top of the Empire State Building until 1950, when the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) changed the position based on requests from viewers to move the seven main channels to the ESB so that the antennas would not have to be constantly tuned. The construction of a huge television tower began. Then other television companies joined RCA in the skyscraper, on the 83rd, 82nd and 81st floors, some bringing sister radio stations with them. Massive TV and FM broadcasts began in 1951. In 1965, separate FM antennas were installed around the viewing area on the 102nd floor.
When the World Trade Center was being built, it caused major problems for television stations, most of which moved to the World Trade Center immediately after its completion. This made it possible to modernize the antenna and improve the broadcast quality of the FM radio stations that remained in the ESB, which were soon joined by other FM radio stations and TV stations that moved from all other places in the city center. The destruction of the World Trade Center necessitated changes in broadcast frequencies and redevelopment of studios to accommodate the stations that were forced to return.
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Climbing higher, to the 102nd floor of the Empire State Building, is not worth it - the observatory located on it does not provide a proper all-round view, and the entrance ticket is much more expensive. True, on the 102nd floor of the building and its roof you can still see unique mooring masts for airships, although the skyscraper itself has never received a single aircraft. When visiting the Empire State Building, you do not need to use the services of guides, because it is absolutely pointless to comment on the beauty of the bird's eye view. In addition, on a special scheme, which is located on the observation deck, all the sights are prudently marked. It is best to climb the Empire State Building on a weekday at eight in the morning - at such a time the influx of tourists is much lower, and you do not have to stand at the ticket office for hours.
If your physical form allows you, and you are confident in your abilities, then you can try to participate in the annual race on the stairs to the 86th floor of the Empire State Building, overcoming more than one and a half thousand steps along the way.
Fun Empire State Building Facts
In the early years of its operation, the Empire State Building was equated with the eighth wonder of the world. And even if there are more ingenious buildings today, but the special seven panels located in the hall of the building depict the seven wonders of the world. The eighth panel, majestically completing the cycle, depicts the Empire State Building.
Empire State Building
Prices on the page are for October 2018.
Empire State Building (ESB) - main character New York City, a US National Historic Landmark and the best American architectural achievement of all time.
The skyscraper got its name in honor of the US state of New York, which is often referred to as the Empire State.
According to legend, when Henry Hudson was sailing down the Hudson River, he was so struck by the beauty and grandeur of the area that he exclaimed, "This is a new empire!"
Empire State Building - 103-story office building located on Manhattan Island in New York, USA. The entrance to the building is located on the side of Fifth Avenue - between West 33rd and 34th streets.
Location on Google maps, the map itself can be enlarged:
Translation into Russian
From English, "The Empire State Building" can be translated into Russian as " Imperial State Building or "House of the Imperial State".
History of the skyscraper: design and construction
Looking back into history, we find that The building was designed by Shreve, Lamb & Harmon Architects., whose main architect was William F. Lamb.
The design used early designs for the skyscrapers Reynolds Building in North Carolina and Carew Tower in Ohio.
Tower construction started on St. Patrick's Day - March 17, 1930, and ended after 1 year and 45 days, in total, the construction of a skyscraper took more than 7 million man-hours.
Above the construction of the building 3400 workers worked: most of them are emigrants from Europe, as well as several hundred installers - natives of the Indian tribe of tomohawks, whose hallmark was the absence of fear of heights.
At the time the construction of the ESB began, the future symbols of New York - the Trump Building and the Chrysler Building - claimed the title of the highest skyscraper in the shortest possible time and were already in the process of construction.
A serious struggle broke out between them, as a result of which the ESB overtook everyone: the building grew by four and a half floors a week, the record is fourteen floors in ten days.
So, after 410 days, 5662 m 3 of building materials, 60 thousand tons of steel structures, 10 million bricks and 700 km of cable, tallest building in the world at that time appeared on the skyline of Manhattan.
Opening of the Empire State Building
Solemn the opening of the building took place on May 1, 1931: The state governor cut the ribbon, and President Herbert Hoover lit the tower's spotlights with a knife switch in Washington.
Note! At that time, the United States was in the midst of the Great Depression, and not everyone could afford to rent space in a skyscraper, and therefore the building was empty for a long time: offices occupied about 20% of the total area. It was possible to completely rent out the tower only after a whole decade.
Height and other technical characteristics of the building
At the time of the official opening of the skyscraper its height was 381 m, and after the construction of a television tower on the roof of a skyscraper in 1952, height reached 443.2 m. After that, the top of the tower began to be used for the location of equipment.
How many floors?
The building has 103 floors: commercial premises occupy the first 85 floors buildings, their total area is more than 257 thousand m².
The remaining 16 floors are an Art Deco superstructure, a combination of modernism and neoclassicism.
Observation decks are located on the 86th and 102nd floors of the skyscraper.
The width of the tower at the base is about 140 m: the building occupies about one hectare of land. In total, the building has 6500 windows, 1860 steps and 73 elevators. which are capable of transporting up to 10 thousand people per hour.
observation decks
Main observation deck
The highest observation deck operates on the 86th floor of the skyscraper outdoors in New York. Dozens of movie scenes were filmed here, millions of unforgettable moments were experienced.
For reference! The site is located around the spire of the building, presenting the view of visitors to the panorama of New York and its environs. From here you can enjoy breathtaking views of Central Park, the Hudson River, the East River, the Brooklyn Bridge, Times Square, the Statue of Liberty and more.
You can also use binoculars with multiple magnification and see objects in great detail.
Upper observation deck
Sixteen floors above - on the 102nd floor of the building - there is another observation deck, which is significantly inferior in area to the main one, and is also completely closed.
Lighting
The tradition of ceremonial lighting of the tower in different colors in honor of the most important events, holidays and celebrations has been preserved for many decades.
Previously, the top 30 floors were illuminated by 200 spotlights: on Independence Day, the building turned white-red-blue, and on St. Patrick's Day - green.
To achieve this effect, filters were manually changed on the spotlights: the process took several hours.
In 2012, cardinal changes took place in the illumination system of the tower: A dynamic LED lighting system was installed. If earlier the change of architectural lighting took place within 10 colors, today New Yorkers see a palette of 16 million shades.
The new illumination system allows you to control the light remotely, adjust its direction and create various effects.
No holiday in New York is complete without a light show on the tower, which is often synchronized with the musical accompaniment.
Interior: what's inside?
Building interior - one of the few recognized landmarks New York City Architectural Preservation Committee. In 2009, 18 months were spent restoring the aesthetics of the original 1930 interior design (remember, the entire building took just 13 months to complete).
Inside there is a hall thirty meters high, which stretches for three floors. It is decorated with a panel of the Seven Wonders of the World, and on the wall above the reception in the lobby, one of the most famous in New York, is an image of the building itself, radiating light.
Useful information for tourists
The skyscraper is open all year round from 8 am to 2 am, and every day it is visited by a huge number of people.
The least number of visitors occurs at 8 am and 3 pm, as well as late in the evening.
In order not to waste time in line in front of the cashier, you can buy a ticket on the official website. The validity of such a ticket is a year, that is, it is possible to schedule a visit at any convenient time. However, you still have to queue up (screening, elevator). Only visitors with VIP tickets can skip these lines.
Prices. The cost of visiting the open observation deck on the 86th floor is from $37 for an adult and from $31 for a child. A VIP ticket costs $65 for everyone. A visit to the upper observation deck on the 102nd floor is paid separately (plus $20 for all ticket categories).
The New York Pass allows you to visit more than 90 attractions in the Big Apple, including the Empire State Building, on a single ticket.
The cost of such a ticket depends on its validity period - from one to ten days: from $124 to $420 for an adult and from $94 to $279 for a child.
Exhibition "Sustainability"
On the second floor of the skyscraper there is an exhibition "Sustainability" (Sustainability). The building is currently being reconstructed: about $120 million is being spent on reducing energy consumption.
The Sustainability exhibition showcases the latest technologies and processes and tells the story of building renovation through digital displays, sculptures and real building materials.
Exhibition "Don't be afraid to dream"
On the 80th floor, there is an exhibition called Dare to Dream. History of the Empire State Building - the story of the American dream: the exhibition reflects the history, design and construction of the building. It includes original documents: photographs, architectural sketches, construction notes and daily accounting documents.
You can get more detailed information about the building, its place and role in the modern world thanks to the interactive multimedia tour, which is included in the ticket price. To do this, you need to download the appropriate application in the AppStore or Google Play, which can be done on the spot using the free wireless Internet.
In addition, in our Vkontakte group you can find more photos in good quality, in a separate album dedicated to the skyscraper.
The Empire State Building is one of the first and legendary skyscrapers in New York that has become its symbols. It was called the eighth wonder of the world, and until 1972 it proudly bore the title of the tallest building in the world. The history of construction is rich in interesting facts, both amazing and sad.
Building architecture
The project, which took only 2 weeks, was developed by a group of architects from Shreve, Lam and Harmon. In the design of the building, they successfully combined the mood of the public during the Great Depression and the new requirements for urban development.
skyscraper has stepped shape, narrows at the top. This is one of the requirements of the Urban Zoning Act (1916). The narrowing of the upper floors was to provide good street lighting.
The facades are devoid of any decor and are maximally simplified, however, the object is undoubtedly attributed to the Art Deco style. Not the last role in this is played by a set of materials - chrome steel, plastic and glass. A new and bold combination for that period of time.
New York skyscraper construction
In January 1930, construction began on the Empire State Building in New York. At the preparatory stage, a foundation pit was dug, utilities were laid, and a foundation was erected. In March of the same year, construction of the main part began.
All works were based on the conveyor principle. This is especially clearly demonstrated by the fact that the steel frame parts were mounted 8 hours after they were manufactured at the factory.
Directly at the construction site, coal furnaces were installed, in which rivets for the frame beams were heated. By the way, it was assembled up to the 86th floor in six months. In parallel with the assembly of the steel frame, plumbers and electricians worked inside the building, laying engineering communications.
Empire State Building - facts and figures
The famous New York skyscraper impresses not only with its scale, but also with some facts that not everyone knows about.
Empire State Building in numbers
Some of the figures given by statistics and historical chronicle make us look at the Empire State Building with different eyes:
- the construction took 10,000,000 bricks, 60,000 tons of steel elements, 6,500 window structures, about 700 km of electrical cables;
- about 100 lightning bolts a year strike the spire;
- the height by the end of construction was 381 m, but after the installation of the television tower, it increased to 443 m;
- total weight of the building 365,000 tons;
- about 3,000 people constantly worked at the construction site;
- the construction of the skyscraper took a record 410 days;
- the building has 103 floors, the connection between which is provided by 73 elevators;
- the observation decks of the Empire State Building were visited by 110,000,000 people;
- the offices of the skyscraper employ about 30,000 people;
- the cost of the building at the time of completion was $41,000,000, and in 2014 it was valued at $629,000,000.
There were some sad statistics. According to official figures, 5 people died during the construction.
The Empire State Building in New York is remembered not only for its height, architecture, but also for several interesting facts of its “biography”.
- The name of one of the most famous skyscrapers in the United States was due to the unofficial name of New York - Empire State or "Imperial State".
- It was possible to rent out all the offices of the tower only a decade after construction.
- At the highest point, it was planned to install a spire for mooring airships. In practice, this turned out to be impracticable due to the strong eddy currents of air at altitude.
- Every year on February 5, running competitions are held in the skyscraper. The winner is the one who overcomes 1576 steps in a record short time.
- Since the building contains a huge number of offices, it has your postal code - 10118.
- The main load is borne not by the foundation, but by the steel frame. This allows you to significantly reduce the weight of the structure.
- The Empire State Building has been the subject of several films. The most famous of them is "King Kong" (1933).
- A magnificent panorama opens from the observation deck. You can view the surroundings at a distance of 128 km.
It is a widely known fact that for the construction of the high-rise, installers from the Mohawk tribe were attracted, who were not afraid of heights.
New York skyscraper illuminated
Decades after the construction of the Empire State Building, the Empire State Building has become a symbol of the American dream and won special love from US citizens. He caused a new wave of interest and sympathy in 1964, when the upper part of the building was equipped with searchlights. They illuminated the TV tower and the last floors on holidays or any significant dates. The system still works today.
Each holiday and event corresponds certain colors of illumination. So, after the death of F. Sinatra, these were blue lights, on the anniversary of the Queen of Great Britain - purple-gold. After the destruction of the World Trade Center, the tower was illuminated in red, white and blue for several months. During the US Open tournament (tennis), yellow dominates.
On some memorable dates, the backlight is turned off completely for a short time.
Interesting fact! In 2012, 10 floodlights were replaced with 1,200 LEDs. They provide a wide range of backlight colors and are fully computer controlled. Currently, about 16 million colors are available to illuminate the top of the skyscraper.
On the official website of the Empire Building, you can always find out the current color of the backlight, as well as what it was like yesterday, what it will be like on the next significant date.
Incidents at the Empire State Building
In July 1945, an American bomber crashed into the Empire State Building between the 79th and 80th floors. The impact was so strong that the engine flew right through the building. The skyscraper itself received no particular damage. Most of the offices opened the next day without any problems. The collision claimed 14 lives.
New York is a city of thousands of skyscrapers, each of which is unique and inimitable in its own way. But only one of them managed to gain worldwide fame, and forever firmly gain a foothold in the history of the city. The Big Apple boasts the Empire State Building, its most recognizable landmark.
Located in the southern part of Manhattan Island, near 5th Avenue, at the intersection of 33rd and 34th Streets. Nearby are several significant places in the city, such as the City University of New York, Madison Avenue and Broadway. You can get there by car or public transport.
skyscraper height
The height of the Empire State Building in New York is just over 443 meters (including the spire), and the height on the roof of the building is 381 m. The last floor is located at around 373.1 m.
In total, the building has 103 floors. All of them occupy an area of more than 200 thousand square meters. For the convenience of visitors, it is equipped with 73 elevators that will take you to the very top in a matter of minutes.
85 tiers are reserved for offices. There are observation decks on two more. In the rest of the building there are exhibition halls, trading floors and halls for business meetings and negotiations.
Story
Its history began at the beginning of the last century. At that time, a real boom in the construction of skyscrapers began in America.
Design
A well-known architect, William Lamb, was invited to work on the project. The legendary skyscraper was not his first creation. He also designed the famous Carew Tower and the Reynolds Building.
According to the author's idea, the object was to become not only the tallest building, but also the first 100-story building in America. As a result, according to the project, the Empire State Building gained 103 floors and a 60-meter spire. The latter, by the way, was originally intended to be used for re-mooring airships. However, due to the danger of collision and constant strong winds, it was decided to abandon this idea. Now the spire is used as a radio and television antenna.
Construction
Construction began in 1930. The main contractors were the brothers Starrett and Eken. The project was financed by Pierre Dupont and John Raskob.
Almost 3.5 thousand workers from Europe were involved in the process, as well as casters of Indian origin, who were not at all afraid of heights.
At the time of construction, an old hotel was located on the site where the construction was planned. The former building had to be demolished, and the hotel itself was moved to Fifth Avenue.
To bring the project to life, several tons of aluminum, steel, limestone, concrete and granite were used. Construction lasted only 13 months, which by those standards is very fast.
Opening
It was solemnly opened on May 1, 1931. The red ribbon was cut by the then head of state, Al Smith. At the same moment, the President of the country pressed a button in the capital, and the skyscraper shone with thousands of lights.
Despite all the pomposity, initially it did not gain much popularity. Such a reaction, first of all, was due to the Great Depression, prevailing at that time in America.
Due to the crisis, the offices were completely filled only after a decade. The skyscraper brought its first profit only in 1951.
Among the most original are:
- elevators go up in 1 minute;
- an annual speed climb competition is held. The first person to climb 1860 steps will receive $1 million;
- during the Second World War, a plane crashed into a skyscraper due to heavy fog;
- the Empire State Building has a hall dedicated to world records;
- the skyscraper has its own index;
- the name embodies the grandeur of the state of New York;
- more than 50 weddings are held here annually;
- attendance - about 35 thousand people a year;
- Almost 100 lightning strikes the Empire State Building each year;
- the high-rise "played" a major role in the film about King Kong;
- the building has survived more than two dozen suicides in its history;
- listed on the US National Register of Historic Places;
- a professional athlete from Australia completed all the steps in less than 10 minutes.
Specifications
The height, together with the spire, is a little more than 440 m. The width of the structure is 140 m. The choice of such dimensions is due to the need for natural light and the correct installation of the ventilation system. The main support is the first five flights of stairs of the building, on which there are shops and a lobby.
The Empire State Building has 6,500 windows with a total area of 2 km². The design is as simple as possible. This greatly facilitated and accelerated the construction process.
The spire consists of 16 tiers. At its very top, an antenna is installed that transmits television and radio signals throughout the country.
architectural features
The main distinguishing feature of the buildings of the early 20th century was restraint and elegance. In this regard, The Empire State Building was erected in the classic art deco style. The facade is finished with steel and gray limestone slabs.
The Empire State Building was one of the first skyscrapers to be built using prefabricated steel frames. The assembled structure was overlaid with brick, after which it was revetted.
Lighting
In addition to conventional lighting, it is equipped with additional lighting. In 1964, special spotlights were installed on the upper part, and the famous skyscraper sparkled with all the colors of the rainbow.
The color scheme is selected depending on the day and event. For example, on the days of sports games, the top lights up in the colors of a particular team, on the day of gay parades - in multi-colored colors, and on St. Patrick's Day - green.
When the world heard the news of the death of Frank Sinatra, in memory of him the building was dressed in blue, in honor of the birthday of the Queen of Great Britain, the skyscraper lit up with the colors of the royal house.
Interior
The lobby is decorated with German marble, in discreet gray-lilac tones. At the end of the corridor, there is an aluminum bas-relief depicting a skyscraper basking in the sun.
Lookouts
Thanks to the viewing platforms, it has become extremely popular among both locals and visitors to the city. In total, more than 110 million people have already visited it.
The skyscraper boasts two of them at once. One is on tier 86. The viewing angle from this place is as much as 360 degrees, thanks to which the Big Apple is visible at a glance.
No less impressive view opens from the 102nd tier. This observation platform is slightly inferior in size to the first one, and for maximum safety of visitors, it is completely glazed. She doesn't work all the time. On very busy days, the site is closed.
On the 2nd floor there is a fascinating attraction. It was created specifically for the guests of the famous metropolis. The New York Skyride is a simulated flight over New York City. The virtual tour lasts 25 minutes. During this time, you can fly around the whole city and visit its most famous sights in absentia.
The attraction operates all year round. The ticket price is $52. Opening hours - from 8.00 to 22.00.
Exhibition "Sustainability"
He is also famous for his unusual exhibitions. To get started, you should go up to the second floor of the building and visit the Sustainability exhibition. Its main task is to show what internal and external changes have taken place in the Empire State Building over time.
During the tour, you can see with your own eyes the building materials, sculptures, and the latest technologies that were used for the reconstruction. For better perception, all processes are presented on digital displays.
Exhibition "Don't be afraid to dream"
Climbing up to the 80th floor, you can see an equally interesting exhibition - "Don't be afraid to dream." It demonstrates all stages of design and construction of the world's first 100-story skyscraper. The name of the exhibition was not chosen by chance.
Visitors to the exhibition can not only learn the full history of the skyscraper, but also see the original sketches, accounting documents, photographs.
How to get there
There are several ways to get there. It can be either your own car or public transport.
To get to your destination by subway, you need to take the Herald Square stations (lines B, N, R, M, D, Q, F) or Penn Station (lines 1,2 and 3). If your choice fell on the bus, then you should use the routes M4, M10, M16 and M34. If desired, you can use the services of a taxi. The time and cost of the trip will depend on the point of departure.
Opening hours
Works daily, without days off. Hours of operation are from 8:00 am to 2:00 am. The elevator makes its last ascent to the observation deck at 1.15. The time spent in the building and on observation decks throughout the day is not limited.
How to get
Entrance to the territory is absolutely free for all visitors. But to get to the observation decks, you need to purchase a ticket. You can go upstairs either by elevator or on foot.
Purchasing tickets
To avoid long queues, it is better to purchase a ticket in advance before visiting. This can be done at the box office or on the official website. Entrance to the 86th floor observation deck will cost $32. For a complex visit, you will have to pay $ 52. If you could not buy a ticket in advance, and you do not want to stand in line for a long time, you can buy an express pass. The cost is $55 and $75 respectively.
Local residents can get to the observation decks with a special city ticket. Schoolchildren, students and pensioners receive discounts.
You should know:
- there are no left-luggage offices, so all personal items will have to be carried with you;
- security does not allow bulky items and bags to be carried to the upper floors;
- tickets must be purchased in advance;
- there is a strong wind blowing on the 86th floor, so you should take a hat with you;
- to see the city through binoculars, you need to stock up on 50-cent coins;
- It is better to visit observation platforms in the morning.
Official website and other contact information
Address: New York, Manhattan, 350 Fifth Avenue
