| Empire State Building | ||
| General Lobby Observatories Summary Web
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Location : 350 5th Ave ( between 33rd
& 34th streets )
The Empire State Building was the New York's tallest building until the completion of the World Trade Center. That not withstanding, apart from the State of Liberty, the Empire State building is probably the most widely recognised and famous landmark in New York City. Construction began just a few weeks before the infamous 1929 crash on Wall St and was completed in 1931. The Empire State building is 443 metres ( 1454 feet ) tall and contains a total of 102 floors. There are public observatories at the 86th and 102nd floors. The building was only planned to be 86 stories but the 46 metre ( 150 foot ) mooring mast was added, being intended for Zeppelin airships. The mast is now used to transmit both television and radio signals to the surrounding areas.
From Fifth Avenue you enter the Empire State Building to
commence your trip to the top of New York City. Take a few moments to look at the relief
image of the skyscraper overlaid on a map of New York Lobby. As you move towards the
ticket office take quick note of all the businesses that actually work in the building.
On the second floor, and for an additional charge you get a ride on the Skyride. The Skyride is a full motion ride that takes you on an excitement filled ride above New York City. Along the way, you will drop in on Wall St, FAO Schwarz and many other well know New York sights. So buckle up !
Whether you choose to go on the Skyride or not, the real reason for visiting the Empire State Building is to travel up to the observatory levels. You will initially ride the elevator to the 80th floor and then change for another elevator to the 86th level. On the 86th floor you will find a glass enclosed room that also leads out to the external deck where the you can find some of the best views of New York City.
It is also possible to ascend to the 102nd floor observatory, however this may depend on weather conditions. Without doubt the Empire State Building is one of the "must see sights" of New York City. The best time to visit is in the evening, and hour or two before sunset. The reason for this is that you get to see New York City views during both the day and at night. It is amazing how different the city looks after dark. During peak tourist times and days expect to have to queue up since the lifts to the observatory are small..
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