If you want to “feel the heart of New York City”, there is one place you need to visit – the Empire State Building. The building was constructed in 1931 on the 33rd and 34 Streets of 350 Fifth Avenue. It was constructed with only a little below $41 million dollars which is equivalent to almost $700 million dollars present day. This gem of New York City was the tallest building in the world when it was completed and up until the recent completion of One World Trade, was the tallest building in New York City.
The opening of the building coincided with the period of the Great Depression. A lot of people were thus, not able to afford to rent spaces in the building. This was further compounded by the fact that it was not easily accessible by public transportation. A lot of people living in New York were simply not interested in renting the building. It wasn’t until around 1951, before the Empire State building really opened up and began to yield profits.
The Empire State Building also features some decks for observation which tourist’s visits regularly. The decks are reputed to be among the most famous attractions for tourists worldwide. In actual terms, there are two of these decks. One of the observation decks is located on the 86th floor while the second deck is located on the 102nd. The deck for observation located on the 86th floor features 360 degree views which allows an uninterrupted, clear view of the whole city of New York. There is also an optional audio tour of the city of New York on this floor, which tells you which gives you information about what you are seeing throughout the deck.
Now you might be wondering what exactly is above the 102nd floor. On the 102nd floor there is a door that leads up to the top and final, 103rd floor. This is one of the most exclusive areas of the building and was initially designed as a disembarkation floor for airships. Since then it is mainy used for when celebrities visit and the occasional movie filming. On this floor there is also access to the spire. This entrance and the staircase that leads up the spire, is used for maintenance work only.
If you are planning to visit New York City anytime soon, then the Empire State building is one of the sites you must visit. You can purchase tickets through CitySightsNY and don’t forget to spot some other famous sights while you are up there, like Central Park, Times Square and even the Brooklyn Bridge.