Empire State Building: the history of the famous tower. Iconic skyscraper Empire State Buildings and its history

The Empire State Building is, first of all, a huge office center, and also one of the most attractive tourist sites in the city. The skyscraper is considered the second largest office building in the country, second only to the US military - the Pentagon. 85 floors of the Empire State Building are occupied by offices, where 21 thousand employees work daily, and observation decks are located on its two floors.

The designers planned to use the long spire of the skyscraper as a mooring mast for mooring airships. But later this idea was abandoned, because strong winds almost always blow at the level of the spire. In addition, the architects had little idea of ​​the features of aeronautics on airships. In the drawings, they depicted passengers who enter the spire of the Empire State Building from the nose of the aircraft, when in reality loading and unloading should take place in a gondola located under the airship. So the idea of ​​the designers could not be implemented in principle.

Back in December 1931, just six months after construction was completed, an antenna was installed on the spire of the building, with the help of which, as an experiment, NBC conducted the first transmission of a television signal. And 10 years later, the era of commercial television began. Today, the high-rise building of the Empire State Building houses the transmitters of almost all TV channels and radio stations in the city.

Construction history

The first half of the last century was held in New York under the motto "Who will be able to build the tallest skyscraper?". Since 1913, for 27 years, the Woolvolt Building has held the palm. This building had 57 floors and reached a height of 241 m. Then the 70-story Trump Bilbing, located at 40 Wall Street, became the leader. It rose 282.5 m into the sky. This record did not last long - only two months. The next favorite was the Chrysler Building. The height of this skyscraper with a long spire reached 320 m.

The designers of the new high-rise building faced a difficult task. They needed to create more than just a new champion. They wanted to build a building that would become a real legend.

The design work was led by the architect William Lamb, who at that time already had experience in designing the Reynolds Building and the Carew Tower. Invest large-scale construction undertook famous financier and businessman John Raskob, as well as Pierre Dupont, who was at the same time one of the leaders of America's largest chemical concert "DuPont" and the automotive giant General Motors.

The location for the new record-breaking skyscraper was chosen at the intersection of West 34th Street and Fifth Avenue. In those days, there was an old Waldorf-Astoria hotel (Waldorf-Astoria). It consisted of two buildings, which were connected by a wide hall. Both buildings were erected in the 1990s by New York architect Henry J. Hardenberg. And the Esther family owned this hotel.

When the decision was made to build a huge skyscraper, a new building began to be built for the hotel on Fifth Avenue. In the late autumn of 1929, the old hotel began to be demolished, and more than 16 thousand trucks of broken bricks and stone fragments were taken out of here.

The main construction began on March 17, 1930, on St. Patrick's Day, and it began with earthworks and the laying of a huge foundation. Then, in record time - from the beginning of April to the end of November - a frame was erected from steel beams. The skyscraper was recognized as the tallest building in the world back in September 1930, when the builders completed the installation of the 85th floor of the frame.

The construction was huge - 3439 people took part in it, most of which were newly arrived on American soil emigrants. Mohawk Indians were used in high-altitude work, since these natural climbers were considered excellent fitters and were not at all afraid of heights.

This feature has been explained in different ways. Some believed that Mohawks had developed from birth vestibular apparatus, because their women constantly carried babies with them, swaddling children in special cradles. Others claimed that during the hunt, the Indians were accustomed to placing their feet on narrow paths one after another, and it was easier for them to hold on to narrow metal structures. Another version said that the Mohawk warriors perceived the height as a challenge and courageously coped with the difficulties that arose in order to achieve victory. In any case, the fact remains that members of this Indian tribe took part in all high-rise construction projects in Canada and the United States and coped with difficult high-altitude work better than other workers.

During the week, the Empire State Building grew by an average of 4.5 floors. Once a record was set: workers built 14.5 floors in just 10 days. In order for the builders not to wander far from their workplaces during lunch breaks, food for them (hot lunches, sandwiches, drinks and ice cream) was served immediately to five levels of the building.

In addition, rapid construction became possible due to the simplicity of the design, the components of which were conveniently delivered and lifted up. Pittsburgh became the supplier of steel structures for this skyscraper. And the logistics were so streamlined that often beams were attached to the frame, which the steel plant had produced just three days before.

However, such a large-scale construction, unfortunately, was not without casualties. According to official statistics, five workers died during the construction of the skyscraper. Duration construction works and the cost of them broke all records. The high-rise building was built in just one year and 45 days - until May 1, 1931. Instead of the planned 43, it cost $24.7 million. Such a low cost was due to the fall in prices during the Great Depression.

On the official opening day of the Empire State Building, President Herbert Hoover solemnly turned on the lights in the new skyscraper and did it right from the White House. And all the architects who participated in the design were awarded various honorary awards.

However, the Great Depression still continued, and it was only by 1948 that the funds spent on the construction of a new skyscraper were returned. All this time, an important source of income was the observation deck on the 86th floor of the Empire State Building, which was visited annually by up to 3.5 million people. Most of the office space long time remained empty, so the townspeople at first called the new skyscraper Empty (empty).

architectural features

In the early 30s of the last century, the built Empire State Building became not only the tallest building in the world, but also the first skyscraper to have over 100 floors. Its wide base is 60 m by 124.5 m. With free ledges, this 102-story building rises to a height of 381 m. And the spire, framed by ribs in the form of wings, increases it to 443 meters.

The Empire State Building record stood for over 30 years. Only in 1972, when the buildings for the World Trade Center were built in the city, did the high-rise on Fifth Avenue take the second position. But when, after the terrorist attack in September 2001, the twin towers were destroyed, the old skyscraper again received the status of the tallest building in the city.

The Empire State Building is over 250,000 sq. m. On the longitudinally striped facades of the skyscraper, there are 6.4 thousand windows, and total area glazed surface approaches two hectares.

Like many high-rise buildings of that time, the skyscraper was built in the Art Deco style. This eclectic style, which absorbed the features of neoclassicism and modernism, was born in the 20s of the last century. It was very popular all over the world in the 1930s and 1940s and was reflected not only in architecture, but also in painting, fashion, car design, household items and interiors.

On the outside, the Empire State Building's brick walls are clad in Salem limestone, which came from Indiana. It is good for its uniformity and texture resembles the surface of bread. And the recesses in the interfloor spaces were lined with a darker finishing stone. The peculiarity of the finish was that the stone was fixed without additional corners and supports, directly to the steel frame beams. And the joints between stone slabs and windows were skillfully covered with chrome-plated steel strips.

Interior of the Empire State Building

The entrance lobby of the high-rise building is decorated with rich purple and gray Germanic marble. A large panel mounted here features a bas-relief made of aluminum, where you can see the shining sun and the silhouette of the Empire State Building.

The internal layout was determined more by a fixed budget and short construction time than by any architectural refinements, therefore, in the created premises, the installations created in the project are strictly maintained - no more than 8.53 m from windows to corridors. Such dimensions were necessary to ensure that all offices have the right level of lighting.

In order for employees and visitors to be able to reach any floor of the building, 73 high-speed elevators are installed in it, which can reach the 80th floor within one minute. Those who want to climb to the top floor on foot will have to overcome 1860 steps.

The location of the elevators and the fixed dimensions of the office space determined the entire configuration of the Empire State Building skyscraper and the arrangement of its ledges. Floor sizes decrease with height, and the number of elevators also decreases. Thus, the tallest building in the city turned out to be very functional.

tourist attraction

The silhouette of the skyscraper is well recognizable. He became a real "crown" and decoration of New York. The designers of the Empire State Building have created a structure that, like the Gothic cathedrals of the Middle Ages, dominates the entire city. From the side of Fifth Avenue, the entrance to the building is "guarded" by sculptures of eagles. This skyscraper is so popular in the USA that numerous souvenirs with its image can be bought everywhere.

On the 86th and 102nd floors of the Empire State Building, two large observation decks are specially equipped for tourists. The upper platform is smaller and not full view.

The observation deck on the 86th floor is attractive because it has a full 360° panorama. You can climb it on foot, breaking the stairs of more than 1.5 thousand steps, or by elevator. From here you can see the city streets and skyscrapers of Manhattan, the Brooklyn Bridge, the green islands of parks and the strait. Good view the city is from the site and when the sun is shining, and in the dark. It is convenient that all the sights that can be seen from above are marked on the diagram placed on the observation deck.

In addition, a special tourist attraction has been created on the second floor of the Empire State Building skyscraper, which simulates a flight over the city - the New York Skyride. This simulator is very popular with visitors to New York and especially those traveling with children. For 25 minutes of "flight" you need to pay $ 52. The entrance to the attraction is from 33rd Street and is open from 8.00 to 22.00 all year round.

In 1964, during the days of the World's Fair, floodlights were installed on the Empire State Building skyscraper, illuminating it with white light. upper part. After 12 years, decorative lighting was made colored. And today, on the days of great holidays and anniversaries the building is illuminated in different ways: red, orange and yellow flowers on Thanksgiving Day, white and blue on Presidents Day, green on St. Patrick's Day. On Valentine's Day, the top of the skyscraper turns red, pink and white. And about 50 couples annually perform a wedding ceremony in a high-rise building.

1. Before visiting the famous high-rise building in New York, you should take care of tickets in advance. The easiest way to buy them is on the official website of the Empire State Building: www.esbnyc.com. Tickets for the 86th floor observation deck are $32 for adults, $29 for those over 62, and $26 for children aged 6 to 12. Tickets for both observation decks (86th and 102nd floor) are for everyone visitors over 6 years old cost $85. You will have to pay extra for the opportunity to skip the queues. It is noteworthy that tickets are valid for a year from the date of purchase, and it is not difficult to print them on a printer.

Besides, in travel agencies You can purchase a City Pass. This is a tour of New York with the right to visit six of the city's main attractions. In this case, a visit to the Empire State Building is possible at a reduced price.

On the Internet, you can find many companies offering to visit the famous skyscraper. However, they do not sell tickets, but vouchers. And you have to spend time to then exchange these vouchers for real tickets.

2. No need to take anything extra with you. Luggage storage at the entrance to the Empire State Building is not provided. And security during mandatory checks will not allow bulky bags, suitcases, drinks, water, and even large camera tripods to be brought into the building.

3. It's a good idea to stock up on a few 50 cents ahead of time. They will be needed to use the binoculars located on the observation decks.

4. The observation deck on the 86th floor is open to all winds, so you should take care of the appropriate clothing and headgear.

5. The skyscraper opens to visitors at 8 am and closes at 2 am. In the mornings, the queue is much smaller. And on holidays and weekends there are so many people that it is better not to plan a visit here.

• The state of New York is often referred to by Americans as the Imperial State, which is why the tallest skyscraper in the city is called the Imperial State Building.
• The Empire State Building is so huge that the country's postal department assigned it its own index - 10118.
• 55,000 tons of steel, 10 million bricks, 200 thousand cubic meters were spent on the construction of a high-rise building. feet of stone, 2 million feet of electrical wire and 1,170 miles of elevator cables. The marble floor in the Empire State Building covers an area of ​​30,000 square meters. m. The skyscraper itself weighs about 331,000 tons.
• The strength of the Empire State Building skyscraper was tested as a result of tragic events. At the end of July 1945, a B-25 Mitchell military plane crashed into him between the 79th and 80th floors. This happened because, under the heavy fog and low visibility, the plane's commander, Lieutenant Colonel William Smith (Jr.), lost control. The impact was so strong that one of the bomber's engines flew through the entire building. As a result of this tragedy, 14 people died and 26 people received various injuries. However, the building itself suffered little damage. The outer walls were damaged and a fire broke out inside, which was extinguished after only 40 minutes. All the consequences were eliminated very quickly, and the next day the offices were working as usual.
• The famous high-rise building "became famous" thanks to the film about King Kong. It was from this skyscraper of the Empire State Building that he fell, shot by police helicopters. Many suicides tried to commit suicide by jumping down from a high-rise building, so now guards are constantly on duty at the observation decks, and a metal canopy was equipped over the sidewalk to protect pedestrians.
King Kong on top of the Empire State Building. Frame from the 1933 film

How to get there

The Empire State Building skyscraper stands in the central part of Manhattan. On the subway lines N, Q, P you need to go to the station "34th Street / Herald Square". If you use terrestrial public transport, you can drive up to the skyscraper by buses M4, M10, M16 and M34.

my favorite skyscraper

Meet one of the oldest skyscrapers in the world - Empire State Building. This steel giant has already exchanged for the eighth decade. Today, the building, despite its venerable age, occupies the 10th line in the hit parade of the tallest buildings on the planet. It is noteworthy that the Empire State Building (abbreviated as ESB) remains the tallest building in New York, and until 1972, the Imperial Building held the primacy among the skyscrapers of our planet.

During the 29 years of existence of the Twin Towers of the World shopping center The Empire State Building had to be content with a second role, but the terrorist attack that occurred on September 11, as a result of which the twin towers fell, returned everything to its place - the Empire Building again became the First in New York, unwittingly winning another round in the "race" for height . It is worth noting that the Empire State Building is the second largest among all buildings in the United States and is second only to the Chicago Sears tower.

Construction of the Imperial Building, which is how it translates from English name skyscraper, began during the era of the Great Depression. In that difficult period for the country, tens of thousands of unemployed and bankrupt businessmen probably wondered why Rockefeller Jr. was investing his savings in a pompous project. However, the Empire State Building was erected in a record short time. Only 1 year and 3 months, or rather 410 days, it took the workers to give life to the 381-meter giant. The total height of the Imperial House goes beyond 400 meters. Specifically, together with the spire and antennas, it is 448.7m. Of course, these decorative elements and antennas are not included in the calculation when determining the tallest building in the world. Otherwise, the Empire State Building would still be in the top five finalists for the title of Skyscraper # 1 to this day.

In the present, the Empire State Building is the main architectural landmark of New York. The observation deck of the Imperial Building is visited by more than one million tourists a year. The observatory receives up to 10,000 visitors daily. Even in the 21st century technical condition The building remains immaculate, it still functions as the largest office center and is the place of work for over twenty thousand employees. The skyscraper is owned by W&H Properties Corporation, and the premises are rented by about 640 companies occupying more than 10,000 office rooms.

Finding the Empire State Building is quite easy, because the building is clearly visible from anywhere in New York. However, he also has an exact address - Manhattan, Fifth Avenue, which is located between West 33rd and 34th Streets.

The Americans have awarded the Imperial Building various titles such as the National Historical monument USA and Best Architectural American Solution. The Empire State Building has also been ranked among the 7 Wonders of the World. This is evidenced by a colorful panel placed in the hall at a height of three floors. This picture depicts successively all 7 wonders of the world. And the eighth picture is reserved for the ESB itself.

Construction history

As mentioned earlier, the construction of the Imperial House began during the years of the Great Depression, namely in March 1930. The building was designed by Shreve, Lam & Harmon. More than 3,400 workers were involved in the facility, and, mainly, emigrants from Europe worked at the construction site, as well as a detachment of Mohawk Indians from a reservation near Montreal. Apparently, unemployment in those days was not as bad as in the era of the real global financial crisis.

The construction of the 102-story skyscraper proceeded at an accelerated pace. Perhaps such a rush was dictated by the notorious thirst for superiority, because at the same time as the ESB, 2 more high-rise projects were under implementation - Wall Street, 40 and the Chrysler Building. Each week, the crews handed over 4.5 floors, and in the most critical periods of the high-altitude race, the builders had to work almost around the clock to move at a speed of 14 floors in 10 days. So, on May 1, 1931, all the main work on the construction of the building was completed, and festive illumination was lit on the top of the Empire State Building.

After the ESB was put into operation, the owners of the building began to better times and all because the huge office space could not be populated by tenants. The skyscraper was at one time even nicknamed the Empty State Building. Basically, the building was used as a kind of attraction - people came here from all over America and other countries of the world in order to climb the observation deck, located at a 380-meter height, and from there look at the Dream City of New York. Naturally, such excursions were paid (however, as now), but the income received from tourists did not compensate for the high costs of maintaining the building and, moreover, did not pay for the costs of its construction. As a result, the Empire State Building was sold to Rogers Stevens & Associates in the early 1950s. For owning a skyscraper was paid truly astronomical amount for that time - 51 million US dollars. The new owners took over the management of the building and est was soon profitable.

Design features and dimensions of the Empire State Building

The Empire State Building is built in the Art Deco style, which gained popularity in the 30s of the last century. Later, it was this kind of architecture - simple, austere and majestic - that would become dominant in Stalin's skyscrapers. Today it will seem strange to us how almost 100 years ago it was possible, using simple technologies and modest knowledge in engineering, to build such a giant. However, in fact, the construction of the Empire State Building was scientifically justified. The impetus in skyscraper construction was given back in 1880 by J. Bogardus, who presented his developments of strong frame metal structures made of cast iron. In addition, in the middle of the 19th century, Otis developed a passenger elevator. A few decades later, improved elevators, released by the company of the same name, will become an indispensable attribute of almost all skyscrapers in the world.

Perhaps, of all the 10 tallest skyscrapers in the world, only the Empire State Building has simple outlines. The Imperial House is the embodiment of rationalism in architecture. There is no place for pomp and pretentiousness. The dimensions of the building give it majesty, and the giant does not need artificial decorations at all. The only decorative elements of the façade are the stainless steel strips that rise up. Yes, there are still three ledges in the upper part of the building. The skyscraper is dressed in festive attire in the evenings and especially on solemn occasions (like Christmas or St. Patrick's Day), then the front multi-colored illumination is lit on the top. During the day, the Empire State Building is an example of elegance and style - a sort of powerful clerk in a gray stone suit.

The building contains 102 floors, of which 85 are occupied by offices, and the remaining 16 levels are superstructures used for technical needs. An observation deck is organized on the 86th floor, giving a 360-degree view. There is another observatory on the 102nd floor - it is smaller in size and the view from it is not as rich as we would like. According to the owners of the ESB, over 110 million people from around the world have visited observation platforms during the existence of the skyscraper.

The ESB has 2 underground floors that serve as a car park. There are also blocks of the air conditioning system and a waste processing unit. The Imperial House has low pressure steam heating. The total length of all pipes in the building is 113 km!

It is worth noting that the ESB is the first building in the world that has more than 100 floors. This scope is explained by the fact that the height of the ceilings in the building is not very high, but this circumstance does not in the least implore the skill of developers and builders. In total, the Empire State Building contains 6500 windows, the total area of ​​​​glazing is 2 hectares. 73 high-speed Otis elevators run between floors, which can carry 10,000 people at a time. The total length of the elevator shafts is already 11 km!

However, you can go upstairs, namely to the 86th floor, if you wish, and on foot. There are 1860 steps in total. However, few dare to take this path. Sometimes the Empire State Building hosts a race to the top floor. Record holders reach the finish line in 10 minutes. Yeah, physical training must be at a high level.

The Empire State Building is a rather heavy structure, because the main part of the building is made of steel and stone. The weight of the skyscraper is 331 thousand tons. To withstand such a colossus, the builders had to form a 2-level foundation with an area of ​​​​8000 square meters. and use steel structures weighing more than 54 thousand tons to support it. Due to the special arrangement of metal supports, the weight of the structure is evenly distributed, the metal supports the stone and transfers the load to a solid foundation. Thus, the main role in the stability of the ESB is given to steel beams, columns and piles. During the construction of the Empire State Building, external scaffolding was not used, which greatly reduced the cost and accelerated the construction of the building.

During the construction, more than 10 million granite and limestone bricks were used (about 5662 cubic meters of rock were used to form them) and over 700 km of electric cable for communications.

The upper part of the ESB serves not only for festive lighting of the city, but also serves as a carrier for television and radio antennas. Initially, they wanted to set up a station for mooring airships on the roof of the skyscraper, but very quickly this idea had to be abandoned, since a strong wind blows at the top of 381 meters, which prevents the landing of "heavenly sluggards". Also, airships running within the city became more and more dangerous from year to year, as dense building of skyscrapers provoked accidents. In general, the roof of the Imperial House was empty. Soon, with the development of television and radio broadcasting, an antenna device was needed on the very high point cities. And then a spire over 60 meters high was placed on the roof of the ESB, which played the role of fastening these same antennas. Today it is difficult to imagine a building without these "decorations" - the antennas fit perfectly into general concept At home and even gave it a finished look. At the top of the mast there is a special lantern that notifies aircraft of approaching an obstacle.

Interesting interior features and attractions

It has already been said above that inside the Empire State Building there is a hall that is 30 meters long and three floors high, on its walls there are colored panels depicting 8 Wonders of the World - 7 main ones and one “New”, which is the Imperial House itself. In addition, the Empire State Building has the Guinness Hall of Records - this is a kind of museum, the exposition of which tells about outstanding records in various areas of human life.

Tourists are also interested in visiting the attraction called New York Skyride. It was opened in 1994. By riding this attraction, you can get the complete illusion of an air voyage around New York. Aircraft passengers are invited to experience a truly unforgettable experience. The aircraft shakes and turns due to the storm, and the brave pilot Kevin Bacon does his best to keep his balance. AT new version of the attraction, more attention is paid to the educational and patriotic aspect, whereas earlier this carousel had a more entertaining function. The duration of the "flight" is 25 minutes.

Epilogue

The Empire State Building has a very respectable age for a skyscraper. Especially considering the fact that the building contains more than 100 floors, this giant may someday have to be dismantled, but so far the Imperial House is a worthy decoration of New York and one of the "eternal" symbols of the United States of America.

The Empire State Building is one of the most famous skyscrapers, known not only in but throughout the world. It is on a par with such famous buildings as the pyramid of Cheops and. This building was and remains a symbol of the brilliant New York. Forty years ago, the Empire State was the most tall building in the world, but still it impresses with its size. On the wall of a huge marble-decorated hall, the Empire State Building skyscraper is presented as the eighth wonder of the world.

Features Empire State Building

The 102-story Empire State Building is located on Fifth Avenue. It was built in 1931 and is the tallest skyscraper in New York.

In spite of big sizes, the skyscraper looks quite elegant: the proportions of the Empire State Building are simple and exquisite. The upper floors are built somewhat deeper in relation to the general line of the facade. The building was built in a modest but elegant Art Deco style. Stripes of stainless steel stretch upward along the gray stone façade, and upper floors arranged in three steps.

Standing on the sidewalk in front of a 102-story skyscraper, it is very difficult to see the whole building as a whole - it is so big. The dimensions of the building are really amazing: the height without the tower is 381 meters, and together with the television tower built in the 50s, it reaches a total height of 449 meters. The weight of the structure is 331 thousand tons.

Of course, it is best to move around the floors with the help of elevators, but there are eccentrics who prefer to climb the stairs to the very last floor, which has 1,860 steps. Once a year there is a competition for the fastest climb. The winner receives one million dollars.

The rest still prefer to use elevators. Office space can accommodate 15,000 people, and elevators can carry 10,000 passengers in one hour.

The Empire State is not only the center of offices, but also a real entertainment for tourists. Inside the hall, which has a length of 30 meters and a height of three floors, there is a huge panel with images of eight, one of which is the Empire State Building itself. The Guinness Hall of Records contains information about unusual records and record holders. There are observation decks on the 86th and 102nd floors, which can be reached very quickly by elevator. From here you have an amazing view of the city.

History of the Empire State Building

The Empire State Building is located at 350 Fifth Avenue, New York. This part of Manhattan is still considered very prestigious. Skyscrapers, which are enough here, only further emphasize the respectability of this area.

New York and Chicago were the first cities where the construction of high-rise buildings began. There were many reasons for this. Firstly, technical innovations have already been actively applied - lightweight building reinforcement, high-speed elevators, strip foundations, etc. Secondly, with late XIX century, the price of land was quite high, so the construction of multi-storey buildings turned out to be economically viable. But despite more low price, the location of the office in a skyscraper was and still is very prestigious. Now, to rent an office in a skyscraper, you have to pay much more than for similar apartments in an ordinary building.

The modern Empire State Building was built on the site where, since 1860, there was a center for the local aristocracy. Then there were two noble houses that belonged to members richest family Astor. Subsequently, the Waldorf and Astoria hotels were built here. These two hotels functioned in the 90s of the XIX century. Both hotels were demolished in 1929 to clear the site for the Empire State Building.

The building was erected on a two-story foundation (to make the skyscraper more stable) and supported steel structure weighing 54,400 tons. Ten million bricks and 700 kilometers of cable were spent on the construction. Construction was led by John Jacob Raskob (founder of General Motors). The project was completed by the architectural firm Shreve, Lam & Harmon.

The building was built simply with unheard of speed. A little more than a year and a half, 38 teams of builders (5 people each) assembled the frame of a skyscraper from a huge number of metal beams, which were delivered to the construction site along a specially built road. The construction was very difficult and risky: every day the workers had to balance on the narrow beams of this frame.

The skyscraper grew literally before our eyes. Approximately four and a half floors were built every week, and in the most intensive period, 14 floors were erected in 10 days. The entire building was built in 1 year and 45 days.

On May 1, 1931, the official opening of the Empire State Building took place, which received the status of the tallest building on our planet, overtaking the previous record holder - the headquarters of the Chrysler automobile corporation.

The opening of the skyscraper coincided with the great economic depression. Not many could afford to rent an office in this building. Then the building was even nicknamed the "Empty State Building" (Empty State Building). It took ten years until all the premises were finally commissioned.

At first, the creators of the skyscraper planned to build a flat roof in order to arrange a platform for airships here. But later this idea was abandoned: the site was an expensive pleasure, and the airships came out and fashion. In 1950, it was decided to build on the skyscraper: a small TV tower was installed on the roof, 447 meters high.

The name of the Empire State Building skyscraper comes from the words "building", which in English means "building" or "structure". "Empire State" (translated from English as "empire state") is the unofficial name of the state of New York.

The skyscraper quickly gained notoriety as it turned out to be very attractive for suicides. The first suicide occurred in 1933, only 3 years after the discovery. In the same year, the film "King Kong" was released, and the image of this building was firmly connected in the minds of millions of viewers with a huge monster climbing the walls of a skyscraper. To top it all off, in 1945, due to poor visibility, a plane crashed into the 79th floor. 14 people were killed, and the damage amounted to one million dollars. Then they began to say that the Empire State Building skyscraper was almost a diabolical invention. True, successful businessmen called all this nonsense and continued to fight for the right to rent an office in the most respectable building in Manhattan.

In 1986, the Empire State Building was given National Landmark status. More than 35,000 tourists visit it every year, not counting the fact that more than 50,000 people work in the building itself.

For more than a decade, the Empire State Building has been considered a symbol of New York and the entire American state.

A few years ago, the Empire State Building was tallest skyscraper New York, and although buildings have since appeared that surpass it in size, this place has remained one of the significant centers of tourism. Every day, thousands of people go up to the observation deck to take a look at Manhattan from all sides. The history of the city is closely connected with this building, so each resident is able to tell a lot interesting information about a building with a spire.

Stages of construction of the Empire State Building

The project to create a new office building appeared in 1929. The main architectural idea belonged to William Lamb, although similar motifs have already been used in the construction of other structures. In particular, in North Carolina and Ohio, you can find buildings that were actually prototypes for the future large-scale construction of New York.

In the winter of 1930, workers began cultivating the land at the site of the future high-rise building, and the construction itself began on March 17. In total, about 3.5 thousand people were involved, while the builders for the most part were either emigrants or representatives of the indigenous population.

The work on the project was carried out during the construction period of the city, so the tension from the pressing deadlines was felt on the site. Simultaneously with the Empire State Building, the Chrysler building and a skyscraper on Wall Street were being built, while each owner wanted his project to be the most advantageous in comparison with competitors.

As a result, the Empire State Building turned out to be the highest, maintaining its status for another 39 years. Such success was achieved due to well-coordinated work at the construction site. According to average estimates, about four floors were erected weekly. There was even a period when the workers managed to lay out fourteen floors in ten days.

In total, the construction of one of the most famous skyscrapers in the world took 410 days. The right to start lighting the new office center was transferred to the then president, who declared the Empire State Building open on May 1, 1931.

American skyscraper architecture

The height of the building, together with the spire, is 443.2 meters, and its width is 140 meters. The main style, as conceived by the architect, was Art Deco, but the facade has classical elements in the design. In total, the Empire State Building has 103 floors, while the top 16 are a superstructure with two observation decks. The area of ​​the premises exceeds 208 thousand square meters. Many are interested in how many bricks it took to build such a structure, and although no one individually counted their number, it is known that it took about 10 million building units.

The roof is made in the form of a spire, as planned, it was supposed to be a stopping point for airships. When the highest skyscraper at that time was built, they decided to check the possibility of using the top for its intended purpose, but due to strong winds the desired was not achieved. As a result, in the middle of the 20th century, the airship terminal was converted into a television tower.

Inside, you should pay attention to the decoration of the main foyer. Its width is 30 meters, and its height is commensurate with three floors. Marble slabs add stateliness to the room, and pictures with the seven wonders of the world are bright decor elements. The eighth image is a sketch of the Empire State Building itself, which is also identified with world-famous buildings.

Of particular interest is the illumination of the tower, which is constantly changing. There is a special set of colors applied to different days weeks, as well as their combination for national holidays. Each significant event for a city, country or world is colored in symbolic shades. So, for example, the day of Frank Sinatra's death was indicated in blue tones because of the popular nickname in honor of the color of his eyes, and on the anniversary of the birth of the British Queen, the scale from the heraldry of the Windsors was used.

Historical events associated with the tower

Despite the importance of the office center, it did not immediately become popular. From the moment the Empire State Building was built, an unstable economic situation reigned in the United States, so most companies in the country could not afford to occupy all the office space. For about a decade, the building was considered unprofitable. It was only with the change of ownership in 1951 that the office center began to make a profit.

There are mourning dates in the history of the skyscraper, in particular, during the war years, a bomber flew into the building. 1945 July 28 was devastating as the plane crashed between the 79th and 80th floors. The blow broke through the building, one of the elevators fell from a great height, while Betty Lou Oliver, who was in it, remained alive and was among the world record holders for this. 14 people died as a result of this incident, but the work of the offices did not stop there.

Because of its fame and huge height, the Empire State Building is quite popular with those who want to end their lives. It is for this reason that the construction of observation platforms was additionally reinforced with fences. Since the opening of the tower, there have been more than thirty suicides. True, sometimes misfortunes can be prevented, and sometimes chance decides to do its bit. This happened to Elvita Adams, who jumped from the 86th floor, but thanks to strong wind was abandoned on the 85th floor, escaping with only a fracture.

Tower in culture and sports

Residents of the United States of America love the Empire State Building, so often episodes with a skyscraper appear in box office films. most famous scene for the world community is King Kong, hanging from a spire and waving off the planes hovering around. The rest of the pictures can be found on the official website, where there is a list of films with unforgettable views of the New York tower.

The building is a platform for unusual competitions in which everyone is allowed to participate. It is necessary to overcome all the steps to the 86th floor for a while. The most successful winner completed the task in 9 minutes 33 seconds, and in fact for this he had to climb 1576 steps. It also conducts tests for firefighters and police officers, but they fulfill the conditions in full gear.

Many do not know why the tower received such an unusual name, which has "imperial" roots. In fact, the reason lies in the use of this epithet in relation to the state of New York. In fact, the name means "Building of the Imperial State", which in translation sounds ordinary for the inhabitants of this area.

An interesting play on words that appeared during the Great Depression. Then, instead of Empire, the word Empty was more often used, which was close in sound, but meant that the building was empty. In those years, office space was very difficult to rent out, so the owners of the skyscraper suffered significant losses.

Useful information for tourists

Tourists in New York certainly think about how to get to the Empire State Building. Skyscraper address: Manhattan, Fifth Avenue, 350. Visitors will have to stand in a long line, as many people want to climb the observation decks.

It is allowed to look at the view of the city from a height of 86 and 102 floors. Elevators rise to both levels, but the price of this changes slightly. It is forbidden to shoot video in the lobby, but on the observation deck you can beautiful photos with a view of Manhattan.

Also on the second floor there is an attraction with a video tour where you can learn more about the surroundings of the city. If you are lucky, you will meet King Kong at the entrance to the observation deck, which is rightfully considered a symbol of this place.

Skyscrapers are something without which New York wouldn't be New York. Today it is impossible to imagine appearance and the life of the metropolis without these giants of concrete, glass and iron. It seems that they have always been here, however, their era only began in 1889, when the first New York skyscraper was built. In subsequent years, a stormy race for height began, which reached its climax by 1930, when three skyscrapers of extraordinary height were built at the same time. Trump Building (Trump Building) - then known as the Bank of Manhattan Trust building and the Chrysler Building (Chrysler Building) in turn reached record levels. But less than a year later (May 1, 1931), the official opening of the Empire State Building took place, which for more than 40 years has become not only the tallest building in New York, but throughout the globe.

According to legend, when Henry Hudson swam up the Hudson River, he was so struck by the beauty and grandeur of the area that he said, "This is the new empire." The state of New York eventually earned the nickname "The Empire State" (The Empire State), so the name of the skyscraper Empire State Building is directly related to New York.

The Empire State Building is the first building in the world to have over 100 floors. In total, this legendary skyscraper has 102 floors. The basement, where the lobby is located, has a height of 5 floors, which is natural, given the size of the building. The skyscraper tower itself rises to the 86th floor and has a classic wedding cake shape with rectangular ledges. The upper floors “shrink” after certain distances and have a smaller area than the lower ones. This design allows much less shadowing of the streets and neighboring buildings.

From the 86th floor, an art deco superstructure begins, ending with an observation deck located on the 102nd floor. At the top of the skyscraper is a spire, originally intended for the mooring of airships. However, after a couple of practical attempts to moor to the spire, this idea had to be abandoned due to powerful ascending air currents. Today, telecommunications equipment is installed on the spire of the skyscraper, which is actively used today. More than 7 million households in the region receive radio and television signals from the Empire State antennas.

The height of the Empire State Building to the roof is 381 meters, the height to the top of the spire is 443 meters. To get to the upper floors, 73 elevators or a staircase with 1860 steps are at your service. Since 1978, the popular race up to the 86th floor (1576 steps) has been held annually, the record has been held since 2003 and is 9 minutes 33 seconds.

There are observation decks on the 86th and 102nd floors of the Empire State. No need to explain how popular they are, in order to get to them you need to stand in line and push around during the hours of the influx of tourists. The area on the 86th floor is larger than the one above. It offers a 360-degree panoramic view of New York. Prices for visiting review sites start at $23.

In the evening hours, the top of the Empire State is illuminated thanks to a system of multi-colored lighting. Lighting colors are known in advance. Usually they are timed to coincide with some kind of holidays, events, sports or cultural city events.