The Empire State Building is Steeped in History

The Empire State Building is one of the most famous and iconic buildings in the world and a reason to book a luxury hotel in New York City so that you can view it in style. Inside the right hotel, if you do not have a direct view of this amazing building, you can still have a comfortable and spacious room, top-class restaurant, top-of-the-range spa and gym, personal laundry service, and perhaps even free wi-fi.

Not to get distracted too much by our hotel, this article will look to explore some of the history connected to the iconic building known as the empire state building. This is a building that has been featured in many famous movies. It is a director’s dream to have this world-famous building as part of the backdrop of their film.

Origins

Completed in 1931, the Empire State Building was the tallest in the world for more than 40 years. It measures 1,454 feet (443 meters) to the tip of its antenna. But its history stretches back much further than that. Here are some of the highlights:

Designer

The Empire State Building was designed by William F. Lamb from the architectural firm Shreve, Lamb, and Harmon. The building was originally called the John Hancock Center, but this was changed to the Empire State Building after the Empire State of New York agreed to lease a large amount of space in the building.

When Did Construction Begin?

Construction started on March 17, 1930, and amazingly, the entire building was completed in just over a year on May 1, 1931. This was due to the use of prefabricated materials and an army of workers who labored round the clock. In total, around 3,400 people worked on construction at the height of the project.

The Empire State Building Cost

The Empire State Building cost around $40 million to build, the equivalent of around $600 million today. This made it the most expensive building at the time of its completion.

How Many Stories Does It Have?

The Empire State Building has 102 stories, although it was originally designed to have 106. The decision to reduce the number of stories was made during construction due to the effects of the Great Depression.

Did You Know?

  • The Empire State Building has its zip code: 10118.
  • There are 73 elevators in the Empire State Building.
  • The Empire State Building has been used as a filming location for over 250 movies, including King Kong and An Affair to Remember.
  • A lightning strike on the Empire State Building in July 1945 started a fire that killed 14 people.

Many will want to visit the buildings that they see in the movies, or on the news. The chance to get up close and personal and to experience the vastness for yourself is a sight to behold and something of an experience of a lifetime. Then to know that there is all that history attached to the building is the icing on the cake. We can either research the Empire State Building before we go on our trip or when we return home. It will have great educational interest for our children.

The great thing about seeing buildings like this is that we can photograph them and have our photograph or digital image to show others. Not just of the building itself but us standing by it and looking tiny in comparison. America does have its large structures. Everything is on a massive scale here and an awesome experience to see. Visiting the Empire State Building is a reason to buy a camera rather than just rely on our phones for photography. We will want a proper shot of this magnificent construction from history to have that permanent reminder. Particularly if our children might be too young to remember or it starred in our favorite movie.

The Empire State Building is one of the most famous and iconic buildings in the world and a reason to book a luxury hotel in New York City so that you can view it in style.