Empire State Building and the Art Deco skyline of New York City
Published on 09/19/2026 at 09:37 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Empire State Building is a 1931 Art Deco skyscraper in Midtown Manhattan, on Fifth Avenue in New York City. Designed by Shreve, Lamb & Harmon, it rises as a steel-framed tower with a limestone exterior and a distinctive stepped profile.1931 Art Deco skyscraper
Shreve, Lamb & Harmon and a steel frame in limestone
The building’s form belongs to the late Art Deco period, with setbacks that break the mass into a tiered skyline shape. Its 102 storeys and 443.2 m (1,454 ft) total height give the tower a vertical profile that remains visible from a long stretch of Manhattan.102 storeys
Shreve, Lamb & Harmon were the architects, and William F. Lamb is the name most closely associated with the tower’s design. The building opened on 1 May 1931, and its steel structure sits behind façades that combine limestone with other exterior materials.opened on 1 May 1931
Height, setback and the antenna line
The tower reaches 381 m (1,250 ft) to the roof and 443.2 m (1,454 ft) including the antenna. That difference gives the building a double reading: a massed office tower below and a slender terminal line above.443.2 m (1,454 ft)
Its large pinnacle was originally planned as a mooring mast, and that element still shapes the silhouette. The exterior reads as vertical bands and repeated windows rather than ornament for its own sake, with the Art Deco emphasis falling on proportion and rhythm.originally planned as a mooring mast
A New York landmark with a second architectural life
Empire State Building is a commercial office tower, but its public image also rests on its role as a civic landmark. The building has been designated a New York City Landmark and a National Historic Landmark, which places it among the city’s protected skyscrapers.New York City Landmark
The tower’s long outline, dense mass and metallic crown make it an architectural marker rather than a merely functional office block. It belongs to the history of Manhattan’s vertical expansion and remains tied to the most recognisable line of the Midtown skyline.Midtown skyline
Visiting Empire State Building: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- It stands at 350 Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, between 33rd and 34th Streets. Penn Station and Herald Square are the nearest major transport references.
- The building’s vertical mass is the main feature from street level. Setbacks, a narrow tower and the antenna give it a layered outline rather than a single block form.
- The official language is English and the currency is the US dollar.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Frequently asked questions about Empire State Building
Where is Empire State Building?
It stands on Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, in New York City. The building sits between 33rd and 34th Streets.
What should a visit reveal?
A visit brings the tower’s stepped mass, limestone cladding and antenna into close view. The building reads as both an office tower and a skyline marker.
What makes Empire State Building distinctive?
Its 1931 Art Deco design, 102 storeys and 443.2 m (1,454 ft) total height define it. The antenna line and setback profile make the silhouette unmistakable.
