Busy, Crowded and Views are nothing compared to the WTC
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
The Empire State Building almost certainly produces a mental image of New York for you. Dependent on what movies you've watched, you may have variously seen it with a giant ape ascending the summit; smashed to pieces by a giant lizard; the rendezvous for a romantic couple; or even submerged by a tidal wave...
Since its completion in 1931, this building has dominated the skyline of Manhattan and provided a focus for tourists and locals alike. One of the best known man-made structures in the world, around 4,000,000 visitors every year make the trip to climb its art deco tower.
Standing at 433 metres, it has long since been overtaken in the height stakes, however for many remains unchallenged as *the* landmark to visit on a trip to New York. The fact that my kids and I would far rather spend the time and money on a trip to the top of the World Trade Center puts us in somewhat of a minority. The views from here *are* great, but the views from the World Trade Center are utterly breathtaking!
The Empire State Building stands on 34th St, right in the middle of the island of Manhattan, giving views across the whole of the island and beyond. To the South you will see the famous flatiron building, woolworth building and the awesome twin towers of the World Trade Center,not to mention the Statue of Liberty herself. Turning slightly to the left are the Brooklyn and Verrazano bridges in the distance.
Turning North rewards you with views of the shimmering spire of the beautiful glass Chrysler building, which has to be the most stunningly artistic skyscraper ever built (it meets a shattering end in "Godzilla"!)You can also see Central Park and beyond the Yankee Stadium (worth getting tickets for a game just for the cultural experience!)you can catch glimpses of Connecticut and Massachussetts on a clear day.
East and West offer views across the East and Hudson Rivers to the UN building, Long Island and Queens on the one side, and Madison Square Garden, New Jersey and Pennsylvania on the other.
There are 2 observatory floors, although the higher one (102nd) was not open when we visited. The 86th floor has a very crowded and not very exciting gift shop (best one we found was in the Statue of Liberty) a snack bar, and toilets. It's probably worth taking change to use the binoculars on the observation deck to zoom into sights you'd like to have a closer look at, but I'd pass on the rather tedious simulator ride which costs extra.
Practical info out of the way, here are some facts you may find interesting.
* Construction took a year and 45 days and cost $41 million
* It is built from Indiana Limestone and granite and trimmed with mullions of stainless steel.
* The art deco lobby incorporates rare European marble into the Art Deco design. In one case it required the removal of an entire quarry to ensure consistency of colour and grain.
* Restoration cost $67 million, which was a whole $26 million more than the original cost
Final Comments? It's teribly busy, crowded, and you'll end up queueing. It probably is a must-see for most, but to be honest, I prefer the views *of* it than *from* it, and it's lit at night and is well worth seeing then. It's also open every night until 11.30pm so seeing the views of Manhattan illuminated is something worth considering doing.
PS If you go, enjoy it, but don't forget to visit the World Trade Center for the most stunning views you're ever likely to have!
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