Empire State Building at a Glance

How tall is the Empire State Building?

It depends on how you measure it!

At its top floor, the Empire State Building stands 1,250 feet (380 meters) tall. Counting the spire and antenna, the building clocks in at a mighty 1,454 feet (443 meters). It’s currently the 4th tallest building in New York City, the 6th tallest in the United States, and the 43rd tallest tower in the world.

ESB Day Shot

How many steps does the Empire State Building have?

The Empire State Building has 103 floors, with 1,860 steps from street level to the 102nd floor observation deck. That’s serious work! Thankfully, the Empire State Building houses a whopping 73 Otis elevators, so you’ll be able to get to the top and enjoy the views without breaking a sweat. Every year we host the Empire State Building Annual Run Up, one of the world’s most famous tower races, where competitors make the climb on foot! 

A Piece of History

Of the top five tallest buildings in New York City, the Empire State Building is by far the oldest. Construction of the building began in 1930 and, after an incredible 13 months (just 410 days), was completed in 1931.

ESB Construction
The World’s Most Photographed Building

In 2011, Cornell University researchers analyzed millions of photos and concluded that the Empire State Building is the most photographed building in the world. Log into our free, high-speed Wi-Fi and tag your shots with #EmpireStateBuilding and #ESBFan to share your ESB moment!

Empire STate Building in NYC
Welcoming NYC’s Visitors

Each year, we host more than 4 million visitors to the Empire State Building from practically every region of the globe. You never know who you’ll meet at the top!

Visitors Enter Empire State Observatory
Uber’s Top Destination

Ride-sharing app Uber crunched the numbers to find out their users’ most popular destination in 2018 – and guess what they found? The Empire State Building was the #1 most popular destination among Uber’s 75+ million riders!

Celebrities image
Truly Striking

The Empire State Building’s antenna is hit by lightning an average of 25 times a year, making for some incredible photo opportunities.

lightening strikes esb

More Facts for visitors

A City Within the City

Many businesses call the Empire State Building home, including LinkedIn, Shutterstock, and JCDecaux North America. With over 2.8 million rentable square feet, the building has its very own ZIP code: 10118.

Wave to the Neighbors

Just how great is our view? On a clear day, you can see six states from our observatories: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Delaware.

Grand from The Ground Up

We’re more than just a view! When you visit the Empire State Building, make sure to explore our beautiful art deco lobby — it’s one of the few interiors in New York to be designated a historic landmark by the Landmarks Preservation Commission.

Visit The Heart of NYC

It’s New York’s can’t-miss experience. Book your ticket to the top today.