Along with the Statue of Liberty, The Empire State Building is New York's most famous landmark. The 381 m tall, 102-storey building was the tallest in the world until the 1 World Trade Center tower rose higher 41 years later. Topped with a mooring mast for airships, the Empire State Building immediately became a landmark and a symbol for NYC when it opened in 1931. There are actually two observatories atop the Empire State Building. The 86th Floor Observatory (1,050 feet) is reached by high speed, automatic elevators, and has both a glass-enclosed area, which is heated in winter and cooled in summer, and spacious outdoor promenades on all four sides of the Building. The 102nd Floor Observatory stands 1,250 feet above the bustling streets below. On clear days visitors can see for distances up to 80 miles, looking into the neighboring states of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Massachusetts, as well as New York.
