Empire State Building
The Empire State Building is arguably one of the most famous 'skyscrapers' in the world. The 381m high building rises spectacularly out of the borough of Manhattan and is named after the nickname of its home state, New York.
It was built during the Great Depression and was the centre of a rivalry to see who could build the tallest building. Having eclipsed the Chrysler Building, the Empire State Building remained the world's tallest building until 1972, when it was overtaken by the North Tower of the World Trade Center.
The building was designed as a steel-framed structure enabling it to be built taller and quicker. It was one of the first to use pre-fabricated sections which were put together off-site and then lifted directly into position allowing construction to progress at a rapid rate. It was the first building to have over 100 floors and its base covers such a large area (about 2 acres) that it has its own postal code.
After the September 11 attacks in 2001, the Empire State Building once again became the tallest building in New York City, and the second tallest in the USA. Since its completion in 1931 popular culture has helped to immortalise this skyscraper, with its appearance in the film King Kong(1933) being one of the most memorable.
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