The Empire State Building in New York City is one of the best-known skyscrapers in the world. Standing at 102 stories tall, the building was completed in 1931, one year and 45 days after construction began.
The massive structure required enormous amounts of building materials, including 57,000 tons of steel and 10 million bricks. At peak times, as many as 3,400 workers were involved in the construction.
Now housing offices and two observation decks (on the 86th and 102nd floors), the building is a popular tourist destination, attracting up to four million visitors each year.
From the top of the building, visitors enjoy an impressive vista (see definition below) of other skyscrapers. On a clear day, the view has been estimated to extend up to 80 miles and include nearby states of New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania.
Now, that’s quite a view!
Cool word vocabulary question of the day: Can you think of a vista in or around your hometown?
VISTA: A pleasing distant view, often through a narrow opening.
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