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Built during the Depression, the Empire State Building, a 102-story landmark and New York City's tallest building, is now thoroughly entrenched in New York City's history and psyche.

The Empire State Building, an Art Deco skyscraper, was designed by the architectural firm Shreve, Lamb and Harmon. The building's construction was part of an intense competition in New York City to claim the title "world's tallest building, " and in 1931 the Empire State Building surpassed both 40 Wall Street and the Chrysler Building to become the world's tallest skyscraper, a fame it maintained until the completion of the World Trade Center in 1972.

The building's distinctive spire was originally intended for use as a dirigible mooring mast, but wind conditions at the spire proved too dangerous for the aircraft. The now-famous floodlights that color the top of the building in the evening were added in 1964. The colors are often chosen to represent seasonal holidays and other events.