This Thursday, October 7, France 5 takes us to New York to discover the Statue of Liberty but also one of its most famous buildings, the Empire State Building, of which we will reveal some secrets.
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The Sky Line of New York is one of the most famous and iconic in the world. It obviously owes its notoriety to the multitude of skyscrapers that adorn the landscape. This Thursday, October 7, France 5 through “The Empire State Building, a technological challenge“invites us to discover how this building located on Fifth Avenue was able to rise from the ground at a time when materials and techniques were much less modern than today. But in fact, do we know everything about this building? on the essential things to know about him.
1 / A record
Yes its construction was a real record. If at the beginning of 1930, the excavation work on the chosen site began, the first stone was not really laid until September 17 of that same year. To end very officially on May 1, 1931. It will therefore have taken 410 days (holidays and public holidays included) to raise it to the sky.
2 / A code just for him
The Empire State has its own postal code in the new york city. Also if you send a letter there, you will have to write on your letter, the numbers: 10118. The reason? Numerous headquarters of very large American companies are within the walls of this building. But this is not the only building in New York to have this particularity since 40 other buildings are in the same case.
3 / Inflated
Initially, the spire was not at the very top of the Empire State Building, it was added in the mid-1930s. And many people no longer imagine that it could also serve as a mooring mast for airships. But alas, only one has attempted the adventure. If he was able to hang on to the building, on the other hand, he only stayed three short minutes without getting off passengers. Today we know that mooring was an extremely perilous business as the force of the winds is incredible up there!
4 / Courage
You need to walk up to the 102nd floor because the Empire State has 1872 steps. Or you can also take one of its 70 elevators! Since 1978, a staircase race has been organized there. The fastest ascent record belongs to an Australian who took just 9 minutes to climb them …
5 / A lighthouse in the night
Since the mid-1980s, the building has been equipped with more than 220 fluorescent tubes which provide lighting. The New Yorker use it during important events: like July 4 (the American national holiday) where the empire is adorned with blue, white and red (colors of the flag). But also for our July 14!
6 / Nothing to do the monkey
The skyscraper first appeared in theaters in 1933 in King Kong and will appear in the various modern versions of the film. Except in 1976, when Kong climbed one of the twin towers of the World Trade Center.
7 / Indian Goods
The Empire State Building is made up of 220,000 limestone blocks. The latter come exclusively from quarries in the state of Indiana.
8 / Long live the newlyweds!
On the 86th floor is the most beautiful observation deck which since April 1932 has also served as an altar where to get married. The first couple who got together there chose the place because it was the “closest to paradise they could find”. Today, weddings are allowed but only on the day of the wedding. Valentine’s Day!
9/ Keep the secret secret
The building has 102 floors? Well no, there is an additional one. This last floor reserved for VIPs and accessible by the ceiling of the 102nd. The 360 ° view is spectacular!
10 / Ooh the thief!
There is an original Empire State Building. Smaller and located at 640 Broadway, it was built in 1897 and only has … 9 floors!
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