Skyscrapers in New York You Have to See

There's no question that New York's skyscrapers are one of the city's defining trademarks: they're the buildings that draw its famous skyline and light up NYC's nights.

Here I'll tell you how many skyscrapers there are in New York, which was the first skyscraper in New York, which is the tallest building, where they are, and which ones have observation decks where you can be blown away by the views of this magnificent metropolis.

But I'll also talk about historic Manhattan buildings that were once the tallest but aren't anymore. Classic buildings that speak of other eras and that you always see in movies and shows filmed in NYC.

Skyscrapers with observation decks

With so many buildings in New York, only a handful are actually skyscrapers with observation decks you can visit.

The good news is that the last few years have brought a couple of new observation decks, so there are new photos to take 📸:

🏙️ Summit: this is Manhattan's most modern observation deck, on the top floors of One Vanderbilt, a skyscraper built next to Grand Central Terminal.

🏙️ Edge: another observation deck that opened just a few years ago, in Manhattan's new Hudson Yards neighborhood.

👀 One World Observatory: the observation deck of New York's tallest skyscraper, built on the site once occupied by the Twin Towers.

👀 Empire State Observatory: going up to the observation deck of New York's most iconic building is a must 🫡.

🏙️ Top of the Rock is the name of the observation deck at Rockefeller Center, right in the heart of Manhattan. I'll confess it's my favorite.

Art Deco style

When you step into the skyscraper elevators and ride up an enormous number of floors in under a minute, think about the fact that this was the technology that made building skyscrapers possible. Along with steelwork, reinforced concrete and glass, of course.

Also take a look at the beautiful details in the skyscraper lobbies. The Empire State's still has its original lamps, moldings, floor details, staircases and elevator floor indicators. In short, a refined example of Art Deco decoration that was all the rage back then.

And this Art Deco ornamentation, so characteristic of the golden age of skyscraper construction, is also visible on the exteriors of classic buildings like the Chrysler Building. Its crown and streamlined gargoyles are other prime examples of the Art Deco aesthetic.

If this design movement piques your curiosity, watch Fritz Lang‘s Metropolis (1927). Its sets get the idea across perfectly.

In fact, the Austrian director shaped the idea for his metropolis after a trip to New York in 1924, a city that inspired the film's futuristic, neo-Gothic aura.

New York's First Skyscraper

New York's first skyscrapers date back to the end of the 19th century, when they were the tallest buildings in the city. You'll find more details and information about each building in the links:

• Park Row Building (1899), 30 floors
• Flatiron Building (1902), the first skyscraper of the 20th century at 87 meters tall.
• Woolworth Building (1913), the tallest building in the world until 1930
• Empire State Building (1931) was the tallest building in NY until the Twin Towers took the title in 1972
• United Nations Building (1951) stands out not for its height but for its architectural and geopolitical importance

How many skyscrapers are there in New York?

In New York there are more than 50 buildings that top 200 meters in height, plus about a hundred over 150 meters. Many of them were built recently.

Below is the list of the 10 tallest skyscrapers in New York. Click on them for more details:

1. One World Trade Center: 541 meters, 102 floors. 2014 (you can visit its One World Observatory)
2. Central Park Tower: 472 meters, 98 floors. 2020 (it's the tallest residential building in the world, on the so-called Billionaires' Row)
3. 111 West 57th St. 435 meters, 84 floors. 2020
4. One Vanderbilt. 427 meters, 58 floors. 2020 (you can visit its Summit observatory)
5. 432 Park Avenue: 436 meters, 89 floors. 2015
6. 30 Hudson Yards: 387 meters, 73 floors. 2019 (you can go up to Edge, NYC's highest open-air observation deck)
7. Empire State Building: 381 meters, 102 floors. 1931
8. Bank of America Tower: 366 meters, 55 floors. 2009
9. 3 World Trade Center. 329 meters, 69 floors. 2018
10. 53 West 53rd. 320 meters, 77 floors. 2019

This race to be the tallest building is fast-moving and always changing. For more precision, the Wikipedia ranking keeps the record up to date.

Classic Manhattan skyscrapers

There are other New York buildings that once topped the tallest list but were long ago surpassed in height. Even so, they still stand out for their architecture on the skyline of Manhattan and the other boroughs.

Among the standouts:

1. Chrysler Building: 319 meters, 77 floors. 1930
2. The New York Times Building: 319 meters, 52 floors. 2007
3. 40 Wall Street (Trump Building): 283 meters, 70 floors. 1930
4. Rockefeller Center: 259 meters, 70 floors. 1933
5. Condé Nast Building: 247 meters, 48 floors. 1999
6. MetLife Building: 246 meters, 59 floors. 1963

Word is that famous contemporary architects like Calatrava (don't miss his Oculus at the WTC), Gehry and Foster will soon make their contributions to the New York skyline.

The skyscraper war isn't over yet…

New York's Billionaires' Row

New York's Billionaires' Row is the name given to the cluster of luxury residential skyscrapers grouped just south of Central Park, specifically along 57th Street.

Several of these buildings rank among the 10 tallest skyscrapers in New York, like Central Park Tower and 432 Park Avenue, which also stands out for its razor-thin structure. They're also among the most expensive homes in the world.

Plenty of controversy has surrounded these buildings, since they're associated with money laundering, shell companies, and Chinese and Middle Eastern billionaires.

The truth is that this boom in luxury skyscrapers competing for the best view of Central Park has modernized the skyline of Midtown Manhattan.

What counts as a skyscraper?

A skyscraper is a tall building. We all know that. But did you know that to qualify as a skyscraper, a building just has to stand out from its surroundings? In other words, a skyscraper in another country might be nothing more than a small apartment complex here in New York.

The Skyscraper Wars

The reason skyscrapers exist is simple: squeezing the most economic value out of scarce land. That makes sense in dense urban areas with limited space, like the island of Manhattan.

But in New York, that wasn't the main driver of the famous skyscraper war of the first half of the 20th century. The real motive was far more emotional and iconic: advertising.

Whichever company held the title of «tallest building in the city» would symbolically be the most powerful. That organization's steel-clad solidity would carry far and wide, theoretically bringing both image and financial rewards.

The boom moved fast, especially in New York, where the art of the skyscraper was perfected. The result is right there in front of you: magnificent structures that bear witness to human ambition mixed with steel and good engineering.

With the construction of the luxury skyscrapers along 57th Street, this battle for height is going another round.

The Skyscraper Museum in New York

If you want to dig deeper into this rich architecture, the Skyscraper Museum is worth a visit, especially if you're an architect or engineer.

You'll enjoy every inch of this exhibit devoted to the history and construction of the buildings that made New York famous.

Another way to take in these titans of steel and concrete is from a helicopter tour. Flying around Manhattan is a once-in-a-lifetime thing. Treat yourself 🚁.