There are 10 million bricks in the Empire State Building!

Did you know that there are 10 million bricks in the Empire State Building?

                

                      The beautiful skyline of New York City with the Empire State Building in the background

Some more interesting Empire State Building trivia facts:

• The Empire State Building's official opening took place 86 years ago on April 11, 1931. with a cost about $41 million dollars.

• In a 2011 research study at Cornell University, researchers have examined millions of photographs and came to the conclusion that the Empire State Building was the most photographed building in the world.

• On July 28, 1945, an Army B-25 bomber crashed into the 78th and 79th floors of the Empire State Building.  11 people in the building as well as the pilot and 2 of the crew mates have perished in the disaster. Heavy fog had disoriented the pilot while he was trying to land at LaGuardia Airport; he ended up in Midtown Manhattan and crashed into the Empire State Building at 200 miles per hour!

• To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the iconic 1933 movie, King Kong, a balloon company in 1983 had inflated a 84-foot King Kong replica and had it attached to the Empire State Building's mooring mast.  The giant $150,000 King Kong balloon developed a hole while being inflated, but after being repaired, it soon had another hole.  The whole project was cancelled.

• Since static electricity can surround people at great heights, couples who kiss at the top of the Empire State Building under certain weather conditions can experience a slight electrical shock.

• 5 states can be viewed from the Empire State Building's observatory decks on a clear day: Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania.

• To add a touch of ambiance to the 86th floor Empire State Building Observatory experience, a professional saxophonist plays romantic music.

• Since the Empire State Building houses many businesses, it has its own zip code, 10118.

• The Empire State Building's 102nd Observatory deck was originally designed as a mooring docking station for inflatable dirigibles.

• The Empire State Building was once viewed as one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World by the American Society of Civil Engineers.

• In comparison to the world's tallest skyscrapers, the Empire State Building ranks 34th; is 1,454 feet in height (or 443.2 meters) and weighs 365,000 tons!

• One of the most classic films that depicts the NYC Empire State building is the 1933 film, King Kong, in which a giant ape scales the tall skyscraper to flee from his captors.

• Elevators connect to the viewing observatories on the 86th and 102nd floors.; 1,860 steps lead to the 102nd floor.

Personal thoughts/reflections:

My favorite nighttime sight is the tiny orange light emanating from the Statue of Liberty's torch in the distance.