How the Empire State Building proclaimed New York City's power
The Empire State Building, an Art Deco masterpiece and a New York City landmark.
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
-
Contunico © ZDF Studios GmbH, MainzOverview of Prague.
-
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.The Nile River has been important to the development of North Africa.
-
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.Media Editor: Lee Goldstein
-
Great Museums Television (A Britannica Publishing Partner)Discussion of the High Line park in New York City and scenes from the groundbreaking ceremony for its third section in September 2012.
-
Contunico © ZDF Studios GmbH, Mainz; Thumbnail © Songquan Deng/Dreamstime.comOverview of New York City.
-
EarthCam (A Britannica Publishing Partner)Watch a time-lapse video of the construction of the towering One World Trade Center building in New York City.
-
Checkerboard Film Foundation (A Britannica Publishing Partner)Excerpt from the documentary Diller Scofidio + Renfro: Reimagining Lincoln Center and the High Line (2012), in which architect Ricardo Scofidio discusses the inspiration and development of the design for the High Line in New York City.
News •
A Georgia O'Keeffe painting was buried in a New York apartment closet. It is going up for auction
• Nov. 15, 2026, 6:02 AM ET (AP)
Appeals court says US wrongly withheld highway funds to NY over immigrant licenses
• Nov. 14, 2026, 5:00 AM ET (AP)
Glenn Gawdin scores his first 2 NHL goals in the Rangers' 5-1 victory over the Canucks
• Nov. 13, 2026, 11:56 PM ET (AP)
Brooklyn building collapse raises questions about city oversight and safety precautions
• Nov. 13, 2026, 6:11 PM ET (AP)
Who is Chris Van Hollen, the senator challenging Chuck Schumer to be majority leader?
• Nov. 13, 2026, 12:17 PM ET (AP)
Transcript
[Music in]
NARRATOR: As New York rose in world influence, the city found ways to consciously proclaim its power to the planet. One of the first and best examples is the Empire State Building, built in the early 1930s. The building's construction put many men to work in the depths of the Great Depression and helped sustain New York's economy at a critical time.
The structure exemplifies Art Deco architecture. Simple and geometric streamlined shapes grace the structure inside and out. But what set the structure apart was its height. When completed, it was the tallest office building in the world, a status that remained unchallenged through much of the 20th century. Art Deco lines in the building reinforced its vertical feeling.
[Music out]
NARRATOR: As New York rose in world influence, the city found ways to consciously proclaim its power to the planet. One of the first and best examples is the Empire State Building, built in the early 1930s. The building's construction put many men to work in the depths of the Great Depression and helped sustain New York's economy at a critical time.
The structure exemplifies Art Deco architecture. Simple and geometric streamlined shapes grace the structure inside and out. But what set the structure apart was its height. When completed, it was the tallest office building in the world, a status that remained unchallenged through much of the 20th century. Art Deco lines in the building reinforced its vertical feeling.
[Music out]
Last Modification: