It may no longer be the world's tallest building (it currently ranks seventh), but it's certainly one of the best-known skyscrapers, its pencil-slim silhouette a symbol for New York City and, perhaps, the 20th century. The skyscraper craze of the 1920s generated a slew of buildings in Manhattan, each outstretching the next in the quest to claim the title of world's tallest building. Developer John Jacob Raskob was no different, asking architect William Lamb, "Bill, how high can you make it so it won't fall down?" The art deco behemoth opened on May 1, 1931, after a mere 13 months of construction; the framework rose at a rate of 4½ stories per week, making the Empire State Building the fastest-rising skyscraper ever built. Many floors were left completely unfinished, however, so tenants could have them custom-designed. But the Great Depression meant most of the building remained empty, causing critics to deem it the "Empty State Building." The crowning spire was originally designed to dock dirigibles -- another example of the period's soaring ambition -- but after two failed attempts, the idea was set aside. In 1951 a TV transmittal tower was added to the top, raising the total height to 1,472 feet. Ever since the 1976 American bicentennial celebration, the top 30 stories have been spotlighted at night with colors honoring dozens of different holidays and events, including days that honor the various nationalities that make up the city's population. Some of the more recognizable lights include Martin Luther King Jr. Day (red, black, and green); Valentine's Day (all red); Gay Pride Day (all lavender); Hanukkah (blue and white); and Christmas (red and green). For a year after September 11, 2001, the building remained bathed in red, white, and blue lights. The building has appeared in close to 200 movies, among them 1933's King Kong, when it was scaled by a heartbroken ape; 1957's An Affair to Remember, in which Cary Grant waited impatiently at the top for his rendezvous with Deborah Kerr; and 1993's Sleepless in Seattle, in which Tom Hanks met Meg Ryan for the first time.

Today about 20,000 people work in the Empire State Building, and more than 3.3 million people visit its observation deck each year. Tickets are sold on the concourse level and on the building's Web site (a good way to avoid the considerable line); for an extra $5 you can rent a headset with an audio tour. The 86th-floor observatory (1,050 feet high) is open to the air (expect heavy winds) and spans the building's circumference; on clear days you can see up to 80 mi. It's worth timing your visit for early or late in the day (morning is the least crowded time), when the sun is low on the horizon and the shadows are deep across the city. But at night the city's lights are dazzling. The French architect Le Corbusier said, "It is a Milky Way come down to earth." Really, both views are a must; one strategy is to go up just before dusk and witness both, as day dims to night.

A major tourist attraction within the Empire State Building is the second-floor New York Skyride. A Comedy Central video presentation on the virtues of New York precedes a rough-and-tumble motion-simulator ride above and around some of the city's top attractions, which are projected on a two-story-tall screen. Since it's part helicopter video and part roller-coaster ride, children love it. The ride is not recommended for anyone who has trouble with motion sickness, and pregnant women are not admitted. PHONE: 212/279-9777 or 888/759-7433; www.skyride.com; COST: $14.50; $20 for Skyride and Observatory; OPEN: Daily 10-10. COST: $12. Daily 9:30 AM-midnight; last elevator up leaves at 11:15 PM. Subway: B, D, F, N, Q, R, V, W to 34th St./Herald Sq.