5 impressive early skyscrapers in New York

Our personal favorite because of its ornate façade, a resemblance to many European Gothic cathedrals. The building was commissioned by F.W. Woolworth, owner of the famous five-and-dime chain, and designed by architect Cass Gilbert in 1913. To get inside, sign up for a tour or head to the restaurant, The Wooly Public.

Nineteen art deco-style buildings, whose main building, ‘30 Rock’, houses NBC studios. Walk by in the early morning to witness the scene of Today Show fans vying to get on the air. For views, head to The Observation Deck or the bar in the Rainbow Room. Winter brings the annual Christmas tree and ice skating rink.

In 1899, the 30-story Beaux Arts building was the tallest in NYC – and the tallest office building in the world. The building sat in the midst of ‘Newspaper Row,’ once the heartbeat of the newspaper industry. Its crown is adorned with matching copper-domed cupolas with Egyptian-style gents that seem to guard the tower. The top floors have been converted into apartments, with the cupola section housing pricey triplex residences.

For New Yorkers: Met Life Tower

One of the clock tower buildings that never seem to have the right time, this structure towered over the area in 1909. It started out as a much more ornate example of its time, but was stripped down to ‘modernize’ it in the 1960s. The base along 23rd Street has added a modern office structure right on top, as is typical in NYC where buildings get squeezed in, even in the most bizarre places. At night the roof lights up beautifully, and changes color in unison with holidays and events.

Designed by the same architect as the Woolworth building, this neo-Gothic structure was inspired by the Salisbury Cathedral in England, and finished construction in 1928. Its golden pyramid, constructed of 25.000 tiles, was recently re-gilded in gold leaf, and does catch the sunlight in the most dramatic way – and also shines in the night sky. The street level has wonderful soaring archways that lead to the subway – a much more glamorous entry than most.