New York - The views from GE Building, Rockefeller Center, Statue of Liberty in the afternoon

The views from GE Building

This page is about the visit to GE Building, the tallest building in Rockefeller Center, and its observation deck on the roof, Top of the Rock. On the roof there is an outdoor observation deck that is called Top of the Rock. There are 3 different floors on Top of the Rock that all offer 360 degree views of New York and is designed to look like the top of a ship. The highest is 70 floors up in the sky. The elevator that takes you to the observation deck is really special; at first it looke like a normal elevator with white light on the roof, but suddenly it turns dark and you can see right up the elevator shaft almost 260 m up while the elevator is moving! There is also a special holographic text with the letters "Rockefeller Center" that is moving. GE Bld (General Electric Building) was completed in 1933, then called the RCA Bldg, has 70 floors and is 260m to the top of the roof. On the top of this famous art deco skyscraper there is a also a restaurant, Rainbow Room.

To reach the observation deck of Empire State Building, we had to pass through 5 lines, take 2 different elevators, totally over one hour of queing and that was in the late evening! In my opinion it is more price worthy to see Top of the Rock, the observation deck at Rockefeller Center's GE Bldg, since the lines are much shorter, the fee is cheaper, it is closer to the Midtown skyscrapers and Central Park and you can actually see ESB from the observation deck. But after all, I think both observation decks are a must then you are in NYC! And the guards at the GE were a bit rude. I choosed to visit Top of the Rock at daytime, and ESB after dark.

ABOUT GE BUILDING:

GE Building is the tallest and most famous building in Rockefeller Center. The art deco building was completed in 1933 and has 70 floors. It is 260m tall and was called RCA Building until 1988. On the top there is an observation deck called Top of the Rock, that was closed in 1986 and reopened in 2005.

To read more about and watch photos form the exterior of GE Building, visit the Rockefeller Center page.

VIEWS TO THE SOUTH:

Looking towards Midtown Manhattan with Lower Manhattan and Jersey City in the background.

Empire State Building, Verazzano Bridge and Lower Manhattan with the new WTC, and the Statue of Liberty can all be seen in this picture.

The glass panels make the observation deck feels more open then the deck at ESB. It was a bit windy on the top!

From the left: Empire State Bldg, Bank of America Tower, Conde Nast Bldg, Times Square Bldg, One Astor Plaza.

Midtown Manhattan with Bank of America Tower and Conde Nast Bldg/4 Times Square. Ellis Island and Jersey City in the background.

New York Times Tower to the right.

Right above Times Square. Times Square is called the "Crossroads of the World" and is a major commercial intersection in New York's Theater District. All types of businesses are located in the area including shops, restaurants, and theaters. It is estimated that over fifty million people visit Times Square every year.

Empire State Building with Lower Manhattan in the background, dominated by the new WTC u/c. Staten Island in the far background.

Empire State Bldg, the new WTC. The Statue of Liberty is to the right.

Close-up towards Statue of Liberty on Liberty Island and Ellis Island. Even though you can see the Statue of Liberty from many NYC skyscrapers, the best way to see it up close is a Statue of Liberty ferry cruise. Staten Island in the background is one of New York's 5 boroughs, bigger then Manhattan.

VIEW TO THE EAST:

East side, Brooklyn.

East Midtown.

Midtown in colors. I made this version just for fun.

383 Madison Ave (Bear Stearn World HQ), Chrysler Building, MetLife Building, East River.

The top of the Rock is designed to resemble a ship. This is the 69th floor, the lowermost observation floor.

Trump World Tower and Brooklyn.

VIEW TO THE NORTH:

Towards Central Park with Solow Bldg, GM Bldg, Trump Tower and Sony Bldg to the right.

North Central Park with Jackie Kennedy Reservoir and Harlem in the distance (left).

Central Park, Harlem, Morningside Heights and George Washington Bridge leading to New Jersey above Hudson River. Hampshire House in the left foreground.
The Appalaches can be seen in the far distance.

Upper West Side, George Washington Bridge, Hudson River. Dakota Bldg looks small in the center left, next to San Remo Apartments.

George Washington Bridge and New Jersey.

VIEWS TO NORTHEAST:

Midtown skyline from the left: Solow Bldg, GM Bldg, Trump Tower, Sony Bldg, Bloomberg Tower, Park Avenue Plaza, Bloomberg Tower and Citigroup Center, and many others in between but these are the most dominant ones.

From the left: GM Bldg, Trump Tower (black glass), Sony Bldg (with the whole on top).

Bloomberg Tower dominating East Manhattan.

Citigroup Center.

Bronx to the north and Brooklyn to the right.

TO THE WEST:

West of Rockefeller Center is an area called Hell's Kitchen which was once the most Irish neighborhood in NYC. Over the years gentrification has greatly changed Hell's Kitchen and many Irish New Yorkers have moved on to other areas such as Staten Island. Those with close ties to their Irish ancestors can apply for Irish citizenship by descent which makes it easy to travel between the US and Ireland. New York City is currently ranked the third most Irish city in America.

AXA Center and Sheraton to the near left.

Skycrapers from the left, most built in this millennium: Hearst Tower, Random House Tower, Time Warnter Center, Trump Hotel and CitySpire. The mountains of Appalaches in the background!