Which building was the tallest in the world when it opened in 1931?

The Empire State Building was the world’s tallest building when it opened in 1931.

Located in Midtown Manhattan, the Art Deco skyscraper reached a roof height of 381 metres and a tip height of 443.2 metres when its antenna and spire are included. It officially opened on 1 May 1931, during the Great Depression, after a remarkably fast construction project that took about 20 months.

The building briefly surpassed the Chrysler Building, which had claimed the height record in 1930. The Empire State Building remained the world’s tallest until 1970, when New York’s North Tower of the World Trade Center surpassed it. Its observatories, illuminated upper section, and prominent role in films made it an international symbol of New York.