#25 Siena Cathedral, Siena, ITALY

History Siena's Duomo was built between 1215 and 1263 and designed in part by Gothic master Nicola Pisano. His son, Giovanni, drew up the plans for the lower half of the facade, begun in 1285. The facade's upper half was added in the 14th century.

The 14th century was a time of great wealth and power for Siena, and plans were made to expand the cathedral into a great church that would dwarf even St. Peter's in Rome. The already-large Duomo would form just the transept of this huge cathedral.

Expansion got underway in 1339 with construction on a new nave off the Duomo's right transept. But in 1348, the Black Death swept through the city and killed 4/5 of Siena's population. The giant cathedral was never completed, and the half-finished walls of the Duomo Nuovo (New Cathedral) survive as a monument to Siena's ambition and one-time wealth.

In the 19th century, the cathedral was extensively restored, including the addition of golden mosaics on the facade.

What to See

Large in scale and ornately decorated inside and out, Siena's cathedral is one of the finest examples of Italian Gothic architecture.

The Duomo's unique black-and-white striped campanile dates from 1313, but reflects the Romanesque style. The tall, square belltower has increasing numbers of round-headed arcades with each level and culminates in a pyramid-shaped roof.

The south transept has an entrance known as the Porto del Perdono (Door of Forgiveness), which is topped with a medallion bust of the Virgin and Child by Donatello (original in the Museo dell'Opera). On the north side of the cathedral, a stone set into the wall is inscribed with the mysterious Sator Square.

The west facade was begun in 1285 with Giovanni Pisano as the master architect. He completed the lower level by 1297, at which time he abruptly left Siena over creative differences with the Opera del Duomo. Camaino di Crescentino took over from 1299 until 1317, when the Opera ordered all work to focus on the east end of the cathedral. Attention finally returned to the facade in 1376, with a new design inspired by the newly built facade of Orvieto Cathedral.

Parts of the facade were restored and reorganized in 1866-69 by Giuseppe Partini and again after World War II. All the statues on the facade, many of them designed by Giovanni Pisano, were replaced with replicas in the 1960s; the originals are displayed in the Museo dell'Opera. Pisano's statues depict Greek philosophers, Jewish prophets and pagan Sibyls, each accompanied by an inscription, as well as animals including lions and griffins.

Giovanni Pisano is also believed to have contributed the frieze over the central portal, which depicts the stories of the Virgin Mary and her parents Anne and Joachim. The columns between the portals are richly carved with foliage, putti and animals. The central bronze door, depicting the Glorification of the Virgin, was made in 1958 by Enrico Manfrini.

The golden mosaics in the upper gables were made by Venetian artists based on drawings of 1878 by the Sienese painters Luigi Mussini and Alessandro Franchi. They depict the Presentation of Mary at the Temple, the Coronation of the Virgin, and the Nativity. The large round window is surrounded by busts of 36 patriarchs and a statue of the Madonna and Child.

Extending south from the cathedral is the "Facciatone," a great facade built as part of a major expansion to Siena Duomo in the 14th century. The existing cathedral was to become merely the transept of a huge structure that would surpass even St. Peter's Basilica. But due to the arrival of the Black Death and political conflict, it was never completed. The unfinished right aisle has been partially filled in to house the Museo dell'Opera, from which one can climb to the facade for fine views.

The interior of Siena's Duomo is a rather dizzying sight, with its black-and-white striped pillars and ornate decoration on every surface. There is much to see throughout, including a number of important art masterpieces.

The nave arcades, with rest on pillars with engaged columns of black and white marble, are very tall with round arches. There is no triforium. The walls of the clerestory have black-and-white stripes to match the pillars. Some of the nave capitals, which feature phytomorphic sculptures, are though to have been sculpted by Giovanni Pisano while he worked on the pulpit in the 1260s.

The cornice that runs the length of the nave is decorated with busts of popes made in the workshop of Giovanni di Stefano beginning in 1495. Only four or five terracotta molds were used to make the busts, so many of them are identical. Below are 36 busts of Roman and Byzantine emperors from Constantine to Theodosius.

 

The north transept is home to a bronze statue by Donatello of an emaciated St. John the Baptist, a companion piece to his Mary Magdalene in Florence. In the south transept is the Chigi Chapel, outside of which are paintings of St. Jeromeand St. Mary Magdalene by Bernini. The Renaissance high altar is flanked by angels by Beccafumi.

On the Duomo Square, opposite the old hospital of Santa Maria della Scala, rises the huge majestic Cattedrale dell'Assunta (the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption), a splendid example of the Italian Gothic.

The building, begun in 1230, replaced a previous cathedral of the IX century, entitled Santa Maria. The cupola (or Dome) was added in 1264, but in the 1300s the church was completely transformed: the central nave was raised and illuminated by trifora (three-arched) windows, the façade was worked on by, amongst others, Giovanni Pisano, the chorus was changed, and above all, the transept was widened, in the ambitious attempt to transform the cathedral into the biggest temple of Christianity.

 

 Of this last insane widening, begun in the first half of the 1300s and interrupted by the terrible plague of 1348 (as well as by the collapse of some of the structures), there remain traces of the structures effectively built on the left side of the current Duomo: the so-called 'facciatona', the columns of the three naves and a part of the left side, where you can see what is certainly the most brilliant door of the Sienese Gothic. The door opens onto the staircase that leads to the lower Baptistry of San Giovanni.

After the failure of the plan for the New Duomo, work, from then on, concerned the old building. The façade was finished in a gothic style at the end of the 1300s, integrating the part by Giovanni Pisano. The originals of the marble statues (some of which are the work of Pisano), that enrich the façade with depictions of Saints, Prophets, and allegorical Sybils and Animals, are assembled on the ground floor of the Museo dell'Opera.

The dominant theme on the inside of the Cathedral, apart from the wideness of the naves and of the transept (in imitation of the Romanesque Duomo di Pisa), is the colour: the two colour print of the covering, in horizontal strips (the recurring theme of the Sienese 'Balzana') covers the whole of the structure, including the pillars, unifying the richness of the architecture into a homogenous togetherness. The space seems to have been built entirely from colour and light, more than from the solidity of the mass masonry.

The huge masterpiece, not only of Sienese art, on which worked the greatest Sienese artists of the 1400s and 1500s, is the spectacular multi-coloured marble flooring, that covers the whole of the inside of the Duomo like an enormous carpet. Divided into 52 squares, there are depictions of biblical scenes in prevalence, the most famous of which is the Massacre of the Innocents, carried out according to the design by Matteo di Giovanni, in 1482.

 

#24 Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Savannah, GEORGIA

Late 1700s

First Parish Established
Immigrants fleeing turmoil in Haiti and France established Savannah's first parish, the Congregation de Saint Jean-Baptiste, near the end of the 18th century.

1799-1780
Land Granted; First Cornerstone Laid
To accommodate a growing Catholic population, half a trust lot on Liberty Square was reserved as a building site for the small frame church of Saint John the Baptist.

1811
New Site for the Growing Parish
On August 2, 1811, the Mayor and Aldermen of Savannah granted a petition for a larger parcel of land at Montgomery and Hull Streets; but the congregation instead choose a site on Drayton and Perry Streets.

1835
Bishop of New Diocese Places Cornerstone
The first Bishop of the Diocese of Charleston (1820), which encompassed all of Georgia, was Bishop John England, and he placed the cornerstone of the new brick church. On April 1, 1839, Bishop England dedicated the Church of Saint John the Baptist, which seated 1,000 people.

1850
Diocese of Savannah Erected
Pope Pius IX erected the Diocese of Savannah on July 19, 1850, with the Right Reverend Francis X Gartland as the first bishop. Saint John the Baptist Church (the only Catholic church in Savannah) was repaired following hurricane damage, enlarged and named the Cathedral.

1870
New Cathedral is Planned
The Right Reverend Ignatius Persico, fourth bishop of Savannah, began planning the construction of a new Cathedral. He procured land on Abercorn Street from the Sisters of Mercy, but resigned the see in 1872 due to poor health.

1873
Cornerstone is Laid
The Right Reverend William H. Gross, C.Ss.R., laid the cornerstone of the new Cathedral on November 19, 1873. The new structure was dedicated to "Our Lady of Perpetual Help," a name the Cathedral retained for ten years.

1876
Cathedral is Dedicated
On April 30, 1876, the Most Reverand James Roosevelt Bayley, Archbishop of Baltimore, dedicated the new French Gothic style Cathedral, which was suitably soaring and ornate, with four side altars of white Italian marble.

1896
Spires and Stucco are Added
The Right Reverand Thomas A. Becker completed the Cathedral with the building of the spires in 1896. The brick structure was also stuccoed and whitewashed.

1898
Fire Ravages Cathedral
A devastating fire on February 6, 1898, destroyed all of the Cathedral but the outside walls and the two spires. The rebuilding began immediately, and the seventh bishop of Savannah, Benjamin Keiley, celebrated the first mass in the rebuilt Cathedral on December 24, 1899. The rebuilt Cathedral was dedicated October 28, 1900, by the apostolic delegate to the United States, Archbishop Sebastian Martinelli.

1912
Redecoration is Completed
It was another 13 years after the fire before the extensive decoration and artwork of the interior were finished. Savannah artist, Christopher Murphy, led the design and creation of the murals, and the stained glass windows were executed by the Innsbruck Glassmakers of the Austrian Tyrol, circa 1904.

1920
Cathedral is Consecrated
Following the retirement of the church's debt, which was a requirement for consecration at that time, Bishop Keiley was able to preside over the solemn consecration of the Cathedral in 1920.

1959-1963
Renovations Are Accomplished
The Most Reverend Thomas J. McDonough directed a renovation of the Cathedral between 1959 and 1963. Improvements included the entrance plaza and heating, cooling and lighting upgrades. A new decorative scheme was established based on the original color palette, and a new pulpit and altar rail were added.

1984-1985
Spire Repairs and Liturgical Updates
The twelfth bishop of Savannah, the Most Reverend Raymond W. Lessard, closed the church while the decaying timber foundations were replaced with reinforced concrete. Guided by the tenets of the Second Vatican Council, liturgical updates were executed, with the high altar placed for the celebrant to face the congregation.

 

#23 Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, CALIFORNIA

The Golden Gate Bridge is a technical masterpiece that can only be described in superlative terms. When the bridge was completed in 1937 it was the world's longest and tallest suspension bridge. But above all this masterly example of engineering is a magnificent monument set against a beautiful backdrop.

Construction of the Golden Gate Bridge started in 1933. The bridge, which was designed by engineer Joseph Strauss was built to connect San Francisco with Marin County across the 1600 meter (+5000ft) wide strait known as the Golden Gate which links the San Francisco Bay with the Pacific Ocean.

 

Building the bridge

The construction of what was to become the world's largest suspension bridge was a colossal task. At the time many people did not believe it was technically possible to span the Golden Gate. 

 

But despite the disbelief, opposition and the Great Depression, Joseph Strauss was able to find sufficient support and financial backing to go ahead with the project.

It would take thousands of workers, four years and 35 million dollars to complete the structure. On May 27, 1937 the Golden Gate Bridge was inaugurated by 18.000 people who walked across the bridge. The next day the bridge officially opened to motorized traffic. Today more than 120,000 cars cross the bridge each day.

 

Facts and figures

The dimensions of the bridge defied all imagination. The total length of the bridge is 8,981ft or 2,737 m. The main span between the two enormous towers is 4,200 ft or 1,280 meters long, making the Golden Gate Bridge the world's largest suspension bridge, 

 

a record that would stand until 1964 when the Verrazano-Narrows bridge in New Yorkwas completed.

The two beautiful Art Deco towers are almost 820ft or 250 meters tall, of which more than 20 meters is below the sea level. The road, six lanes and 90 ft / 27m wide is an amazing 220 ft or 67 meters above the water level. It is supported by enormous cables, anchored in hundreds of bars locked into concrete blocks with a pulling power of 25 million kg. The two cables have a total length of 2,332 meters and a diameter of 90 cm. They are woven from 27,572 threads of steel with a total length that equals three times the earth's circumference.

 

A world famous landmark

Soon after its completion the Golden Gate Bridge already enjoyed worldwide fame, not only because the bridge was breaking records, but also thanks to the elegant Art Deco design of the two huge towers and the magnificent surroundings near the Pacific Ocean. The eye catching orange-red color of the bridge also helped its popularity. The color was suggested by engineer Irving Morrow, who thought the traditional gray color was too boring.
The Golden Gate Bridge has now long lost its record of the longest bridge, but it is still one of the world's most famous structures.

 

Crossing the bridge

Even though there is a sidewalk on the Golden Gate Bridge, it's quite a challenge to cross the bridge. Not only is it almost 3km long, but it is a breathtaking 67 meter (220ft) above sea level. In extreme circumstances the bridge can sway almost 28ft (8 meter). This makes the bridge less sensible to external forces such as strong winds and earthquakes but it can make the crossing rather unpleasant. The views however are amazing.
An alternative to 

 

crossing the bridge on foot is driving by car - but don't forget you'll have to pay toll - or you can take one of the busses that connect San Francisco with Marin County. There is a bus stop right at the start of the bridge.

 

Getting to the bridge

The Golden Gate Bridge is located at the Presidio Park and can easily be reached by bus or car. The most pleasant way to reach the bridge however is by walking either from the Marina District to the east or from Baker Beach to the west of the bridge. Both routes will lead you through a park, and especially the route along the east is very popular.

 

The best views

The Golden Gate Bridge is a spectacular sight which can be seen from many areas around San Francisco. Here are some locations from where you have great views on the bridge:

South Vista Point. This is the most popular site, situated at the San Francisco end of the bridge.

North Vista Point, located at the Marin County side of the bridge.

Land's End. Panoramic View from the northern tip of Lincoln Park

Baker Beach at the Presidio Park.

Conzelman Road. At the Marin County side; great view from an inlet near the bridge.

The Golden Gate is at its most enchanting in the morning when the bridge is often shrouded in mist. But the bridge is also alluring at night when the lighting makes it seem as if the spires of the towers dissolve in the darkness.

 

#22 Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, SPAIN

According to legend, the apostle Saint James the Greater brought Christianity to the Celts in the Iberian Peninsula. In 44 AD he was beheaded in Jerusalem. His remains were later brought back to Galicia, Spain. Following Roman persecutions of Spanish Christians, his tomb was abandoned in the 3rd century. Still according to legend, this tomb was rediscovered in 814 AD by the hermit Pelagius, after witnessing strange lights in the night sky. Bishop Theodomirus of Iria recognized this as a miracle and informed king Alfonso II of Asturias and Galicia (791-842). The king ordered the construction of a chapel on the site. Legend has it that the king became the first pilgrim to this shrine. This was followed by a first church in 829 AD and again in 899 AD by a pre-Romanesque church, at the order of king Alfonso III of León, causing the gradual development of a major place of pilgrimage.

In 997 the early church was reduced to ashes by Al-Mansur Ibn Abi Aamir (938-1002), army commander of the caliph of Córdoba. The Al-Andalus commander was accompanied on his raid by his vassal Christian lords, who received a share of the loot, while St James' tomb and relics were left undisturbed. The gates and the bells, carried by local Christian captives to Córdoba, were added to the Aljama Mosque. When Córdoba was taken by king Ferdinand III of Castile in 1236, these same gates and bells were then transported by Muslim captives toToledo, to be inserted in the Cathedral of Saint Mary of Toledo.

Construction of the present cathedral began in 1075 under the reign of Alfonso VI of Castile (1040–1109) and the patronage of bishop Diego Peláez. It was built according to the same plan as the monastic brick church of Saint Sernin in Toulouse, probably the greatest Romanesque edifice in France. It was built mostly in granite. Construction was halted several times and, according to the Liber Sancti Iacobi, the last stone was laid in 1122. But by then, the construction of the cathedral was certainly not finished. The cathedral was consecrated in 1128 in the presence of king Alfonso IX of Leon.

According to the Codex Calixtinus the architects were "Bernard the elder, a wonderful master", his assistant Robertus Galperinus and, later possibly, "Esteban, master of the cathedral works". In the last stage "Bernard, the younger" was finishing the building, while Galperinus was in charge of the coordination. He also constructed a monumental fountain in front of the north portal in 1122.

The church became an episcopal see in 1075 and, due to its growing importance as a place of pilgrimage, it was soon raised to an archiepiscopal see by pope Urban II in 1100. A university was added in 1495.

The cathedral was expanded and embellished with additions in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries.

This famous pilgrimage site in north-west Spain became a symbol in the Spanish Christians' struggle against Islam. Destroyed by the Muslims at the end of the 10th century, it was completely rebuilt in the following century. With its Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque buildings, the Old Town of Santiago is one of the world's most beautiful urban areas. The oldest monuments are grouped around the tomb of St James and the cathedral, which contains the remarkable Pórtico de la Gloria.

Santiago de Compostela is associated with one of the major themes of medieval history. From the shores of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea thousands of pilgrims carrying the scallop shell and the pilgrim's staff for centuries walked to the Galician sanctuary along the paths of Santiago, veritable roads of faith. Around its cathedral, a masterpiece of Romanesque art, Santiago de Compostela conserves a valuable historic centre worthy of one of Christianity's greatest holy cities. During the Romanesque and Baroque periods the sanctuary of Santiago exerted a decisive influence on the development of architecture and art, not only in Galicia but also in the north of the Iberian peninsula.

This is an extraordinary ensemble of distinguished monuments grouped around the tomb of St James the Greater, the destination of all the roads of Christianity's greatest pilgrimage from the 11th to the 18th century. Santiago de Compostela, owing to its monumental integrity, enshrines both specific and universal values. To the irreplaceable uniqueness of Romanesque and Baroque masterpieces is added the transcendental aesthetic contribution which makes use of diachronic and disparate elements in the construction of an ideal city which is overflowing with history. The exemplary nature of this city of Christian pilgrimage which is enriched by the ideological connotations of the Reconquista is echoed by the great spiritual significance of one of the few places that are so deeply imbued with faith as to become sacred for the tile of humanity.

On the miraculously discovered spot where the bones of the Apostle had been buried, a basilica was erected in approximately 818 during the reign of Alfonso II, king of Asturias. The Galician tomb thereafter became the symbol of the resistance of Spanish Christians against Islam. At the battle of Clavijo (844) the victory over the forces of Abd ar Rahman II was attributed to Santiago. Taken and laid waste in 997 by Al Mansour, the city was rebuilt during the 11th century around the Apostle's tomb, which had not been violated.

The oldest monuments date back to this period - the main body of the cathedral, consecrated in 1211, with its admirable Romanesque structure (plan in the form of a Latin cross, choir and deambulatory and radiating chapels, interior space magnified by the great number of galleries) and its sculpted array (Puerta de las Platerías at the southern arm of the transept). Building continued throughout the 12th century and drew to a triumphal close in 1188 with the erection of the Portico de la Gloria in the main facade.

The continuous embellishment process which characterizes the life of this edifice, to which were added Gothic chapels at the choir and transept, the cupola in 1448, the 16th-century cloister and finally the immense Churrigueresque casket of the Obradoiro (1738-50) is symbolic of the future of the entire medieval city, which has been profoundly transformed over the centuries yet respect for its monumental quality has always been maintained.

At the Plaza de España, one of the world's most beautiful urban areas, there is an intermingling of the Romanesque and Gothic forms in the Palace of Diego Gelmírez and San Jerónimo, of the Baroque facade of the Hospital Reál with its inset Plateresque portal by Enrique de Egas (1505-11) and the neoclassical theme of the Rajoy Palace.

Elsewhere in ensembles whose composition is less forceful, civil and religious architectural elements from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance are also integrated into a high-quality urban fabric where 17th- and 18th-century themes prevail.

The name Santiago goes back to the Apostle James (Saint James = Santiago) who went to this most north-western part of Spain, called by the Romans "Finis Terrae", "end of the world", to preach and convert people to Christianity.

After returning to Palestine in 44 a.C., he was taken prisoner by Herodes Agrippa and tortured to death. The king forbid to bury him, but in the night Jacob's disciples stole the body and brought him, in a sarcophagus of marble, on board of a small boat. The current of the sea drove the boat to the Spanish coast, into the port of the Roman province's capital, Iria Flavia. Here the Apostle was buried at a secret place in a wood.

Centuries later, in 813, the hermit Pelayo listened music in that wood and saw a shining. For this shining the place was called, in Latin, "Campus Stellae", field of the star, name that was lateron turned into Compostela.

Bishop Teodomiro, who received notice of that event, instituted an investigation, and so the tomb of the Apostle was discovered. King Alphonse II declared Saint James the patron of his empire and had built a chapel at that place. It is reported that from then on Saint James did several miracles, even that he fought side to side with King Ramiro I in the decisive battle against the Moors.
More and more pilgrims followed the way of Santiago, the "Way of Saint James", and the original chapel soon became the cathedral of the new settlement, Santiago de Compostela..

A small church was first built over the tomb of St. James shortly after it was discovered in 819 AD. This was destroyed by al-Mansur's Moorish army in 997, though Almansor left the relics of the Apostle undisturbed. He did, however, force Santiago's citizens to carry the bells of the tower to the mosque in Cordoba (they have since been returned).

Despite its Baroque facade, the present cathedral of Santiago de Compostela is predominantly Romanesque; in fact, one of the finest Romanesque churches in Spain. Construction began in 1060 in the reign of Alfonso VI and was completed in 1211.

Various elements were added in later centuries, culminating in the dramatic Baroque transformation of the exterior in the 16th-18th centuries. The interior of the cathedral, however, retains its pure Early Romanesque style.

The remains of St. James, the raison d'être of the cathedral, were lost in 1700 after being hidden before an English invasion. Fortunately, they were rediscovered during building work in 1879.

Actually, three skeletons were found, presumed to be James and two of his disciples. The one belonging to the Apostle was identified thanks to a church in Tuscany, which possessed a piece of his skull that exactly fitted a gap in one of the discovered skulls. The identity was confirmed in 1884 by Pope Leo XIII and reinforced by John Paul II's visit in 1982.

 

#21 Top of the Rock Observation Deck, NEW YORK CITY

                                        

 

Top of the Rock Observation deck at Rockefeller Center is much more than just unforgettable views of New York. It is an experience starting when entering the building, and one you should not miss while visiting New York. Tickets can be booked here!

Take in amazing New York and beyond with this stunning360° panoramic view 70 stories up in the sky. It already begins on the ground floor where you will find a mezzanine with a dazzling Swarovski crystal chandelier and multi-media exhibit full of the rich history, architecture and art ofRockefeller Center.

Get on board one of our glass ceiling sky shuttles for an exciting ride to the top, where you will find three stories of spectacular views, including a stunning, open air outdoor decks.

Important information :
- The tickets will be sent to your e-mail address immediately after you have completed your reservation and your payment has been approved.
- Entrance located on 50th street between 5th and 6th avenues. Entrance is marked by a red carpet.
- Top of the Rock Observation Deck is open Mon. to Sun.: from 08.00AM to 12.00PM
- You exchange your e-ticket/voucher at the box office at the entrance to Top of the Rock Observation Deck and get the next available timed/scheduled ticket.
- Your tickets is valid for up to one month from the booking date stated on the voucher/e-ticket we send to your e-mail address
- Child prices between 6 and 12 years
- Due to security we strongly recommend you do not bring any large bags or suitcases.

Daytime or night-time - anytime is the right time to visit the Top of the Rock Observation Deck. Perched 70 stories above the city at Rockefeller Plaza, the panoramic views of Manhattan are unequaled anywhere else in New York City.

Breathtaking vistas stretch for miles in every direction. You'll see New York's famous landmarks, including the Chrysler Building, Times Square, the Hudson River, the East River, Brooklyn Bridge and the Statue of Liberty. Plus, your view includes the Empire State Building! Quite simply, it is the most spectacular view in New York City.

Highlights

Admission to the Top of the Rock Observation Deck

Unequalled panoramic views of Manhattan

Unobstructed views from the 70th floor of 30 Rockefeller Plaza

"Virtual" line means your place is held for you, so there's need to hang around waiting in line

Interactive displays detailing the Rockefeller Center's construction

Flexible voucher redemption policy - you are not restricted to date originally selected - plan your visit around the weather!

Upgrade to Rockefeller Center Tour and uncover the history of this famous landmark

Daytime or night-time - anytime is the right time to visit the Top of the Rock Observation Deck. Perched 70 stories above the city at Rockefeller Plaza, the panoramic views of Manhattan are unequaled anywhere else in New York City.lt Breathtaking vistas stretch for miles in every direction. You'll see New York's famous landmarks, including the Chrysler Building, Times Square, the Hudson River, the East River, Brooklyn Bridge and the Statue of Liberty. Plus, your view includes the Empire State Building! Quite simply, it is the most spectacular view in New York City.lt;pgt;Top of the Rock Observation Deck is open 365 days a year. Watch the seasons unfold or take in an amazing sunset from the outdoor observation deck. Plus, your ticket allows you to jump to the front of the box office queue.

 If entrance is not available immediately, you'll be allocated a time and your spot in the line will be held for Interactive displays are exhibited detailing the construction of the Rockefeller Center, including three short ROCKEFELLER CENTER TOUR UPGRADE grade your ticket to include a 75-minute Rockefeller Center Tour and uncover the rich history and breathtaking artistry of New York's most famous landmark. Learn about the history of the Rockefeller Center and how founder John D. Rockefeller Jr.'s vision for a cultural center came to reality with the great works of art and architecture that comprise it today.

lt An expert historian will guide you through the Center’s most significant buildings, gardens and spaces on this culturally-enriching tour. You'll be equipped with your own personal headset so you can follow the illuminating commentary of your live guide. Rockefeller Center will never look the same

Top of the Rock Observation Deck, a three-tiered deck at the top of the GE Building in Rockefeller Center, offers one distinct advantage over the Empire State Building: views of the Empire State Building. Thanks to this – and its spacious 360-degree decks – Top of the Rock Observation Deck features what many consider to be the finest panoramic vistas of New York City.

And those views? In a word: Breathtaking. Top of the Rock Observation Deck, which officially opened to the public in 2005 after a lavish renovation, offers sweeping vistas from the 67th, 69th and 70th floors. And, because Rockefeller Center is closer to Central Park than the Empire State Building, there are superb views of the iconic park, ringed by skyscrapers. Plus, the observation deck has windows on the two lower levels, and is completely open-air at the top, so there are no security fences to obstruct the view. In other words, it’s ideal for snapping photos.

Top of the Rock Observation Deck crowns the famous GE Building, a 1933 Art Deco skyscraper designed by acclaimed architect Raymond Hood and his team. Formerly the RCA Building, the GE Building rises an impressive 850 feet, making it the 10th tallest in New York City. The building has also figured prominently in American culture through the decades: The famous 1932 photograph “Lunch Atop a Skyscraper” by Charles C. Ebbets depicts workers calmly eating lunch on a steel crossbeam during the construction of this building, framed by the city far below. 

Top of the Rock Observation Deck celebrates this iconic photo by allowing you to recreate the moment with your friends and family (thanks to technology, you won’t have to actually dangle 70 stories above the city to get the effect!).

Top of the Rock Observation Deck experience is bolstered by video presentations about the history and art of Rockefeller Center and glass-topped elevators that zip to the top in less than a minute. Views from the deck include all of Manhattan’s top attractions: Central Park, the Chrysler Building, the Empire State Building, Grand Central Terminal, the Hudson River and more. On clear days, you can even see all the way to the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge in Brooklyn. By night, the view is equally impressive. A tip: If you’d like to see the city under varying shades of light, come by just before sunset, when the sky slowly darkens and the urban sprawl begins to glow.