The Empire State Building opened in 1931 and, at the time, was the tallest building in the world. It held that record for more than four decades. Standing in Midtown Manhattan, it has remained one of the most recognized structures on earth and a defining feature of the New York City skyline for nearly a century. The building's tiered silhouette was designed to be seen from a distance, and views like this one — looking across the rooftops of an entire city toward that single unmistakable spire — show exactly why it still commands the skyline.

Late autumn and winter bring the sun into precise alignment with this westward view, when the low angle of golden hour turns the whole sky into something close to what you see here.