Rockefeller Center ( a city with in a city ) 30 Rockefeller Plaza

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Rockefeller Center ( a city with in a city )

Rockefeller Center is an art deco marvel consisting of 19 commercial buildings covering 11 acres in midtown Manhattan from 49th to 52nd Streets, Fifth to Seventh Avenues.

Named after the multi-millionaire, John D. Rockefeller, who leased the space from Columbia University in 1928.

Originally occupied by tenements and theaters, Rockefeller planned to revitalize the area with 3 huge office buildings and a new Metropolitan Opera House.

The stock market crash of 1929 helped scrap the original plans but Rockefeller still wanted a commercial district.

Hiring 3 architecture firms and a consulting firm, ground was broken on the Rockefeller Center we see today in late 1929.

30 Rockefeller Plaza (above) was the largest and first built. It is the centerpiece and probably best known building.

As you can see from this view from the Empire State Building, the 70-story building still towers over its modern competitors.

Completed in 1934, 30 Rockefeller Plaza became the RCA headquarters. General Electric's initials now brighten the rooftop of the home of NBC.

30 Rockefeller Plaza is the most public of the buildings and two of the most popular tourist attractions reside here.

The NBC Studio Tour, lets you see where popular shows like Saturday Night Live, Late Night With Conan O'Brien and NBC News are taped.

Art in the Rockefeller Center

The arcade of Rockefeller Center is the most popular route of tourists. Entering on Fifth Avenue between 49th and 50th Streets, the center gardens make way to the sub-ground restaurant area which, as most are familiar with, becomes an ice skating rink in wintertime.

All of this is watched upon by Paul Manship's 1934 statue, Prometheus.

Surrounding the sub-ground area are the flags of all nations. Can you find your home flag here?

There were restaurants in the sub-ground area. Hopefully, new eateries will be back in time to enjoy outdoor dining in summer and exquisite views of ice skaters in winter.

Rockefeller Center also boasts
some terrific art!

When you walk around here, look everywhere. You'll find some of the most interesting art works gracing these outdoor edifices.

The art deco and art nouveau murals and mosaics have been wonderfully preserved and add a museum-like atmosphere to your visit.

The statue of Atlas by Lee Lowrie & Rene Chambellan (1937) holds an interesting story.

It seems Atlas resembled Mussolini, Italy's fascist dictator, and the statue was picketed upon its unveiling. Can you see the likeness?

Today Show/ Rockefeller Center Shopping

NBC installed a storefront studio on 49th Street and Rockefeller Plaza where each weekday morning, Matt Lauer and Meredith Vieira host the Today show. Many visitors come down and can watch and maybe become a part of the program!

Of course, Rockefeller Center would be nothing without its wonderful shops and restaurants gracefully lining its buildings! From the H&M to Morell's Wine Bar, you'll find nearly everything here.

Atop the 65th floor, the Rainbow Room is a glamorous spot for dinner, drinks and dancing. It is only open on select days so you must call ahead to make reservations. The next door Rainbow Grill allows you a chance to see the great views at all times.

The majority of buildings in Rockefeller Center house some of the world's major companies, like Time Warner. This building, home to the Associated Press, definitely make walking into work more pleasant!

On a trivial note, there are 488 elevators in Rockefeller Center. A broken elevator should not be an excuse for being late for work!

The tall monoliths along Sixth Avenue were erected in the style of Rockefeller Center but only after 1960. They really look amazing in the late evening sky.The mammoth New York Hilton, with over 2,000 rooms is just up the block on 53rd Street.

Radio City Music Hall

When it opened as a movie palace in 1932, Radio City Music Hall was graced by such stars as Clark Gable and Charlie Chaplin.

Today, this 6,000 seat theater showcases premier concerts by the top musicians as well as the Christmas Spectacular featuring the famous Rockettes.

If you would like to get behind the scenes of over 60 years of New York City history, Radio City Music Hall offers guided tours 7 days a week.

See the great stage, the art deco interiors, the legendary Wurlitzer organ and even the Rockettes themselves! Call (212) 632-4041.

What's Christmas without Rockefeller Center? The most popular December destination features one gigantic tree and more than enough tradition and memories to fill your suitcase.

NYCtourist.com features a special Christmastime at Rockefeller Center section during the holiday season.


Rockefella Center
30 Rockefeller Plaza
The GE Building
(between 49th and 50th Streets, the
Avenue of the Americas & 5th Avenue)
Cross Streets: From 5th & 7th avenues
between 47th and 50th Streets
Telephone Number: (212) 632-3975
Web Address: http://www.rockefellercenter.com/home.html