New York City was founded (by name) in 1664, before it was part of the United States. It was the US capital from 1785 to 1790 and has been the largest city in America since then. With so many residents, it is no surprise that the city displays the most diverse architecture in the country as well. Visitors can enjoy architectural styles from Art Deco to Postmodernism.

Each decade has been marked by its popular architectural style, allowing attentive visitors to almost get a sense of time as they walk the streets looking at New York City skyscrapers. The most popular structures in the city, the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building, were both built during the height of Art Deco’s popularity. Especially displayed in the Chrysler Building, the curves of the Art Deco style shine. From about 1920 to 1930, buildings around the world were constructed to display this element. Fewer examples are more classic, and travelers would have to go all the way to France to find comparable construction.

Long before Art Deco took over, the Gothic Revival, popular in the 1740s, was builders’ choice. Appreciators of this style find the Woolworth to be an outstanding example of Gothic Revival in the United States. Its apparent stone structure, angular aesthetic and ominous lean all lend a somber effect to the structure. Still, the most notable designs came from the heart of America, and even those who know little about architecture can recognize them on sight.

Chicago School was the first design style that utilized steel frames, allowing builders to reach high into the sky. While none of the tallest New York City skyscrapers utilize the Chicago School specifically, one of the most stunning structures does. The Flatiron Building is built in Chicago School, which is clearly shown by its window designs—large fixed centers and side sash windows. The recognizable wedge shape of the historic building marks the innovation of a skeletal structure that could hold such strong weight. Today, the Flatiron Building is one of the United States’ most sought-after buildings, and many cities have borrowed its design to fashion their own smaller versions.

Walking through the Big City, visitors may also appreciate the Historicist style of the Liberty Tower; Brutalism, as seen in the Ruppert Tower; and Postmodernism, displayed in the Broad Financial Center. Many other classic designs exist throughout the city; Brooklyn has its own niche, and there is a distinction between upper and lower Manhattan. From the top of the Rock (1 Rockefeller Place) the view of the cityscape is breathtaking. Viewers can see every architectural style and, on a clear day, can identify all of these NYC skyscrapers from the survey deck.