Amble Walking Tours
Art Deco Masterpieces of Midtown
Architecture
Manhattan

Art Deco Masterpieces of Midtown

1 hours~5,270 steps · 2.4 miEasy

About This Tour

This walk follows the Art Deco skyscrapers of Midtown, built between about 1924 and 1931, when New York's 1916 zoning rules pushed towers into stepped, tapering shapes. You will see black brick and gold terracotta, Mesopotamian reliefs, lightning-bolt crowns, a stainless steel spire, bronze lobbies and a rotating globe. The buildings include offices, a hotel, a newspaper headquarters and a rooftop that was designed as an airship mooring mast. Many have public lobbies or plazas, and some are private offices, so check access before you go.

Tour Highlights

See how the 1916 zoning rules produced the stepped silhouette of the 1920s towers.
Look for a stainless steel spire that was hoisted into place in about 90 minutes in 1929.
Find the black brick and gold terracotta tower that inspired a 1927 painting by Georgia O'Keeffe.
Spot Mesopotamian griffons and beehives on a Fifth Avenue office building.
Compare lobby murals, bronze reliefs and terrazzo floors in buildings from 1929 to 1931.
See where a rotating globe and a compass rose helped inspire the Daily Planet of the Superman stories.

Tour Route & Stops

Unlock the Full Tour Route

Unlock this tour to access the interactive map, step-by-step walking directions, and audio narration of historical details at every stop.

Walker Reviews

0.0

0 reviews

Complete this tour to leave a review and help fellow walkers discover it.

No reviews yet — be the first to share your experience!