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Empire State Building vs. Eiffel Tower: Height, Weight and Age

By the Guessroo team · · 3 min read

The Empire State Building is taller. It rises 1,454 feet (443 m) to the tip of its antenna and 1,250 feet (381 m) to its roof, while the Eiffel Tower is 1,083 feet (330 m) including its antennas. The Eiffel Tower is older, finished in 1889, 42 years before the Empire State Building opened in 1931, and it is far lighter.

The two towers, side by side

Empire State BuildingEiffel Tower
Height to the tip1,454 ft (443 m)1,083 ft (330 m)
Height without antennas1,250 ft (381 m) to the roof1,024 ft (312 m)
Weightabout 365,000 tons (331,000 t)about 11,100 tons (10,100 t)
BuiltMarch 17, 1930 to May 1, 1931 (410 days)January 1887 to March 31, 1889 (2 years, 2 months, 5 days)
Steps1,860 to the 102nd floor674 to the 2nd floor, 1,665 to the top
Floors1023 visitor levels
Visitors a yearmore than 4 millionabout 6 to 7 million
Framesteel, 57,000 tons of itiron, held by 2.5 million rivets
Empire State Building, to the tip1,454 ft (443 m)Empire State Building, to the roof1,250 ft (381 m)Eiffel Tower, with antennas1,083 ft (330 m)Eiffel Tower in 1889984 ft (300 m)Statue of Liberty, ground to torch305 ft (93 m)
Drawn to scale. Even without its antenna, the Empire State Building's roof is 167 feet higher than the top of the Eiffel Tower.

How much taller is the Empire State Building?

To the tip, the Empire State Building is 371 feet (113 m) taller than the Eiffel Tower, about a third taller. Without antennas on either, it is 1,250 feet to the roof against 1,024 feet, still a gap of 226 feet (69 m).

The Eiffel Tower has grown over the years. It was 984 feet (300 m) tall when it opened in 1889, reached 1,024 feet (312 m) with a flagpole, and became 1,083 feet (330 m) on March 15, 2022, when a helicopter added a new digital radio antenna to the top.

Which is heavier?

The Empire State Building, by far: about 365,000 tons against about 11,100 tons, so roughly 33 times heavier. The Eiffel Tower's iron frame weighs 7,300 tonnes, and everything built onto that frame brings the total to 10,100 tonnes. Because it is an open lattice of iron, the tower is very light for its height.

Guess first: how long did it take to build the Empire State Building?

Just 410 days, from March 17, 1930 to its opening on May 1, 1931. The Eiffel Tower took 2 years, 2 months and 5 days.

Which was the tallest in the world?

Both, one after the other. The Eiffel Tower was the tallest structure in the world from 1889 until 1930, when New York's Chrysler Building, at 1,046 feet, passed it. The Empire State Building took the title on May 1, 1931 and kept it for about four decades, until the World Trade Center's North Tower passed it in 1970.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Empire State Building taller than the Eiffel Tower?

Yes. The Empire State Building is 1,454 feet (443 m) to the tip of its antenna and 1,250 feet (381 m) to its roof. The Eiffel Tower is 1,083 feet (330 m) including its antennas.

Which is older, the Eiffel Tower or the Empire State Building?

The Eiffel Tower. It was finished on March 31, 1889, and the Empire State Building opened on May 1, 1931, 42 years later.

How much does the Eiffel Tower weigh?

About 10,100 tonnes (11,100 US tons) in total, of which 7,300 tonnes is the iron frame, according to the tower's official website.

How many steps are in the Empire State Building?

1,860 steps from the street to the 102nd floor, according to the building's official facts and figures.

How tall was the Eiffel Tower when it was built?

300 meters (984 feet) in 1889. Antennas have since taken it to 330 meters (1,083 feet), the height since March 2022.

Sources

We read these pages for the numbers above. US customary units come first, metric second; conversions are rounded.

  1. Empire State Building: facts and figures
  2. Empire State Building: history
  3. Encyclopaedia Britannica: Empire State Building
  4. Wikipedia: Empire State Building (weight, tallest-building record)
  5. ABC15: Empire State Building visitor numbers
  6. Eiffel Tower: key figures
  7. Eiffel Tower: from 300 to 330 meters, the story of the tower's height
  8. Eiffel Tower: 15 essential things to know
  9. Eiffel Tower: how can you walk up the tower on foot?
  10. The Skyscraper Museum: Empire State Building
  11. The Skyscraper Museum: Chrysler Building

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