Rockefeller Center

NYC landmarks · architecture · skyscrapers

Huge city block. Rockefeller Center covers 22 acres and has 19 buildings all connected together in Midtown Manhattan, making it one of the biggest building complexes in New York City.

Art deco style. The 14 original buildings were designed in the Art Deco style, which means they have bold shapes, fancy decorations, and shiny materials that make them look really cool and glamorous.

Built by Rockefellers. The Rockefeller family, one of the richest families in America, paid for the whole complex to be built starting in the late 1920s.

Public gathering place. The center has a famous sunken plaza where thousands of people come to eat, shop, and in winter, skate on an ice rink surrounded by tall buildings.

Mix of styles. While most buildings are Art Deco, the complex also includes newer International Style buildings added later on the west side, showing how architecture changed over time.