NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 26, 2026--
Love is in the air at the “World’s Most Romantic Building.” The Empire State Building (ESB) today announced its romantic Valentine’s Day plans for couples in NYC, which include an over-the-top date night, Paint ‘n Pour classes, romantic movie screenings, a sunrise experience, and more.
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“The Empire State Building Observation Deck has played a role in countless love stories throughout its 95-year history, from Hollywood movies to first dates and proposals,” said Dan Rogoski, observatory general manager. “Our world-famous Observatory Experience is the top NYC attraction for couples to make unforgettable memories on Valentine’s Day.”
The Empire State Building’s world-famous Observatory Experience underwent a $165 million reimagination that added a new interactive museum with nine galleries, bespoke host uniforms, and an upgraded 102 nd Floor Observation Deck with unmatched views from the heart of New York City. The iconic Observatory Experience was voted the #1 top attraction in NYC for the fourth consecutive year in the 2025 Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice Awards: Best of the Best Things to Do.
Hi-res imagery can be found here.
Learn more about the Empire State Building can be found online.
About the Empire State Building
The Empire State Building, the “World's Most Famous Building," owned by Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. (ESRT: NYSE), soars 1,454 feet above Midtown Manhattan from base to antenna. The $165 million reimagination of the Empire State Building Observatory Experience created an all-new experience with a dedicated guest entrance, an interactive museum with nine galleries, and a redesigned 102 nd Floor Observatory with floor-to-ceiling windows. The journey to the world-famous 86 th Floor Observatory, the only 360-degree, open-air observatory with views of New York and beyond, orients visitors for their entire New York City experience and covers everything from the building's iconic history to its current place in pop culture. The Empire State Building Observatory Experience welcomes millions of visitors each year and is ranked the #1 Top Attraction in New York City for the fourth consecutive year in Tripadvisor’s 2025 Travelers’ Choice Awards: Best of the Best Things to Do, "America's Favorite Building" by the American Institute of Architects, the world's most popular travel destination by Uber, and the #1 New York City attraction in Lonely Planet’s Ultimate Travel List.
Since 2011, the building has been fully powered by renewable wind electricity, and its many floors house a diverse array of office tenants such as LinkedIn and Shutterstock, as well as retail options like STATE Grill and Bar, Tacombi, and Starbucks. For more information and Observatory Experience tickets visit esbnyc.com or follow the building's Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, Weibo, YouTube, or TikTok.
Source: Empire State Realty Trust
Category: Observatory
The World’s Most Romantic Building: ESB Celebrates Valentine’s Day 2026 with NYC's Most Extravagant Date Night, Romantic Paint ‘n Pour Classes, ‘Sleepless in Seattle’ Screenings, Proposal Package, and More
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Leo celebrated his first Easter Mass as pontiff with a call Sunday to exercise hope against “the violence of war that kills and destroys,’’ saying “we need this song of hope today” as conflicts spread around the world.
With the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran in its second month and Russia’s ongoing campaign in Ukraine, Leo has repeatedly called for a halt in hostilities. In his Easter homily, the pope singled out those who wage war, abuse the weak and prioritize profits.
Leo, the first U.S.-born pope, addressed the faithful from an open-air altar in St. Peter’s Square flanked with white roses, while the steps leading down to the piazza where the faithful gathered were filled with spring perennials, symbolically resonating with the pope’s message of hope.
The pontiff implored the faithful to keep their hope in the face of death, which lurks “in injustices, in partisan selfishness, in the oppression of the poor, in the lack of attention given to the most vulnerable.
“We see it in violence, in the wounds of the world, in the cry of pain that rises from every corner because of the abuses that crush the weakest among us, because of the idolatry of profit that plunders the earth’s resources, because of the violence of war that kills and destroys," he said.
He quoted his predecessor Pope Francis in warning against falling into indifference in the face of “persistent injustice, evil, indifference and cruelty," because “it is also true that in the midst of darkness, something new always springs to life and sooner or later produces fruit.”
He will later deliver the traditional “Urbi et Orbi” message — Latin for “to the city and the world.’’
Traditional ceremonies at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, revered by Christians as the traditional site of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, were scaled back under an agreement with Israeli police. Authorities have put limits on the sizes of public gatherings due to ongoing missile attacks.
The restrictions also dampened the recent Muslim holy month of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr holiday, as well as the current weeklong Jewish festival of Passover. On Sunday, the Jewish priestly blessing at the Western Wall — normally attended by tens of thousands — was limited to just 50 people.
The restrictions have strained relations between Israeli authorities and Christian leaders. Police last week prevented two of the church’s top religious leaders, including Latin Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa, from celebrating Palm Sunday at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
On Tuesday, the pope had expressed hope that the war could be finished before Easter.
Barry reported from Milan. Josef Federman in Jerusalem contributed.
Pope Leo XIV presides over Easter Mass in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Sunday, April 5, 2026 (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Clergy follow Pope Leo XIV as he presides over Easter Mass in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Sunday, April 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Pope Leo XIV presides over Easter Mass in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Sunday, April 5, 2026 (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Pope Leo XIV arrives to preside over Easter Mass in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Sunday, April 5, 2026 (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Pope Leo XIV sprinkles holy water with a bunch of hyssop sprigs as he presides over Easter Mass in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, Sunday, April 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
