New York, perhaps the most famous city in the United States, has one of the most recognizable skylines of any city in the world. Known for its numerous skyscrapers, there are many important and well recognized buildings in the three major "skyline areas" of New York (Midtown Manhattan, Lower Manhattan, and Downtown Brooklyn.)

Midtown Manhattan, the largest of the three skylines, contains a number of very famous buildings. First publicly opened in 1930, the Chrysler Building was the first building to surpass the 1,000 ft tall mark, and was at the time both the tallest building and tallest manmade structure in the world. It remains the tallest brick building to this day.

The Empire State Building surpassed the Chrysler Building when it was completed in 1931, and remained the tallest building in the world for over forty years. After the 9/11 attacks, it is currently the tallest skyscraper in New York City. There is an observation deck on the 86th floor that is a very popular destination for tourists. The Empire State Building has appeared in a number of films, and is probably best known for being the building that the giant ape King Kong scales at the climax of the movie of the same name.

The GE Building is a skyscraper inspired by the Gothic style, and a focal point of the world-famous Rockefeller Center. Built in the 1930's, the GE Building is one of the few skyscrapers from this era that doesn't have a spire on top. It is currently the headquarters of NBC, and holds most of the company's studios in the city. Many famous shows have been or are currently filmed there, including Saturday Night Live.

Designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, a well-known German architect, the Seagram Building was completed in 1958. As one of the most important influences on modern architecture, the Seagram Building has inspired the style of many of the skyscrapers that were built after it, both in New York and around the world. One of the main features of the building was its expression of the structure visible externally, a relatively novel concept at the time the building was built.