Empire State Building Climbers: Who Has Reached the Top and How?
The Empire State Building climbers who attract the most attention are not necessarily the people who race up its stairs. Some have illegally scaled the outside of the landmark, while others have competed in the official Empire State Building Observation Deck Run-Up. In July 2026, Russian urban climbers Angelina Nikolau and Ivan Kuznetsov brought renewed attention to the subject after reaching the building’s broadcast antenna in an unauthorized stunt that ended with their arrest.
But they are not the first people to attempt an extraordinary ascent of the Empire State Building. French climber Alain Robert reached the building in 1994, while thousands of athletes have legally tackled its stairwell since the Empire State Building Run-Up began in 1978.
So who has actually climbed the Empire State Building, how did they reach the top, and what is the difference between a legal stair race and an unauthorized skyscraper ascent?
Who Has Climbed the Empire State Building?
There are several answers depending on what is meant by “climbed.”
The building has a public observation deck, internal stairways and a much more restricted upper structure leading toward its antenna. That means reaching the top can refer to very different achievements.
Angelina Nikolau and Ivan Kuznetsov
The most recent high-profile case happened on July 1, 2026.
Urban climbers Angelina Nikolau and Ivan Kuznetsov, who are also known by the names Angela Nikolau and Ivan Beerkus, reached the Empire State Building’s antenna, approximately 1,454 feet above Manhattan. The pair were already known for unauthorized skyscraper climbs and were featured in the 2024 Netflix documentary Skywalkers: A Love Story.
At the top, they displayed a banner and later turned the stunt into a marriage proposal. Their climb was not an official Empire State Building event. Authorities arrested the pair after they descended, and prosecutors brought multiple charges against them.
The incident quickly became one of the most talked-about examples of modern Empire State Building climbers, partly because the couple managed to reach an area far beyond the normal visitor experience.
Alain Robert, the “French Spider-Man”
One of the most famous earlier climbers was French free climber Alain Robert.
In 1994, Robert illegally climbed the Empire State Building without conventional climbing equipment. Guinness World Records describes the ascent as an unassisted and unequipped climb. Robert became internationally famous for scaling skyscrapers and other major structures around the world.
His Empire State Building ascent is particularly notable because it was not a stairwell race. He climbed the exterior of the skyscraper itself.
Robert’s climb helped establish the Empire State Building as one of the world’s most recognizable targets for urban climbers, although unauthorized climbing remains dangerous and prohibited.
How Did the 2026 Climbers Reach the Top?
The 2026 incident was fundamentally different from the official tower race.
According to reporting on the case, Nikolau and Kuznetsov accessed restricted areas of the building and eventually made their way toward the broadcast antenna. Investigators said the antenna had to be powered down before emergency personnel could safely approach them.
They eventually descended and were taken into custody.
Because the climb involved restricted areas and significant danger, it should not be confused with an ordinary visit to the Empire State Building or participation in the official Run-Up.
It is also important not to treat reports about their route as a climbing guide. Unauthorized skyscraper climbing can put the climbers, emergency responders and people below at risk.
How High Is the Empire State Building?
The Empire State Building’s official figures help explain why these climbs are so difficult.
The building is 1,454 feet (443 meters) tall, including its spire and antenna. The roof of the 102nd floor is 1,250 feet above the street. The building has 103 floors and 1,860 steps from street level to the 102nd-floor observation deck.
However, the official Empire State Building Run-Up does not take participants all the way to the antenna.
The race finishes at the 86th-floor observation deck after competitors climb 1,576 stairs, covering approximately 1,050 vertical feet.
That distinction matters.
| Type of climb | Destination | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Empire State Building Run-Up | 86th-floor observation deck | Official event |
| Tourist visit | Observation decks | Legal |
| Alain Robert’s 1994 ascent | Exterior/top of building | Unauthorized |
| 2026 Nikolau-Kuznetsov climb | Broadcast antenna | Unauthorized |
| King Kong | Fictional summit | Movie fantasy |
The Legal Way to Climb the Empire State Building
For people who want the physical challenge of climbing the Empire State Building, there is an official option: the Empire State Building Observation Deck Run-Up.
The event began in 1978 and has become one of the world’s best-known tower races. Competitors climb 86 flights and 1,576 steps before reaching the observation deck. The Empire State Building describes it as a test of endurance for tower-running athletes from around the world.
The 2026 edition is scheduled for October 6, 2026, at 8 p.m.
Who Holds the Empire State Building Climbing Records?
The official Run-Up has produced some remarkable times.
Paul Crake of Australia holds the men’s course record with a time of 9 minutes and 33 seconds, set in 2003.
For women, Andrea Mayr of Austria holds the record at 11 minutes and 23 seconds, set in 2006.
Other competitors have dominated the event over multiple years. Germany’s Thomas Dold has seven men’s invitational victories, while Australia’s Suzy Walsham has ten women’s invitational victories.
These athletes are genuine Empire State Building climbers, but their achievement is based on speed and endurance inside the building rather than on scaling the exterior.
Why Is the Empire State Building Run-Up So Difficult?
Climbing stairs for more than 80 floors sounds straightforward until the physical demands become clear.
The race involves:
- 1,576 stairs
- 86 floors
- Approximately 1,050 vertical feet
- A narrow stairwell rather than an open running course
- Continuous upward movement with very little opportunity to recover
The official event page notes that the fastest competitors can complete the ascent in roughly ten minutes.
For elite tower runners, the challenge is not simply reaching the top. It is maintaining an extremely high pace while their legs and cardiovascular system are under sustained stress.
King Kong and the Empire State Building
There is one famous “climber” who technically never existed: King Kong.
The 1933 movie King Kong made the image of a giant ape perched on top of the Empire State Building one of the most recognizable scenes in film history. The skyscraper became permanently associated with the fictional climb, even though the real-world building had only recently opened.
The connection has lasted for generations. Later versions and adaptations of King Kong continued to use the Empire State Building as part of the character’s mythology.
That fictional history is one reason the question “Who climbed the Empire State Building?” can produce two very different answers: King Kong in popular culture, and real climbers such as Alain Robert and the 2026 pair in real life.
Is It Legal to Climb the Empire State Building?
No. Unauthorized exterior or restricted-area climbing is not a normal or permitted way to visit the Empire State Building.
Visitors can legally access the building’s observation decks, while athletes can participate in the organized Run-Up when eligible.
Unauthorized climbs are a completely different matter. The 2026 Nikolau-Kuznetsov incident resulted in arrests and criminal charges, demonstrating the legal consequences that can follow an unauthorized ascent.
For anyone fascinated by skyscraper climbing, the official Run-Up provides a much safer way to experience the building’s vertical challenge.
Why Do People Climb Skyscrapers?
Urban climbing, sometimes called buildering or rooftopping, has attracted daredevils for decades.
For some climbers, the motivation is athletic achievement. Others are attracted by photography, exploration, publicity or the psychological challenge of overcoming fear.
But the spectacular photographs can hide the real danger.
At hundreds of feet above the ground, a small mistake can become fatal. There are also risks involving weather, slippery surfaces, structural equipment, security systems and emergency responses.
The 2026 Empire State Building incident illustrates another problem: rescuers may have to enter the same dangerous environment to reach someone who has climbed without authorization.
That is why the official stair race is such an important distinction. It preserves the challenge of climbing the skyscraper while keeping participants within a controlled event.
The Bottom Line on Empire State Building Climbers
The history of Empire State Building climbers includes athletes, professional urban climbers and fictional characters.
Alain Robert’s 1994 exterior ascent remains one of the building’s most famous real-world climbs. In 2026, Angelina Nikolau and Ivan Kuznetsov renewed worldwide attention after reaching the broadcast antenna during an unauthorized stunt that ended in arrests.
For athletes, however, the most established route is the Empire State Building Observation Deck Run-Up. Since 1978, competitors have raced up 1,576 stairs to the 86th floor, with elite climbers completing the course in around ten minutes.
So while reaching the Empire State Building’s antenna makes for a dramatic headline, the building’s most enduring climbing tradition is the one that happens inside its stairwell.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has climbed the Empire State Building?
Several people have made notable ascents. Alain Robert climbed the exterior in 1994, while Angelina Nikolau and Ivan Kuznetsov reached the broadcast antenna in an unauthorized 2026 stunt. Thousands of athletes have also climbed the internal stairs as participants in the official Empire State Building Run-Up.
Who climbed the Empire State Building in 2026?
Angelina Nikolau and Ivan Kuznetsov, also known publicly as Angela Nikolau and Ivan Beerkus, climbed to the Empire State Building’s broadcast antenna on July 1, 2026. They were subsequently arrested and faced multiple criminal charges related to the unauthorized stunt.
Did Alain Robert climb the Empire State Building?
Yes. French climber Alain Robert climbed the Empire State Building in 1994. Guinness World Records describes the ascent as an unassisted, unequipped and illegal climb. Robert became internationally known for scaling skyscrapers around the world.
How many stairs do Empire State Building climbers climb?
Participants in the official Empire State Building Observation Deck Run-Up climb 1,576 stairs over 86 floors to reach the 86th-floor observation deck. The building itself has 1,860 steps from street level to the 102nd-floor observation deck.
What is the Empire State Building Run-Up record?
The men’s course record is 9 minutes and 33 seconds, set by Australia’s Paul Crake in 2003. The women’s record is 11 minutes and 23 seconds, set by Austria’s Andrea Mayr in 2006.
Can tourists climb the Empire State Building?
Visitors can legally visit the Empire State Building’s observation decks, but tourists do not normally climb the building’s exterior or restricted upper structures. The official Run-Up is the organized event for people who want to climb the building’s stairs competitively.
Is it safe to climb the outside of the Empire State Building?
Unauthorized exterior climbing is extremely dangerous and is not a legitimate alternative to visiting the building or entering the official Run-Up. Falls, weather conditions, structural hazards and the danger faced by emergency responders make these stunts particularly risky.
