In addition to King Kong, who famously appeared atop a skyscraper in the 1933 film, several people have climbed the building in real life.
Who was the couple who climbed the Empire State Building?
Daredevil mountaineers Angela Nikolaou and Ivan Bielkas are making waves with their blatant marriage proposal atop the Empire State Building.
The masked couple who climbed the Empire State Building may know something about King Kong.
On July 1st, two people were arrested after climbing onto the roof of an iconic New York City building and holding up a banner to stage a marriage proposal. They remained in the 1.454-foot skyscraper for several minutes before descending and being taken into custody by the New York City Police Department.
Charges are pending, and it is unclear how they gained access to the Empire State Building’s spire and antenna.
A spokesperson for the Empire State Building said the “fraud incident” was resolved with coordination from the New York City Police Department. A spokesperson said in a statement that there was no threat to tenants, visitors or guests of the Empire State Building Observation Deck.
The couple, as they call themselves on social media, are among a select few known to have climbed skyscrapers, particularly spires, both in real life and in popular culture. The duo is also known for expanding buildings around the world.
“Everything else pales in comparison to King Kong,” said Brian Higgins, a lecturer at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice at the City University of New York and a former Bergen County police chief.
Aside from the fictional King Kong, who first appeared atop the skyscraper in the 1933 film, other real-life people have climbed the famous skyscraper, both legally and illegally.
From “French Spider-Man” to Jared Leto
According to Guinness World Records, in 1994 French mountaineer Alain Robert, nicknamed the “French Spider-Man”, illegally scaled a building. The organization ranks him as the person who has climbed the most buildings and records the amount of prison sentences he received for his climbs.
Actor Jared Leto became the first person to legally expand the Empire State Building in 2023, according to the Empire State Building’s website. He climbed from the 86th floor observation deck to reach the 104th floor and performed the song with his brother.
The Empire State Building is currently the sixth tallest building in the United States and the fourth tallest building in New York City, and remains an icon in film, art, and architecture. But compared to other venues the couple have climbed, such as Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, it doesn’t seem like a place people would normally climb.
In any case, Higgins, who runs a security company, said unauthorized climbing poses an immediate safety risk to both climbers and those below if someone falls. He said the building’s security measures were likely to be reviewed to find out how the couple gained access to the spire.
After the couple climbed it on July 1, Higgins suspects climbing the Empire State Building will be even more difficult.
Eduardo Cuevas is based in New York City. Contact us via email (emcuevas1@usatoday.com) or Signal (emcuevas.01).
