Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Tower Building

Address: 1 Madison Avenue (Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Tower), New York, NY, USA

The Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Tower is an early 20th-century skyscraper located at 1 Madison Avenue in Manhattan, New York City, notable for its tall clock tower. The building was completed in 1909 and was for a time the world’s tallest building.

Observers note the tower’s distinctive classical clock tower silhouette and detailed masonry base as an example of early skyscraper design. The tower’s four-faced clock and its location on Madison Avenue make it a local architectural landmark.

Constructed as the headquarters of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, the tower drew inspiration from St. Mark’s Campanile in Venice and opened in 1909. Its height briefly made it the tallest building in the world until later taller skyscrapers were completed.

The tower stands on Madison Avenue at East 23rd Street in Manhattan, close to Madison Square Park and the Flatiron District. It is within a short walk of several subway lines and other midtown landmarks.

• Tallest building (historic): Completed in 1909 and for a period held the title of the world’s tallest building until surpassed in 1913.

What to See#

• Clock tower: The clock tower rises above the base insurance building and is modelled on the campanile of St. Mark’s in Venice; the tower contains a large clock visible on four faces.

The Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Tower (the Met Life Tower) stands at Madison Avenue and East 23rd Street adjacent to Madison Square Park in Manhattan. The nearest subway stations are 23rd Street (6 line) at Park Avenue South and 23rd Street (R/W) at Broadway - both are only a 2-5 minute walk. The building is directly accessible by street (Madison Avenue/East 23rd Street) if driving; curbside parking and metered spaces are typical in the neighborhood.

• View the Met Life Tower from Madison Square Park or the Flatiron Plaza for the best vantage points - the park frames the tower's clock face and gives unobstructed photo angles.
• Don't expect public access to an observation deck - the building is working/residential and interior access is generally restricted, so plan exterior viewing rather than trying to enter.
• Time your visit for early morning or evening light to capture the clock tower details without daytime pedestrian congestion around the park.