Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Tower

The Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Tower (also Met Life Tower) at One Madison Avenue, New York City was the world's tallest building from 1909 to 1913.

The Campanile in Venice, Italy served as an inspiration when the building was commissioned by the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company in 1907. Napoleon Lebrun & Sons designed the 700 feet (213 m) tower with 52 floors, more than twice the height of its old world counter part, and completed the building by 1909.

There are 4 clocks on each side of the building. Each clock is 26.5 feet (8 m) in diameter with each number being 4 feet (1.2 m) tall. The minute hands each weigh half a ton. The original tower was sheathed in Tackahoe marble but during the 1964 renovation plain limestone was used to cover the tower.

The completion of the Woolworth Building in 1913 ended the Met Life Tower's reign as the tallest building in the world.