Whether you’re a native or a visitor, you’ve surely observed that very few New York City skyscrapers feature a thirteenth level. You can almost count on it: from the 12th to the 14th level, your hotel’s elevator will effortlessly transport you. How magical is this? Most likely not. What, all this belief in the supernatural? Almost certainly.
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Is There Any Truth to the Rumour That the 13th Floor has Sway over New York City Property Values? Absolutely.
As with any superstition, its origins are lost in the mists of time. Historically, the mentioned number has been associated with bad luck, especially in Western society. Since Judas, the 13th guest at the table, betrayed Jesus, some academics believe that the Last Supper is where the tradition began. However, the questionable number is seen in other traditions as well. Both Norse mythology and early Hinduism feature unlucky 13s.
Aversion to the 13th floor may be widespread in New York City because of early architectural fears of constructing structures that were too tall. Before tall skyscrapers dotted the cityscape, critics warned that anything taller than 13 storeys would cast too much darkness over the area, making it uninhabitable. Wow, that’s scary!
The number 13 has been associated with witchcraft for centuries in New York City, however there is no evidence that living on the 13th level is dangerous.
When was the Last Time you Heard of a Building With a Level 13?
Contrarily, the fabled Empire State Building does in fact have a thirteenth level. Despite the triskaidekaphobia of its tenants, the skyscraper was the tallest in the world for 40 years (1931-1972). Only eight other structures in the world have kept this record longer.
Why Do We Not Visit the Thirteenth Floor?
When counting hotel floors, some establishments skip over 13 and continue counting up from 14. This is not exclusive to Skyscrapers; it applies to all buildings of this height and height. This is due to a fear of the number 13 and the associated disease triskaidekaphobia.
Owners of modern skyscrapers have fretted for decades that tenants may refuse to live on the “unlucky” floor because of superstition.
Otis Elevator reports that between 80% and 90% of their elevators in high-rises and major hotels do not have a button for the 13th level. For obvious reasons, many apartment complexes don’t have a 13th level. It’s possible that working there for 40 hours a week is tolerable, but residents on the 13th level would rather not spend their free time there.
Last Words
Maybe we’re mistaken about everything and the number 13 is just a random intermediate value between 12 and 14. Having said that, I will now terminate this message. Hope you have a blessed and insurance-claim-free Friday the 13th.
