CENTRAL PARK

Description

Essentials about Central Park in brief

It is the most famous park in the world and certainly one of the most beautiful and versatile: Central Park. The huge green lung of Manhattan extends over a length of 4,070 meters from 59th to 110th Street and over a width of 860 meters between Fifth Avenue and 8th Avenue. With a total area of 349 hectares, Central Park occupies a full six percent of Manhattan’s land area. Tourists and New Yorkers alike love Central Park. It’s no wonder that with so much love and so many attractions, on some days over half a million people come to Central Park and the park has more than 25 million visitors every year.

The history of Central Park

The original idea for the creation of Central Park came from Andrew Jackson Downing, the most important landscape designer in the USA at the beginning of the 19th century. He was responding to the population’s desire for a recreational area, as there were hardly any leisure and entertainment facilities in New York City at the time. He envisioned a large public park where people could walk, ride, row, play baseball, golf, and cricket, and where there would also be playgrounds.

Downing traveled Europe to look at parks there for inspiration for his proposal. In 1851, the idea of a large park was first discussed publicly. Eventually, it was wealthy merchant Robert B. Minturn and his wife Anna M. Wendell who formed a committee of like-minded citizens to realize a park similar to the European models. In 1853, the New York City Council finally purchased a 280-acre tract of land between 59th and 106th Streets for the park’s realization.

In 1857, the city established a park commission that launched a competition to gather proposals for the park’s layout. Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, two landscape architects, emerged as the winners of the competition. Their park design was to recreate sections of the different areas of the U.S. as a natural park, but also to incorporate numerous plazas, playgrounds, and places for well-being and diversion (e.g., restaurants and observation towers). It should eventually become a park for all citizens and an oasis of recreation.

In addition, the connecting streets leading from 5th to 8th Avenue through the park were to be lowered so as not to disturb the overall landscape impression. In addition, architectural structures were to be largely avoided. A promenade was to run along a lake and the footpaths were to be located away from the roadways so that people could stroll undisturbed. The park commission ultimately made only a few changes to Olmsted and Vaux’s design.

The construction of Central Park

Construction began in 1858, and over the next fifteen years until Central Park opened, workers turned over just about every inch of the site. Inconceivable amounts of earth and rock were blasted, excavated, or brought into the park to raise or lower surfaces and reroute waterways. More than 270,000 trees and shrubs were planted. It is safe to say that the work on Central Park is still ongoing today, as the park continues to be adapted and redesigned to meet new needs. However, the original landscape has always been preserved.

The sights and attractions of Central Park

There are so many things to see and do in Central Park that it is completely impossible to see all the sights in the park in just one day. You can discover something new in the park every day. The attractions listed here in alphabetical order are only a small part of what the park has to offer its visitors:

Balto

This dog really deserves a monument. In 1925, the heroic husky Balto saved the residents of Nome in western Alaska from diphtheria. To get the vaccine, the husky fought his way through ice, rivers and snow for nearly 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers). In recognition of his bravery, the famous sculptor Frederick George Richard Roth created a monument to the dog in Central Park. Children still love Balto today, because they are allowed to climb on the statue and be very close to the hero.

Belvedere Castle

In the 19th century, a castle was built on top of Vista Rock, a 450-million-year-old rock at the 79th Street level in the middle of the park. Until the 1960s, this site was used by the New York Meteorological Observatory to predict the weather. By the way, the name “Belvedere” comes from Italian and means “beautiful view”. The name is absolutely justified, because from Belvedere Castle you actually have a great view of the adjacent lake Turtle Pond (where turtles really live). On the opposite shore of Turtle Pond is the open-air Delacorte Theater, where you can watch Shakespeare performances for free in the summer.

Bethesda Terrace and Fountain

Bethesda Terrace in the middle of the park at the level of 72nd Street is the heart of Central Park. From its steps you can enjoy a beautiful view of the lake and Bethesda Fountain. Because of the excellent acoustics under the stairs, many street performers come here to play music. In the middle of the square is Bethesda Fountain, one of the most famous fountains in the world. It is also known as the “Angel of the Waters” because of its brozen angel statue. Below the angel are four cherubs symbolizing health, purity, chastity and peace.

Bridges

Central Park is also known for its beautiful bridges. Many of them are known from various movies. Probably the most popular is Bow Bridge. The elegantly curved bridge is located at the level of 74th Street in the middle of the park. With a little luck, you can witness a marriage proposal on Bow Bridge.

Central Park Carousel

Located on the 65th St Transverse running through Central Park, this vintage-style carousel is a big hit with young children and fun for the whole family.

Central Park Zoo

If the squirrels and other animals of Central Park are not enough, you should visit the Central Park Zoo. Here you can see grizzly bears, leopards, lions, monkeys, penguins and many other non-native animals. The zoo is small, but well worth a visit, because the enclosures of the animals are very close to nature. There is also a separate petting zoo for children. Central Park Zoo is located in the southeast corner of the park on Fifth Avenue and between 63rd and 66th Street.

Harlem Meer

If you want to enjoy a little peace and quiet in Central Park away from the crowds, you should make your way to the Harlem Meer. Located in the northeast corner of the park, the lake is a paradise for nature lovers, as there is a great variety of trees and plants around the water. Especially the rose blossom in spring is beautiful.

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir

The large reservoir, which stretches from 85th to 96th Street and from east to west across Central Park, is one of the most popular walking and jogging routes in New York City. The 2.4-kilometer loop around the lake was once also the former First Lady’s favorite jogging route. In gratitude for her great commitment to the city, the reservoir was named after her in 1994.

Loeb Boathouse

If you want to take a bike ride through Central Park or take a boat across The Lake, you have to go to the Loeb Boathouse. The boathouse is located on the east side of the park between 74th and 75th Street. Here you can rent bikes and boats of all kinds. If you want to walk further, you can also just enjoy the fantastic view over the lake with a snack or drink at the Loeb Boathouse.

Naumburg Bandshell

Located just south of Bethesda Terrace, the 1923 Naumburg Bandshell is the only neoclassical building in Central Park. Elkan Naumburg, a New York banker and philanthropist, financed the construction of this concert venue. Musical events are held here on a regular basis. Even on days when there are no concerts, the Naumburg Bandshell is usually well attended because of its beautiful architecture.

Shakespeare Garden

Located next to Belvedere Castle, Shakespeare Garden is a great place to unwind with a stroll. It is a beautiful, lushly planted garden that is a welcome change from the steel-and-glass-and-concrete canyons of Manhattan. Many of the garden’s plants are mentioned in the works of Shakespeare. The garden is located near the Delacorte Theater, where the works of England’s national poet are performed during the summer months as part of the “Shakespeare in the Park” theater series.

Sheep Meadow

Nowadays, you don’t run into any woolly animals on Sheep Meadow, but until 1934, the meadow on the west side of Central Park between 66th and 69th Streets was actually still used as a sheep pasture. Incidentally, the shepherd lived in a nearby building that now houses the fancy Tavern on the Green restaurant. Sheep Meadow is one of the best places in all of Central Park to sunbathe, picnic and relax. In fact, you can find an open spot most of the time here, and the view of the skyscrapers towering above the trees is simply breathtaking. In August, Sheep Meadow turns into an outdoor movie theater with free admission.

Strawberry Fields

Located at the height of 72nd Street on the western side of Central Park, Strawberry Fields is a pilgrimage site for die-hard John Lennon fans. Lennon was shot and killed in 1980 outside his apartment in the Dakota Building near Central Park. After his death, the memorial named after his song “Strawberry Fields Forever” was designed at his favorite spot in the park as a symbol of peace. At the famous Imagine mosaic, John Lennon fans gather to this day to lay flowers, poems and candles and sing songs together.

The Great Lawn

The Great Lawn is the geographic center of the park (from 79th to 86th Street) and probably the most famous lawn in the world. Here you can relax on a picnic blanket or in a deck chair and watch New Yorkers doing the same. For sports enthusiasts, there are basketball courts and baseball fields, and plenty of space for numerous other sports as well. In the summer, free concerts are held on the Great Lawn.

Hidden waterfalls

Yes, there are even waterfalls in Central Park. If you enter the park from the western side at 102nd Street and follow the river called “The Loch” to 106th Street, you will find them.

Wollman Rink

New York City has many ice rinks in the winter, but the Wollman Rink in the southern part of Central Park is probably hard to beat for its beautiful scenery. The rink is open from late October to early April. From May to September, the rink transforms into an amusement park with plenty of rides and game booths.

Orientation in Central Park

And last but not least, an important practical tip: If you have lost your bearings in Central Park and no longer know where you are, you should go to one of the more than 1,500 park lanterns. Each lamppost has a code of at least four digits on a plaque. The first two numbers represent the elevation of the nearest street and the last digits tell whether one is more on the East or West Side (even numbers represent the East Side, odd numbers the West Side). So, for example, if you read the code 7702, you are on the East Side at 77th St level. If the plaque reads 8811, then you are near 88th St on the West Side.