Important Buildings of New York

Empire State Building

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The Empire State Building is one of the most recognizable structures in the world. An U.S. National Historic Landmark, it is been a symbol of New York ever since construction was completed in 1931. It is designed in the Art Deco style that was popular at that time. The Empire State Building rises 381m above the heart of Manhattan, making it one of the best spots to view the city. The Empire State Building has two observation decks located on the 86th and 102nd floor. The Observation decks are open 365 days a year and have entertained over 117 million people.

One of the most notable features of the Empire State Building is its top portion. Besides housing a TV transmitter that reaches over 8 million homes, the top 30 floors of the Empire State Building are often illuminated at night with seasonal colors; red, white and blue for July 4th, Blue and white for for Hanukkah, red and white for Valentine's Day, etc.

Today, the Empire State building has more to offer than just a spectacular view. There are also three restaurants, three coffee shops, several specialty boutiques, a post office and two banks located inside the building.

Statue of Liberty

The icon for the tired, huddled masses has attracted over three and a half million people since its renovation and subsequent reopening for her centennial on July 4, 1986. The steel skeleton was designed by Gustave Eiffel (of Eiffel Tower fame), and the one hundred and fifty-four- foot pedestal on which the Lady rests was designed by Richard Hunt and dedicated in 1886. Since then, the structure has been a symbol of America's willingness to care for the unfortunate and downtrodden, happily scooping them up from their ships and allowing them access to the Land of Opportunity. Things are a bit different in modern times, but the message remains.

After hopping the ferry across the Hudson to Liberty Island (near Ellis Island in the lower Manhattan area), you will be standing toe to toe with The Statue of Liberty. Three hundred and fifty-four steps to the top, or take the elevator to the tenth floor.

For a different view of the Statue, charter a boat and go at night. Lady Liberty is absolutely radiant when she is all dolled up after dark, and it provides the perfect atmosphere for wining, dining, and humming the Star Spangled Banner.

World Trade Center

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When you hear the words "New York" you immediately think of large buildings which combine to form the city's trademark skyline. The World Trade Center and the Empire State Building are the cornerstones in this huge skyline.

If for some strange reason you have trouble locating the World Trade Center, it can be found at Church Street between Vesey and Liberty Streets. The remarkable 110-story structure is fully equipped with a seventy-foot basement that houses both a commuter train and storage facilities, not to mention parking accommodations for two thousand cars. Construction on the Center began in 1966 and finished four years later. Today it is the home for many businesses and corporations and offers a capacity of over 70,000 inhabitants, most of whom are employees of the big businesses. Of course, it is also quite popular as a tourist attraction, and the views of the city that are offered are absolutely breathtaking and not to be missed. A particular note is the observation tower located on the 107th floor of the building. This outdoor installation is studded with binocular stations. The taxicabs look like Matchbox cars and the people are like ants.

The edges of the building are, of course, extremely marked and safeguarded, but it is still very terrific.

Rockefeller Center

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One of the most stilistic and wealthy areas of the city, Rockefeller Center is the perfect spot for shopping, eating, and relaxing. Rockeleller Center is a wonderland of restaurants, theaters, and other imposing structures. It is also the site of the world-famous Christmas tree lighting and ice skating rink, as well as NBC Studios and Radio City Music Hall. The architecture is breathtaking, the epitome of art deco design. You might notice a small bar by the name of Hurley's that seems to be a bit out of place among the sprawling monsters that surround it. Rockefeller Center boasts 26 restaurants that cater to an upscale crowd.

Radio City Music Hall is a landmark within a landmark. It is an example of the Art deco style. Home to the world-famous Rockettes chorus line, Radio City Music Hall is one of the largest indoor theaters in America. Designed by Donald Deskey with a capacity of 6,200-seats.

The most striking feature of the theater is the design of the arch above the stage. The arch represents a sun setting over the sea designed in the rounded Art Deco style that was popular when the theater opened in 1932.

The most famous feature of Radio City's stage is the Rockettes chorus line. Their annual Christmas show is a harbinger of the holiday season.

Central Park

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Central Park was the first landscaped public park in the United States, and continues to function as a sort of oasis in the heart of a big city. It is located in the middle of Manhattan, and millions of the city's residents visit the Central Park, as well as a popular tourist attraction and site of several interesting things to see and do. Besides jogging, biking, and rollerblading trails and wide open spaces, Central Park offers several activities that will allow you to stop and take a break from all the cars and skyscrapers The park was conceived back in 1853, when the state legislature authorized the City of New York to use its political might to use up over seven hundred acres of land in the heart of Manhattan. The park was created by moving almost two thousand poorer residents from their slums and completely overhauling the area, planting grass, leveling land, and basically beautifying an area that wasn't all too beautiful. When complete, it started attracting crowds almost immediately, and by 1865, over seven million people visited yearly. This holds true right up to the present day, with free concerts and events adding even more to the park's charm.

One of the most noted highlights of the park is the Central Park Wildlife Center, a zoo which is host to over a hundred species, including sea lions, penguins, and even polar bears. It is amazing to see exotic animals in the middle of a park in the middle of a city. The Great Lawn is essentially everything in the middle of the park. There are also baseball fields and picnic groves for everyone.

John Lennon in the wake of his tragic shooting just accross the sreet, the Fields immediately call to mind the Beatles song of 1967.

Wollman Memorial Rink is another refuge- amassive skating facility. It is ideal for a spin on the ice during the winter month, or a rollerblade during the summer.

St. Patrick`s Cathedral

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Few buildings in the world are as spellbinding as New York's own St. Patrick's Cathedral. Located in Midtown Manhattan, the house of worship's intensely Gothic architecture immediately hides in the skyscrapers of Manhattan.

With a seating capacity of 2,400, St. Patrick's is the largest Catholic cathedral in the United States. Its foundations were set in 1859 but construction, which was based on the architectural design of James Renwick, was not completed until 1879. Named after the patron saint of the Irish, it serves as the headquarters of the New York Archdiocese and houses several Sunday worship services, as well as other activities during the week.

The ceilings reach 330 feet at their highest points, a pair of spires, and the rose window at the entrance. As you sit in the pews, giant statues of saints look at you from all sides. St. Patrick's Cathedral is one of the architectural wonders of the city.

The Brooklyn Bridge

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The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the most famous architectural landmarks in New York. It has been called the "Eighth Wonder of the World". The Brooklyn Bridge spans the East River and connects Brooklyn to lower Manhattan. Today, as one of the three bridges that connects Brooklyn to Manhattan, it handles thousands of automobiles and pedestrians everyday. John Augustus Roebling came up with idea for the Brooklyn Bridge when the ferry that was then the only way to get to Manhattan, was not able to run because of bad weather. Roebling began work in 1867, but a monumental undertaking was very dangerous. Roebling died in an accident two years after constuction began. His son Washington took over construction, but was himself crippled when he was working underwater on the bridge's towers. Washington's wife Emily took over construction by relaying her husband's bedside commands and overseeing the workers.

The bridge is over six thousand feet long and was the longest suspension bridge in the world for many years. The Brooklin Bridge grew to symbolize the country's progress and imagination.

The United Nations

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The United Nations is a pretty important thing. It stands to reason that the United Nations World Headquarters would be a pretty important place. It's located at First Avenue here in good old NYC with overlooking the East River.

The United Nations Headquarters is an eighteen acre area, part of which houses a hundred and eighty five member-inclusive complex. The flags of each countries are displayed proudly up on poles outside, right along United Nations Plaza. The complex itself was designed by eleven architects, led by Wallace K. Harrison from the United States.

There are six main parts of the United Nations: the Secretariat does all the menial, day-to-day operations; translators, reporters, and the like. The Security Council keeps the peace. The General Assembly votes on issues like the environment and race relations, the Economic and Social Council coordinates economic and social well-being, the Trusteeship Council helps self-governing countries achieve independence, and the International Court of Justice punishes criminals, reviews complaints, and things of that nature.

Madison Square Garden

Named "The World's Most Famous Arena", the Garden has over five million fans a year passing through its doors. It is the home of three different kinds of New York Sports: The Knicks, The Rangers and the Liberty (WNBA). It is also the site for numerous other events like the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, Ringling Bros. And Barnum & Bailey Circus, World Championship Boxing and much more.

In 1968 the construction of the new Madison Square Garden was completed.

In 1968 the new Garden was opened by Bob Hope and Bing Crosby.

The Garden has also become one of the premier concert venues in the world. The Garden occupies 820,000 square feet of land and is comprised of the 20,000 seat main arena.

Chelsea Piers

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A $100 million, privately-financed project has transformed the historical. Chelsea Piers into a major center for public recreation and waterfront access. There are sports medicine facilities, restaurants, shops, television & movie studios and a marina where you can catch some of the Manhattan sightseeing cruises.

The athletic facilities of Chelsea Piers are divided up into various sections each located on a different pier. The Golf Club, The Sports Center, Sky Rink, The Roller Rinks, The Field House, Surfside 3 Maritime Center, AMF Chelsea Piers Bowl and more are not located in the same building, but you can easily get from one to the other.

Today, Chelsea Piers is synonymous with sports in New York, and is not known for its long history. The pier was first opened in 1910 and served as New York's premier passenger ship terminal for fifty years. It served as the embarkation point for soldiers departing for the battlefields of World Wars I and II and by the Fifties, became a bustling cargo terminal. Chelsea Piers was the intended destination of the Titanic. By the late seventies, Chelsea Piers were a combination of warehouse and parking uses. In the early nineties Chelsea Piers Management was awarded the rights to lease the Chelsea Piers and to develop and operate a sports and entertainment facility.

Puplic Libary

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The New York Public Library is one of the most famous architectural structures in New York. Its beautiful Beaux Arts design and marble colonnade is different than the skyscrapers and professional buildings that surround it. This made it a National Historic Landmark. At the 5th Avenue entrance there are a pair of huge marble lions on each side.

Besides being a remarkable architectural landmark, in 1911 the library housed the collections of the Lenox Library and the Astor Library. Today, the library has grown to contain over 6 million books, 12 million periodicals and almost three million pictures. The Astor Hall, the beautiful main entrance to the library and the DeWitt Wallace Periodicals room are very remarkable. The Main Reading Room, its oak tables with brass fixtures create perfect reading spots.

The library has several exhibition areas and galleries that house a mixture of permanent and temporary displays.

The Bronx Zoo

The Bronx Zoo has long been a favorite of parents and children alike. The zoo, which opened in 1899, houses over four thousand animals and spans across three hundred acres. It is a very popular site for tourists and school trips.

The animals of the Bronx Zoo live in a natural way. They aren`t caught in barriers and fences. The animals have a big area to run free. Moats are the norm, keeping the animals at a safe distance.

Animals are grouped together in special exhibitions, which showcase particular groups or species of wildlife.

The well attended Children`s Zoo of the Bronx Zoo have programs, which are just designed for kids. And there are a huge petting zoo and other fun-attractions.

South Street Seaport

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Ahoy there! If you are in New York you should pay a little visit to the South Street Seaport Museum. This marine Mecca is located within an eleven-square-block Historic District alongside the East River in lower Manhattan.

The first thing you will notice is that the roads are paved with cobblestones. Around six ships that date as far back as 1885 are docked off of Piers 15 and 16. The museum includes the largest fleet of historic sailing ships anywhere in the world. There are scores of boats and ships to look at. In addition, a wonderful collection of maritime works of art is on display.

There is also a Children`s Center to keep the kids on his or her toes. Other items of interest include an actual working print shop in the spirit of the eighteenth century and a crafts center. There is also a reference library with over 20,000 volumes that give a history of New York as a world port.

Apollo Theatre

Harlem's Apollo Theater has achieved legendary status as a showcase for both African American singers and comedians, and a great starting point for amateur talent. From the Wall of Fame in the lobby, which displays a collage of past performers, to the Tree of Hope, there is a lot of history ingrained in the walls of the Apollo. In the late 1980s, the theater was declared a national landmark.

The theater opened in 1913 as a burlesque hall featuring striptease acts and chorus lines for white spectators only, but as times changed, the Apollo adapted. Around and after 1934, when Sid Cohen take over, performers like Billie Holliday and Aretha Franklin performed. The Apollo enjoyed great success for a couple of years, but fell on hard times in the sixties and was just before closing its doors in the early seventies, after ownership changed hands many actors and singers fell through.

Things have turned around for the theatre since that time. It was renovated and reopened in 1983 and it's still a source of entertainment.

The Tree of Hope, which is basically a piece of wood at this point, is touched by all performers before they step on stage.

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Guggenheim Museum

The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum is located in Upper at the Museum Mile. The building was designed by world famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright and looks like a white marshmallow with a large glass dome for a ceiling. In the museum can be found one of the most treasured collections of paintings and sculpture anywhere.

The museum was originally imagined by Baroness Hilla Rebay von Ehrenwiesen,

who asked Wright to create a design for her. The museum finally opened in 1959. Featured paintings include works by Picasso, Van Gogh, and Kandinsky, among others, and the most painting is modern art.

The most popular way to view art at the Guggenheim is to enter the building and then take the elevator to the very top. From there, you can proceed down the spiraling ramp down to ground level. It takes up residence in a landmark brick structure that dates back to the nineteenth century.

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The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is a beautifully arranged displayed work of art in its own right. It is one of the largest art museums and features over three million works of art. The Museum first opened its doors in 1880, ten years after it was founded. Visitors who enter from 5th Avenue in the Great Hall, will find an enormous chamber that has been declared a national landmark. From there, take the elegant marble staircase up to the European galleries, which showcase priceless works from Rembrant, Botticelli and others. There are also other Galleries like the American Wing, the Greek and Roman galleries. The Egyptain collection includes a fully assembled temple of Dendur piece.

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Museum of Modern Art

Known as "Moma" or "the Modern" to New Yorkers, the Museum of Modern Art is one of the city's greatest cultural treasures. This world famous museum houses some of the finest works of art from the 20th century including pieces from van Gogh, Picasso and Monet. The Museum was opened in 1929 with the works of four artists; Cezanne, van Gogh, Gaugin and Seurat. They were all relatively unknown artists in the United States and the creators of the museum were taking quite a risk. The exhibition was a huge success and the Museum of Modern Art was born.

The museum owns over 100,000 paintings, drawings, sculptures and other works by the greatest artists of the 20th century. There is also a garden with trees fountains and a sculpture. Other highlights include the museum's Department of Photography, which includes over 15,000 prints. MOMA is also knpwn for ist collection of movies and film. The museum owns over 10,000 classic and foreign films.

American Museum of Natural History

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Located on Central Park West in Midtown Manhattan, the American Museum of Natural History has been capturing the imaginations of its visitors since its opening in 1869. The museum houses perhaps the most impressive display of dinosaur fossils in the world.

Computer screens and displays make it a modern museum. The size of the museum is gigantic. Forty-two large exhibition halls conclude collection of fossils, skeletons, rare gems, meteorites, and a description of the evolution of mankind. These treasures are devided up into Halls, which make them easy to locate and study.

In addition to the displays and exhibits, the American Museum of Natural History is also host to an IMAX theater. This 40x66 foot screen features different films, mostly concerning to nature. The Hayden Planetarium of the museum will be opened next year.