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New York is the largest city in the United States of America, attracting guests with skyscrapers, infrastructure, a fast pace of life, parks and squares. The headquarters of financial organizations, fashionable shops and restaurants are concentrated here.
Who comes to New York and why
The first European settlements on the islands at the mouth of the Hudson River appeared at the beginning of the 17th century. Soon, a city was formed in their place, named New York in honor of the Duke of York, the future king of England. The number of people increased due to immigrants, new areas appeared. The city grew and became the industrial and commercial center of America.
Today, New York is a popular tourist destination for visitors to the country and the Americans themselves. Millions of travelers come here to walk along Madison Avenue, look at Broadway, the Statue of Liberty and skyscrapers.
New York is famous for its exhibitions and museums. Connoisseurs of art and unusual art projects come to see the works of world-famous masters. The Guggenheim Museum of Art, galleries of modern art and the Museum of Natural History are popular.
The city is famous for its noisy festivals and holidays:
- Every year, the Tribeca International Film Festival is held here, designed to promote independent cinema. Feature and documentary films participate in the nominations.
- At the end of October, New York invites you to the Halloween parade in Greenwich Village. On All Saints Day, houses are decorated with lanterns and pumpkins. Musicians, magicians, dancers take to the streets. Adults and children dress up in masquerade costumes and have fun until late at night.
Shopping is an integral part of the cultural program when visiting New York. Good souvenirs can be found in Chinatown. In this colorful area, it is easy to find shops with designer toys, Chinese jewelry boxes, medicinal herbs, and original clothes. For stylish branded shopping, you should go to city department stores. In one Macy’s shopping center there are about 100 stores selling fashionable clothes and accessories.
New York is a wonderful place to travel with children. The City Zoo, Aquarium and Hayden Planetarium are open all year round. Central Park and the Botanical Gardens are ideal for walking.
Interesting places
Broadway
The oldest and longest street in New York runs through Manhattan. Its length is 25 km, and there is something to see. In the southern part, low buildings of the colonial era and a square, laid out several hundred years ago, have been preserved. Closer to the center are huge skyscrapers. It is noteworthy that many of them taper upwards. This trick allows buildings not to block the sky.
Fifth Avenue
One of the most expensive and respectable streets in the world, Fifth Avenue, passes through the center of Manhattan. It attracts tourists not only with numerous shopping centers, boutiques, outlets, but also with cultural attractions.
Along this street are art galleries, museums and famous symbols of New York: St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the public library, and the Rockefeller Center.
Times Square
At the intersection of Seventh Avenue and Broadway is Times Square, the heart of New York and the United States. More than 300 thousand people visit it daily. People come to see the Broadway Theatre, Madame Tussauds, the Church of the Holy Virgin Mary.
In the evenings, bright neon advertising is turned on in Times Square, street musicians perform. Rough fun does not stop until the morning.
Wall Street
Wall Street in Manhattan is the main artery of New York’s financial district. It is here that the stock exchange, offices of banks and business companies are located. Federal Hall is especially popular. This classic building hosted the inauguration of George Washington and the reading of the Bill of Rights.
In Bowling Green Park, not far from the exchange, there is a bronze statue of a bull. It is believed that she brings good luck, so tourists specially come to pet her and take pictures.
Brighton Beach
In the west of Long Island, on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, is Brighton Beach. By a strange coincidence, Russian-speaking immigrants began to settle in this area of \u200b\u200bNew York, making the place popular among immigrants from the former Soviet republics. There are Russian-language cafes, theaters, shops, schools in the area.
The Russian-speaking community has turned Brighton Beach into a colorful attraction in New York, which is why it is included in the standard tourist itinerary.
Bronx
The administrative unit in the northern part of the city is named after the Dutch captain Jonas Bronk, who owned this land in 1640.
The green area is famous for parks, squares, picturesque hills. There is a zoo, a botanical garden and playgrounds. In Pelham Bay Park there is a lake with white sand. People come to him to relax near the water, have a picnic or go in for sports.
brooklyn
In the west of Long Island rises Brooklyn, considered the most populous in New York. Modern business centers, offices of commercial companies, sports complexes, theaters, museums are open here. In the historic part of Brooklyn, there is a pedestrian zone built up with beautiful brown brick houses.
On Independence Day, concerts, fairs, mass celebrations are held here, and fireworks are arranged in the evening. Crowds of people come to see him.
Harlem
To the north of Manhattan lies Harlem, an African-American neighborhood famous for its Dutch and English-style houses.
Thirty years ago it was a poor and criminal part of New York, but now the situation has changed. The government has succeeded in reducing the crime rate and making Harlem attractive to citizens and tourists.
The Studio Museum, the National Jazz Museum, and the Apollo Theater are open in the area. On the streets you can see famous musicians, actors, hip-hop performers and athletes of African American origin.
Madison Avenue
One of the central streets of Manhattan, named after President James Madison, is widely known for its variety of shops.
Shoppers will be happy to spend the whole day here, exploring the collections of branded clothes, bags, and jewelry. Tired of shopping, you can go to Madison Square and relax in the shade of sprawling trees. The park is surrounded by mansions where famous people have lived — for example, the writer Edith Wharton and President Theodore Roosevelt.
Roosevelt Island
There is a narrow island in the East River between Long Island and Manhattan named after Theodore Roosevelt. A quiet corner in the center of the bustling city is built up with low buildings.
Its main attractions are the former psychiatric hospital Octagon, the lighthouse in the north of the island, the Good Shepherd Chapel, Blackwell House dating back to the 18th century, and the Four Freedoms Park. Tourists get to Roosevelt Island via an elevator bridge laid from Long Island, by cable car or by ferry.
Architecture
freedom tower
In lower Manhattan, on the site of the twin towers destroyed by terrorists, there is a new building of the World Trade Center.
The Freedom Tower is the seventh tallest skyscraper on the planet and the largest in the Western Hemisphere. Its distinguishing feature is the pointed spire on the roof, clearly visible from afar. The construction of reinforced concrete, glass and steel has 104 ground and 5 underground tiers. Inside there are offices, restaurants, shops, viewing platforms.
Woolworth Building
One of the earliest skyscrapers was built in 1913. The Neo-Gothic building, intended for the headquarters of the international company FW Woolworth, is decorated with terracotta limestone panels, cornices and columns.
The height of the structure exceeds 241 meters. There is an observation deck on the top floor. The skyscraper is a historical landmark and is under state protection. It houses educational institutions and offices.
The Statue of Liberty
The colossal sculpture, installed on Liberty Island in New York Bay, is a national monument of the United States.
The statue, personifying independence, is a woman dressed in a loose chiton. Her head is crowned with a crown, from which seven rays depart, symbolizing the seas and continents. In her right hand, the woman holds a burning torch. On the left is a stone tablet engraved with the date of independence.
The Statue of Liberty stands on a granite pedestal. Inside it is a museum that tells about the construction of the monument. There are viewing platforms on the torch and at the base of the crown, where tourists climb the stairs.
Flatiron Building
The 22-story iron house in Manhattan is one of the main symbols of New York. It was built at the beginning of the last century for the Fuller company.
Its height is 87 meters. The exterior decoration is in the Renaissance style, the facade is decorated with a pediment, Greek columns and arches, and the window frames are lined with copper. Now the interior of the Flatiron Building houses a fashionable restaurant, shopping centers and offices.
Empire State Building
This skyscraper on Fifth Avenue was built in 1931. The art deco building is 443 meters high and has 103 floors. Concrete, steel, aluminum, granite and limestone were used for its construction.
The building has 73 elevators capable of transporting 10,000 people every hour. The top of the skyscraper in the form of a built-up spire is illuminated at night. On holidays, the Empire State Building turns on special color combinations. On the 86th and 102nd floors there are observation decks with a viewing angle of 360 degrees.
Trump Tower
In the center of Manhattan rises a huge skyscraper, the construction of which was sponsored by Donald Trump. The ultra-modern tower is 202 meters high and is covered with dark glass. Its internal walls are decorated with marble, mirrors, steel and copper elements.
The building houses a fashionable shopping center with extra-class boutiques, restaurants and cafes. There is an observation deck on the top floor, and a winter garden with benches and fountains is located nearby.
New York Times Building
The skyscraper was designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano. Its height, taking into account the antenna on the roof, is 319 meters.
The outer walls are lined with glass, which allows the sun’s rays to pass through and saves heat. On the inside, special tubes are mounted to prevent the building from overheating. The building houses the New York Times office. The first floors are accessible to tourists. Those who wish can see the conference room, the stage for performances or go to the cafe.
Rockefeller Center
The largest office center appeared in Manhattan in the 30s. The complex includes 19 Art Deco skyscrapers built with Rockefeller money. All of them are national monuments of the USA.
The buildings of the Rockefeller Center house restaurants, shops, television studios, offices, and music halls. In winter, a skating rink is poured on its territory and a beautiful Christmas tree is set up.
UN Headquarters
In the eastern part of Manhattan, on the banks of the East River, an architectural complex was erected for the UN General Assembly.
The grand opening took place in January 1951. Buildings skillfully combine different architectural styles and are the decoration of Manhattan. In front of the entrance to the headquarters there are sculptures calling for peace. The interior can be viewed on tours: tourists are shown the meeting room, the security council and the art gallery.
Bannerman’s Castle
Within the boundaries of New York on Polepel Island, there are the ruins of a neo-Gothic castle that belonged to Frank Bannerman. The entrepreneur bought the island in 1900 to build an arsenal. The death of the owner prevented the completion of the project, and now the castle is in a deplorable state.
Tourists come to see the outer walls, decorated with turrets, arched windows, and at the same time admire the beautiful nature of the island.
temples
St. Patrick’s Cathedral
Manhattan is home to the largest Catholic church in the United States, the neo-Gothic St. Patrick’s Cathedral, founded in 1858.
The building, which has the shape of a Latin cross, is lined with multi-colored marble. The facade is decorated with openwork patterns, lancet arches, a rose window and pointed towers. The height of the cathedral is 101 meters. The interior decoration is represented by marble columns, statues, paintings and stained-glass windows.
Trinity Church
At the intersection of Wall Street and Broadway rises the Holy Trinity Church, founded in 1698. During the Great New York Fire, the building burned down. A new neo-Gothic church was erected in 1846. It attracts attention with a high tower crowned with a spire with a cross, openwork drawings on the walls, and lancet windows.
A large ancient organ is installed in the church, and in the courtyard there is a cemetery where famous people of the city are buried.
Church of the Transfiguration
The Roman Catholic temple, which is affectionately called «The Little Church Around the Corner», appeared in Manhattan 150 years ago.
The dark brick building in the early English neo-Gothic style is an important landmark in New York. In this house of Christ, the poor, runaway slaves and orphans have always found help. Among the parishioners were many writers and actors: Pellem Granville Wodehouse, O. Henry, Joseph Jefferson.
The Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord has a boys’ choir and regularly hosts free music concerts.
riverside church
The Protestant Church in Upper Manhattan looks majestic and beautiful. The neo-Gothic white stone building is lined with limestone slabs, the facade is decorated with narrow arches and rose windows. In front of the main entrance is a tower almost 120 meters high — it houses a carillon of 74 bells.
The largest of them weighs 20 tons. An observation deck is equipped at the top of the tower, and a lighthouse is installed on the roof itself. The interior of the Riverside Church is decorated with marble sculptures and stained glass windows.
Museums in New York
Metropolitan Museum of Art
The largest art museum can be found on Fifth Avenue. It was founded by a group of American businessmen and exists thanks to sponsorship. He has millions of works of art in his collection. The exhibits are strictly sorted.
Visitors can visit the Asian, European, African, American departments, get acquainted with the works of the Ancient East and Egypt. The collection of medieval paintings, as well as ancient weapons and musical instruments, are very popular.
Solomon Guggenheim Museum
The Museum of Art, created by patron Solomon Guggenheim, is housed in a beautiful cone-shaped building resembling an inverted tower. Inside is a large collection of contemporary art.
Among the exhibits are paintings by Kandinsky, Van Gogh, Chagall, Picasso, Cezanne, Gauguin. The museum regularly hosts meetings with artists and temporary exhibitions introducing contemporary art from different countries.
Museum of Natural History
In Manhattan, in a park area, there is an architectural complex of 14 buildings. It houses the American Museum of Natural History. The collection includes skeletons and stuffed animals from all over the world.
Tourists inspect the bones of dinosaurs and prehistoric animals, mammals of Africa, Asia, Europe, inhabitants of the seas and oceans. Minerals and precious stones mined on the American continent are exhibited in separate rooms.
Brooklyn Museum
In the center of Brooklyn, an art museum has hospitably opened its doors. The classic two-story mansion houses French Expressionist paintings, sculptures dating back to the last century, engravings and pencil sketches by famous artists.
The pearl of the Brooklyn Museum is the collection of ancient Egyptian antiquities, including statues of gods, jewelry, dishes, weapons and other items found in the tombs of the pharaohs.
Cloisters
A museum representing European medieval art has been opened in the central part of New York. The collection includes sculptures, paintings, tapestries, engravings, ivory figurines.
The public is presented with canvases on religious themes, altars painted by famous artists, multi-colored stained-glass windows. The building, stylized as an old castle, is surrounded by a park with benches and lush flower beds.
Edgar Allan Poe House Museum
A small white wooden cottage on the outskirts of New York is the Allan Poe House Museum. The famous writer lived here with his family and wrote his best works. Tourists are shown the living room, kitchen, bedrooms and the master’s office. Visitors can examine the personal belongings of the writer and learn a lot of interesting information about his life.
Intrepid
The Intrepid Museum of the Sea, Air and Space is located on the pier of the Hudson River. It introduces visitors to the naval history of the United States. The main exhibit of the collection is the Fearless aircraft carrier. On its deck there are exhibitions telling about the exploits of sailors and about people who served in the fleet.
The Interpid Museum exhibits military and passenger aircraft, submarines. Tourists can visit the pilot’s cabin, see the meeting room, learn how to operate a submarine and a ship.
parks
central park
In the center of New York lies the largest park in the United States of America.
It was built in stages. The objects were handed over as soon as the plots were ready. Today’s park is a visiting card of New York.
On the territory there are paths for hiking and horseback riding, benches, fountains, sports grounds, wooden stages and picnic areas. People come here to listen to concerts of musicians, ride bicycles, go in for horseback riding and just enjoy nature.
Botanical Garden
The Victorian-style garden was opened in New York in 1891 by members of the Tory Botanical Society. Plants imported from Japan, China, Asia and Europe were planted on an area of 101 hectares.
For tropical trees and cacti, a covered greenhouse was equipped. Now in the botanical garden there are about a million rare plants. Walking along the paths, you can see a rock garden, a rose garden, as well as flower beds with orchids, azaleas and medicinal herbs.
battery park
The green zone in the south of Manhattan is a favorite place for citizens to relax. Among the trees there are monuments to commanders, inventors, scientists, war heroes. Attention is drawn to the metal Sphere. The sculpture used to stand near the towers of the World Trade Center and was removed from the rubble after the attack.
The restored monument was moved to Betteri. There is a port within the park, from where ferries to Ellis Island, Staten Island and the Statue of Liberty depart regularly.
Zoo in the Bronx
Bronx Park is home to the largest menagerie in America. It is home to 6 thousand animals, many of which are on the verge of extinction. Herbivores and carnivores roam freely in a space that mimics their natural habitat.
Animals are distributed according to natural zones. The African savannah, Asian forests, jungles, the Himalayas, the Great Plains, pools with marine life are available for tourists.
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