New York's Most Popular Sights: A to I
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Cathedral of St. John the Divine
Central Park
City Hall Park
Chrysler Building
Empire State Building
Statue of Libery and Ellis Island
Gracie Mansion
Grand Central Terminal
Grant's Tomb
The world's largest cathedral, St. John the Divine is located at 112th Street and Amsterdam Avenue in Manhattan. The Cathedral is open Monday through Saturday from 7:00am-6:00pm and Sunday from 7:00am-8:00pm. The Cathedral shop is open seven days a week from 9:00am-5:00pm and the grounds and gardens are open during all daylight hours. Public tours take place Tuesday through Saturday at 11:00am and Sunday at 1:00pm. The cost is $3.00 and the tour meets at the Visitor Center. Vertical tours up the 124 foot stone staircase to the top of the Cathedral take place on the first and third Saturday of every month, cost $10.00, and require a reservation. To make a reservation for a Vertical Tour, or for a group of ten or more, call (212) 932-7347. For directions and parking information click here. For general Information call (212) 316-7540.
Central Park spans two and a half miles from 59th Street to 110th Street and half a mile from Fifth Avenue to Eighth Avenue and was the first urban landscaped park in the United States. Originally conceived in the salons of wealthy New Yorkers in the early 1850's, the park project spanned more than a decade and cost the city ten million dollars. Today, the park is home to numerous restaurants, playgrounds, the Metropolitan Museum, the Central Park Zoo, and Wollman Rink.
"This landmark building has been home to 57 mayoral administrations and has been the seat of City government for 186 years," said Mayor Giuliani. "City Hall is one of the City's most enduring and distinguished structures." Built between 1803 and 1812, City Hall was recently restored and renovated. School Groups of 13 or more can visit the Governor's Room, which was used for ceremonies and now offers historical documents and furniture, and the blue room, where the mayor holds all of his press conferences. There are video machines outside and tons of printed material to help you find your way around the surrounding neighborhood. Location: City Hall Park, Broadway and Chambers. Take the N or R to City Hall or the 2 or 3 to Park Place. (212) 788-3000.
One of New York City's finest office buildings, the Chrysler Building was designed as a tribute to the booming automotive industry. Built in 1930, it was the world's tallest skyscraper at the time, until the Empire State Building claimed the spot just months later. There are no organized tours or exhibits, but the gleaming chrome lobby is open to tourists daily. Location: 405 Lexington Ave, at 42nd Street. Take the 4, 5, 6, or 7 subway lines to Grand Central. (212) 682-3070.
It's no longer the world's tallest skyscraper, but the classic Art Deco architecture and rich history make the 102-story Empire State Building a popular stop for visitors to the City. Built in 1931, the 1,454 foot tall building has an exterior observatory on the 86th floor from which visitors can see up to 80 miles away on a clear day. The observatory is open seven days a week, 9:30 am to midnight (last tickets sold at 11:15pm). Special holiday hours are observed. Admission is $10.00 for adults, $9.00 for military personnel, senior citizens and youths ages 12-17, $4.00 for children aged 6-11, and free for children under 5 and military in uniform. Security has been tightened recently so leave extra time and make sure to bring a picture ID. 350 Fifth Ave, at 34th Street. (212) 736-3100.
Ellis Island is currently fully open. Liberty Island is also
open, though access to the interior of the Statue of Liberty
Monument is restricted as a security measure. For more
information, call the Circle Line Ferry at 212-269-5755, or
check their
website, www.statuecruises.com.
Over 40% of the U.S. population descend from the 17 million
immigrants that have passed through Ellis Island from 1892 to
1954. The three story Ellis Island Museum is housed in the same
building that the immigrants came through in those 64 years.
Ferry boats leave from Battery Park for the 27 acre island,
including an option to visit the Statue of Liberty, located on
an island nearby. Round trip fare is $8 for adults, $6 for
senior citizens, $3 for children 3-17 years old, and free to
children 3 and under. Ferries operate 7 days a week, from
approximately 9:30am to 5:00pm. For specific ferry schedules
and information call, (212) 269-5755.
The Mayor's House is on East End Avenue and East 88th Street. Built in 1799 by Archibald Gracie, a Scotish emmigrant who had established a trading company and become one of the wealthiest men in the City. In 1942 Fiorello H. LaGuardia moved into Gracie Mansion with his family, inaugerating the building as the official residence of the Mayor of New York. Tours are available by reservation on Wednesdays only at 10:00am, 11:00am, 1:00pm, and 2:00pm. Contact the curator at (212) 570-4751.
This Beaux Arts building, built between 1903 and 1913 faces down Park Avenue at 42nd Street. Free tours of this magnificent railway structure are given weekly on Wednesday and Friday at 12:30pm and Saturday and Sunday at 11am. The tours are run by different companies, but each tour covers the construction, history and design of the terminal, as well as the monumental effort that went into restoring it. For information on the different tours of Grand Central Terminal, click here. Reach Grand Central on the S, 4, 5, 6, and 7 subway lines. Grand Central Event Hotline: (212) 340-2210.
Civil War general and two-term U.S. president Ulysses S. Grant rests beside his wife in the largest mausoleum in the United States. The two grand sarcophagi enclosed within are modeled after Napoleon's tomb in Les Invalides in Paris. The white granite mausoleum which overlooks the Hudson River and Riverside park was completed in 1897, and contains Grant memorabilia and Civil War artifacts on display. Admission is free. Open seven days a week, 9am-5:00pm. 122nd Street and Riverside Drive. Take the 1 or 9 train to 116th St. Phone: (212) 666-1640.
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