New York City, the Big Apple, the City that Never Sleeps. Known well by the world for so many things like buildings, the railway systems, the sports teams. Known for monuments and memorials set throughout the city. So many things so little time! If only there was a list of ten buildings, monuments, and parks to visit here! Well look no further, because here are ten of the MUST SEE buildings, monuments, and parks that you MUST visit when in New York City!
Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty is a must see for all tourists in New York City. It is possibly the most well-known monument in the history of the United States of America. Dating all the way back to 1886, the monument was given to the United States from France to celebrate the comradery the two shared during the American Revolution. It is a symbol of freedom and democracy that has lasted in the United States for centuries. Also who doesn’t want to stand at the top of the monument, 305 feet in the air, and look toward the beautiful city-scape of New York City?
Flatiron Building
This 21 story building is one of the most famous landmarks in New York. It gets its name from the triangular shape of the building, and also was one of the first tallest buildings of its kind when it was finished being built in 1903. While it is no longer the only building of its kind in New York City, it was built over a hundred years ago and has stood the test of time. You can kind this building near Madison Square, right near one of Manhattan’s best shopping district!
Brooklyn Bridge
This bridge is famous for many things. Its size, the unfortunate events that came about during the building process, but most importantly it’s the bridge that connects both Brooklyn and Manhattan. Connecting two cities as big as Brooklyn and Manhattan isn’t done small, and as you can see by many of the buildings on this list big was the best option to go. Standing at a whopping 277 feet tall, the Brooklyn Bridge is one of the oldest bridges still usable in New York City. On May 24th 1883, the day the bridge was officially opened, over 150,000 people crossed in just one day.
Empire State Building
Move aside King Kong, because here comes the real 8th Wonder of the World! The Empire State Building is the 45th tallest building in the world. Made in 1931, and held the title of Tallest Man Made Structure for over 30 years, the Empire State Building stands at 1,250 feet tall. The building has over 70 elevators, which can bring you to the observatory on the 86th floor. You can a beautiful 360 degree view of the City that Never Sleeps!
Times Square
Representing the area between 40th and 53rd street, and 6th and 9th Avenue, Times Square is the area that everyone sees on their TV screens every December 31st. The Ball drops every New Year’s Eve on this street, filled with thousands of people. That’s not all though! At about the start of World War I this was the Theater District and was ideally the place where people placed billboards. However around the time of the Great Depression, this once famous district became crime-ridden and was likely the most unfriendly tourist attraction. In the 1980s, the Walt Disney Company opened a store in the area. Thus lead to what many people call today, Disneyification. The area became safer in the 1990s, and soon was once again a tourist friendly site like it is today!
Chrysler Building
Said to be one of America’s greatest buildings, the Chrysler Building is popular for its incredible design. That and the fact that it is 1,045 feet tall, being the tallest bank in the world until it was dethroned by the Sears Tower in Chicago. The thing that makes this building popular with tourists is the design of parts of the building like the spire. The spire has things like gargoyles resting on the corners, and many intricate shapes as you move closer to the top. It’s definitely a building you want to check out if you are going sightseeing in New York.
Grand Central Station
Currently Grand Central Station is located at 42nd St and Park Ave. However this is not the first station to be built there. What you may ask? Well, in 1869 John B. Snook was tasked with building the first property which resulted in the first station, but soon tragedy would hit. In 1902 there was a terrible train accident which took the life of 17 people. This caused a public outcry around the state. They were using steam engines, and they were the exact reason for why the crash occurred. Too much smoke along with increased traffic lead to the accident which made people want electric railways. The people got what they wanted, but not after years of construction. Almost 11 years later, the railway was officially opened to the public on a Sunday in February. Not only is there history, but also sights inside. The Central Clock, the Chandelier, and much more are inside waiting for you to discover!
9/11 Memorial
The memorial was made to commemorate the 2,977 names of the people who died during the tragic events of September 11th 2001. As well as the victims of the 1993 bombing. The memorial was inaugurated on September 11th 2011, 10 years after the terrorist attack, and was opened to the public the day after. In 2014 an underground museum was opened to the public which show the impact of 9/11 to our country. In order to go onto the site today, you need a pass which can be bought on the site of the 9/11 Memorial.
Trump Tower
Much can be said about this extremely tall building. It was built in 2001 and is built of reinforced concrete. A tower that stands as tall as 664 feet high with dark reflective glass. Donald Trump and the men who worked on the building even bought the “air rights” to the store next to it so they could make an atrium, in order to ease restrictive codes of building higher. Some of the building is open to the public. Parts like the retail area at the atrium are open to the public for anyone who wants to shop there.
