Central Park

Central Park is a beautiful man-made park that sits in the middle of the New York City borough of Manhattan. Bordered on the east by Fifth Avenue, on the north by 110th Street (Central Park North), on the south by 59th Street (Central Park South) and on the west by Eighth Avenue (Central Park West), it covers an area of 843 acres.

In the mid 19th century the residents and public officials of New York City were in desperate need of an escape from the hustle and bustle of the crowded city streets. In 1857 the newly formed Central Park Commission held a landscape design contest which was won by landscape designer Frederick Law Olmsted and English architect Calvert Vaux.

While much of the park looks natural, it is in fact almost entirely landscaped. It contains several natural-looking lakes and ponds, extensive walking tracks, two ice-skating rinks (one of which is a swimming pool in July and August), the Central Park Zoo, the Central Park Conservatory Garden, a wildlife sanctuary, a large area of natural woods, a reservoir with an encircling running track, and the outdoor Delacorte Theater which hosts the "Shakespeare in the Park" summer festivals.

One of the most popular locations in Central Park and considered the heart of the park is Bethesda Terrace (pictured above right) featuring the Bethesda Fountain. The Lake, which sits adjacent to the fountain is where row boats can be rented during the warmer months. The Lake is also bordered by the famous Boat House restaurant.

With it's wonderful array of open spaces and many varied architectural features, Central Park is a popular destination for New Yorkers and tourists alike. The park is host to approximately twenty-five million visitors each year. In 1963 Central Park was registered as a National Historic Landmark.