Central Park

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Central Park New York

A placid, green rectangle set among the crazed order of city streets, Central Park covers a surprisingly large area, 341ha of land that must cause nightmares for property developers working out its worth in terms of the rent they could charge for each square foot.

The idea of creating a central reserve of grass, trees and tranquillity for the rapidly growing city was first voiced in 1844 by poet and journalist William Cullent Bryant, but it took many years to persuade the authorities not to give in to the demands of developers. Finally, a competition was staged to find the best plan for the park, and the winners, landscape designer Frederick Law Olmsted and architect Calvert Vaux, started the construction work in 1860.

Central Park New York

It took them 16 years to accomplish their dream of creating a bucolic Valhalla in the middle of what was already one of the world’s greatest cities. Their achievement in transforming an area of near-wilderness into rolling countryside, with thick woodlands, lakes and lawns, was widely acclaimed, and they were commissioned to create landscapes in other parts of the USA, including Capitol Hill in Washington DC.

The stroke of genius in the scheme drawn up by Olmsted and Vaux was the creation of transverse roads which passed underneath a meandering network of footpaths, enabling through-traffic to cross the park without disturbing the peace of visitors. Central Park’s layout today is much the same as its designers intended.

Despite its reputation as a haunt of muggers and junkies, the park has the city’s lowest crime rate and its popularity is obvious, especially during summer weekends when people turn out in their hundreds.

Central Park New York

Summer or winter, the southern quarter of the park is the place for family run. Here, within a few minutes’ walk of Columbus Circle or Grand Army Plaza, you can have the kites and Frisbees flying, get your skates on, sunbathe or visit the zoo animals. Just north of here, the Sheep Meadow is a popular place for picnics and free concerts on summer evenings. Further north still, bikes and boats can be rented at the Loeb Boathouse, and Shakespeare is performed at the Delacorte Theater. Nearby, the Shakespeare Garden is filled with plants mentioned by the Bard.
Another favourite picnic area for the crowds is the Great Lawn, parallel with the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Less popular, and therefore quieter, is the northern quarter, with its pools and gardens.

At the Central Park Zoo and Wildlife Conservation Center, wildlife from polar, temperate and tropical zones is housed in uncaged habitats. More than 400 animals and birds from around 130 species are represented here. Nearby is the children’s petting zoo.

E 64th Street/5th Avenue
Open: weekdays 10am-5pm, weekends and holydays 10am-5.30pm; Nov-Mar daily 10am-4.30pm. Admission charge
Subway: 68th St/Hunter College Station

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I nostri consigli

Dream

Il Deram situato tra Central Park e Times Square, è un hotel di lusso che offre ai suoi ospiti servizi eccellenti.
Le camere sono dotate di Tv al plasma e arredate con cura.

L'hotel dispone di Centro Fitness, Cerntro termale (il lussuoso Chopra Spa) e offre servizi di personal shopper.

Chambers Hotel
Il Chambers Hotel è all'insegna dell'arte e della raffinatezza. Le camere private sono state proogettate da David Rockwel mentre negli ambienti comuni è possibile amirare più di 500 opere d'arte contemporanea originali con, tra l'altro, installazioni di Sheila Pepe, John Waters, Bob and Roberta Smith.