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Schule > Englisch > Landeskunde > The sights of New York

The sights of New York:

New York is a city which has lots of famous sights. About 90 percent of all the sights are in Manhattan. Famous sights are: the “Statue of Liberty”, the “Brooklyn Bridge” the “Rockefeller Center”, the “Empire State Building”, the “Central Park”, the “Broadway”, the “Fifth Avenue”, the “Wall street”, “Chinatown”, “Little Italy”, “NoLITa”, “Soho and TriBeCa”, the “Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art”, “Ellis Islands” and the “Chrysler Building”.

Statue of Liberty:
The ”Statue of Liberty” is the most famous landmark of New York. In 1886 it was a present for the Americans by the French sculptor Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi and Gustaf Eiffel as a symbol for freedom. It is 102 metres high and weights about 250 tons. At the base there is an inscribed poem by Emma Lazarus.
The New Yorker had to pay the platform by themselves, it cost about 100,000$. Joseph Pulitzer started a fundraising campaign in his newspaper. In a half year they had the money to built the platform.
In 1986 the statue celebrated its 100 year existence and it was restored on time. The restoration cost about 70 million $. The fireworks which cost 2 million $ were the most exciting firework which Americans have ever seen.
From the top of the statue you have a wonderful view to the skyline of Manhattan. The approach to the statue is only possible with boats or ferries.
In the base of the statue is the “Statue of Liberty Museum”. Inside the statue you can inspect it, but only limited. In the museum you can see the original torch and the history of the statue.

Brooklyn Bridge:
In 1883 the “Brooklyn Bridge” was completed. It was the biggest and the first rope bridge that was built from steel. The engineer John A. Roebling had the idea when he was on his way to Brooklyn with a ferry at the “East River”, but it was frozen and so he got caught. About 600 construction workers needed 16 years to build the bridge and about 20 people died by working under water. John A. Roebling was one of the victims, because by measurement operations his foot was squeezed by a ferry. A few days later he died.
His son Washington absorbed the constructions management but during his work under water he was injured and therefore lamed, so he couldn’t go on with the construction management. At the end Washington’s wife took over the construction of management and completed the construction works. After its completion it connected Brooklyn and Manhattan. Two towers made the bracing of the bridge. They are about 80 metres out of the water. The carriage way between the bracings is about 1091 metres. In 1875 the “Brooklyn Tower” was built. Emily Roebling was the first person, who crossed the bridge.

Rockefeller Center:
The “Rockefeller Center” is the heart of New York. It is the biggest complex in private property and lots of cities try to copy the perfect mixture. In 1928 the territory, once a botanical garden in possession of the “Columbia University” was leased by John D. Rockefeller Jr. to build a new opera. In 1929 there was an economic crisis that axed the plans, and Rockefeller decided to build his own project. Between 1931 and 1940 he built 14 buildings and tendered 225000 people a job. Today the complex exists by 19 buildings. The “Radio Music City Hall” is among others in the “Rockefeller Center”. Also the “General Electric Building” determines there. This is the Headquarter of the broadcast station “NBC”. The big terrace in front of the “General Electric Building” is used in summer as a restaurant and in winter for ice-skating. At the terrace there is the golden statue from Prometheus.
The famous Christmas tree in front of the “Rockefeller Center” is the magnet during the “holiday season”. All the 19 buildings of the “Rockefeller Center” are affiliated with each other.

Empire State Building:
The “Empire State Building” is the biggest skyscraper and the emblem of New York. It has 103 floors and it is 443 metres tall. In 1930 they began to build it and in 1931 it was already finished. They only needed nine months to build it. They only used prefabricated elements. But it was difficult to lease, because it was finished in 1931 when there was the big world economic crisis, so it achieved the nickname “The Empty State Building”. From the observation deck you have a nice view over Manhattan. It is an artificial arrester. In a year it will be struck by lightning about 500 times.
In 1954 a plane flew too low over Manhattan and it crashed against the “Empire State Building”.
Every day thousands of people -most of them visitors and tourists- want to go to the observation deck by the special elevators.

Central Park:
The “Central Park” is the backyard of the city. In 1858 it was build by the concept of Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux. Before they began it was only a landscape of shanties, swamps, pigs and quarries. More than ten million carloads of stones and ground were cart to this place. The architects transmuted the wilderness to a natural landscape of hills, lakes, meadows and cliffs. More than 500,000 trees und bushes were planted. By the time it became a recreation area with playgrounds, inline-skating rings as well as constructions for sport and events. At the weekend the park is closed for cars. Today it is one of the most famous parks in the world.
Lots of famous places are in “Central Park” like “Strawberry Fields”, where once John Lennon lived, close by is the “Metropolitan Museum” which is at the east side of the “Central Park”. Besides these sights are also interesting the “Dairy”, the “Belvedere Castle”, the “Bethesda Fountain” and the “Conservatory Water”.
It is a paradise for all animal species. More than 130 different animal species from different climates live in “Central Park”. It adjoins at the famous “Fifth Avenue” where you can find lots of designer shops and restaurants. This is one of the most visited addresses in New York.

Broadway:
The Broadway is one of the most famous streets in New York if not the most famous in the world. It has a length of about 20 kilometres and it is the biggest street in New York. Actual in Manhattan the streets are arranged in square blocks but the Broadway is the only exception and processes angular to all other streets in Manhattan all the way to Harlem. Since the eighties, historical theatres were restored and older ones were torn down. Today the “Theatre District” is in a new design. The most famous part of the Broadway is the “Times Square”, where lots of luminous advertisings are advisable. Big screens assigned news from the day and arrangements from all kinds of sports and concerts. This is a place where lots of Americans celebrate “New Years Eve”.

Fifth Avenue:
In 1883 William Henry Vanderbilt let built a house at the corner at the “Fifth Avenue”. Other noble families let also built there houses there. In a little while palatial houses string together till “Central Park”.
The “Fifth Avenue” is a synonym for deluxe. Names like “Cartier”, “Tiffany” and “Bergdorf Goodman” symbolise property and important. The most expensive designer shops are there. The most famous toyshop “F.A.Q. Schwartz” also bases there.

Wall Street:
No other cross road is so important in the history of the city like the “Wall Street”. It is the cut surface from the “Wall Street” and the “Broad Street”. Three important buildings are there: the “Federal Hall National Monument”; it marked the positions where George Washington was sworn as the president in 1789, the “Trinity Church”; it is one of the eldest “Anglican” churches in the country and the New Yorker “Stock Exchange” which was established in 1817. The biggest holdings of gold from different nations are barred in the “Federal Reserve Bank”. Until today it is a centre for finance.
It was labelled by the wall which was built to protect Manhattan from the Algonquin- Indians.

Chinatown:
At the beginning of the 20th century, most of immigrants who arrived through California lived in Chinatown. Chinese were prohibited by US-laws to immigrate. The Chinese lived isolated from the city. They were controlled both financially and politically by a secret organisation of the “Tongs”. Some of the “Tongs” were family organisations which lent some money. Others like the “On Leongs” and the “Hip Sings” were criminal brotherhoods who fought each other. The gangs established their own laws.
In dark alleys, gangs ambuscaded members from other gangs to fight them. Truce applied to peace in 1933. Since 1940 lots of families lived there. Immigrants and businessman applied to an economic recovery in the “Post War Period”. Today more than 80,000 “Sino-Americans” live there. Lots of people visit this quarter, because of the good Chinese food.
There are also other famous sights like the “Eastern State Buddhist Temple” in a building of the “Mott Street”. Little shops beside the roadside symbolise Chinatown continually.
With the years Chinatown extended till the lower east side and too “Little Italy”. There lives the biggest Asian society in North America.
Yeas ago in Chinatown dominated life in privation but in a little while it became to a business centre.

Little Italy:
The Italian who came to New York at the end of the 19th century lived in small seamy houses. The houses were so closely string together so that the sunrays did not reach the windows or the backyards. More than 40,000 people lived in 17 small and dirty blocks. Illnesses were widespread, above all tuberculosis. In spite of the pitiful life at the “Lower East Side” around the “Mulberry Street” grew a colourful and lively quarter. But today there only live about 5,000 Italians and Chinatown grows into the traditional “Little Italy” more and more.
The “Festa di San Gennaro” in September is one of the most famous festivals in New York. On this day the “Mulberry Street” will be renamed in “Via San Gennaro”. San Gennaro was a saint who helped the Italian years ago when they were in the crisis of illness for example.

NoLIta:
A few years ago there were few nameable shops in “Lower Manhattan” east of the Broadway. The neighbourhood “NoLIta” or “North of Little Italy” seemed to be a region of painters with narrow alleys, little shops and a low rent. In the nineties lots of designers from the treasured and expensive region of “Soho” and “TriBeCa” moved to “NoLIta” and opened shops where they could present their creations.

Soho and TriBeCa:
Within a few blocks there live lots of artists and there are lots of art galleries, museums, restaurants and shops. The blocks “Southern of Houston Street” (Soho) offer lots of historical buildings which are inhabited by famous artists.
Lots of famous museums are in “Soho” for example the “Museum of African Art”, the new “Museum of Contemporary Art” and the “Alternative Museum”.
This part of town is very good for shopping because lots of famous designers are based there.
When “Soho” was too expensive for the artists, they pushed along towards Downtown to “TriBeCa” or “Triangle below Canal Street” It developed to a very good place for restaurants.

Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art:
The “Metropolitan Museum” is the biggest and extensive museum of the western world. In 1870 it was based by artists and philanthropists. The collection stretches from prehistorical time till today. It encompasses lots of different types of art. It contains African, American, Asian, Egyptian, Greek, Roman, European, modern arts and arts from the medieval period. It also contains weapons and suits of armour from the 7th until the 19th century.
The major part of the collections is in the two main floors. Beside constant exhibitions from 19 departments there are galleries for special exhibitions.
This museum owns stunning gardens and pictures. Some of the nice gardens are the “Astor Court” and the “Garden for Sculptures”.

Ellis Island:
Virtually every second American can retrace his roots at “Ellis Island”. It was the lock for immigrants between 1892 and 1954 for the USA. About 17 million people strode to the gates and dissipated in the biggest wave of immigrants in the world history in the whole country. Today there is the “Ellis Island Immigrations Museum” with constant exhibitions. There you can experience more about the history of immigrants. Outside there is the “American Immigrant Wall of Honour”. It is the biggest with names inscribed wall in the world.

Chrysler Building:
Walter P. Chrysler began his career in a machine shop and in 1925 he instituted his own company. By request of him to build a headquarter in New York he accrued a building which will be paired with the car in every time. In his building he let build some tools from a car like a bonnet or wheels. For a short time it was the biggest building of the world with 319 metres, but the “Empire State Building” excelled it in 1931. But today the building is still one of the most famous landmarks of the city.
The top of the building was hidden in the heating shaft to be on the safe side that it is bigger as the “Bank of Manhattan” which was built by Chrysler’s biggest rival Van Alens Mühen. An impressing lobby for cars was built in 1987.

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