Топик: The New-York City, Places of interest

The Dutch were the first Europeans to settle Manhattan. To protect themselves from attack, they built a sturdy wooden wall. Although it’s now long gone, this wall gave its name to a street in Lower Manhattan and the street, in turn, became synonymous with American capitalism. The street, of course, is Wall Street. The New York Stock Exchange and the American Stock Exchange are both in the Wall Street area. So are many stockbrokers, investment blanks and others bank, and headquarters of many large corporations.

To escape the commotion of Wall Street you can visit the nearby South Street Seaport, an open area of low buildings on the East River. In addition to many shops and restaurants, the seaport has a museum.

Appropriately, the very first business deal in Manhattan was made in what became the financial district. As every American schoolchild knows, the Dutch bought Manhattan from the Indians, for the ridiculously low price of 24 dollars worth of beads and trinkets. There is, however, another, less known side of this: evidently, the Indians who had sold Manhattan did not themselves live there or in any sense own it. The Dutch and the Indians alike walked away pleased.

Greenwich Village and the East Village.

Greenwich Village and the East Village have always been at the center of New York’s excitement. Both have been places for people with different and creative ideas. Both have an active nightlife with plenty of bars, restaurants and clubs.

In the early 1900s the charm Greenwich Village attracted bohemians - writers and artists. By the 1920s, the streets of the Village were filled with other people, curious to see how these odd Villagers lived. The artists and writers began moving out, some to the East Village. Today, the Village has many elements : students attending New York University ; an active jazz scene; and in Washington Square - it’s center - street performers, police. Drug dealers, joggers, roller skates, and just about everyone else.

When bohemians moved to the East Village 1920s, they found an area similar to the Lower East Side. There were many immigrants, much dirt and grime. The East Village has changed very little. Over the years it has been a center for many movements - for the beat poets of the 1950s, the hippies of the 1960s, and, more recently, for New York’s punk scene.

Statue of Liberty History

The Statue of Liberty National Monument officially celebrated her 100th birthday on October 28, 1986. The people of France gave the Statue to the people of the United States over one hundred years ago in recognition of the friendship established during the American Revolution. Over the years, the Statue of Liberty has grown to include freedom and democracy as well as this international friendship. Sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi was commissioned to design a sculpture with the year 1876 in mind for completion, to commemorate the centennial of the American Declaration of Independence. The Statue was a joint effort between America and France and it was agreed upon that the American people were to build the pedestal, and the French people were responsible for the Statue and its assembly here in the United States. However, lack of funds was a problem on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. In France, public fees, various forms of entertainment, and a lottery were among the methods used to raise funds. In the United States, benefit theatrical events, art exhibitions, auctions and prize fights assisted in providing needed funds. Meanwhile in France, Bartholdi required the assistance of an engineer to address structural issues associated with designing such as colossal copper sculpture. Alexandre Gustave Eiffel (designer of the Eiffel Tower) was commissioned to design the massive iron pylon and secondary skeletal framework which allows the Statue's copper skin to move independently yet stand upright. Back in America, fund raising for the pedestal was going particularly slowly, so Joseph Pulitzer (noted for the Pulitzer Prize) opened up the editorial pages of his newspaper, "The World" to support the fund raising effort. Pulitzer used his newspaper to criticize both the rich who had failed to finance the pedestal construction and the middle class who were content to rely upon the wealthy to provide the funds. Pulitzer's campaign of harsh criticism was successful in motivating the people of America to donate.

The story of the Statue of Liberty and her island has been one of change. The Statue was placed upon a granite pedestal inside the courtyard of the star-shaped walls of Fort Wood (which had been completed for the War of 1812.) The United States Lighthouse Board had responsibility for the operation of the Statue of Liberty until 1901. After 1901, the care and operation of the Statue was placed under the War Department. A Presidential Proclamation declared Fort Wood (and the Statue of Liberty within it) a National Monument on October 15th, 1924 and the monument's boundary was set at the outer edge of Fort Wood. In 1933, the care and administration of the National Monument was transferred to the National Park Service. On September 7, 1937, jurisdiction was enlarged to encompass all of Bedloe's Island and in 1956, the island's name was changed to Liberty Island.

City Hall

irectly at the heart of Philadelphia, on Center Square, a National Historic Landmark rises 510 feet into the air. The exact geographical center of William Penn's original plan for Philadelphia, Center Square, known today as Penn Square, was designated by Mr. Penn to be the location for a building of "publick concerns" - home of Philadelphia's City Hall.he huge granite mass of City Hall, throughout its 100+ year history, has indeed been a building of "publick concerns". An elaborate temple of local politics, City Hall is one of the nation's finest examples of French Second -Empire Architectural style. Controversy has surrounded the building from its earliest conception in 1860 to the present day. It has weathered severe criticism, hints of bribery and graft, campaigns to demolish it, shortages of funding to maintain it, and disrespect of vandals who deface it. Yet, it has also earned a great deal of respect and admiration as a unique architectural and sculptural achievement. ts future remains uncertain, but its story is fascinating.

Brooklyn Bridge

A VISION FOR A BRIDGE: Plans for a crossing between the city of Brooklyn and lower Manhattan dated back to the early 1800's. When the East River crossing was planned, Brooklyn, with about 400,000 residents, was still more rural than urban. The city of New York - which at the time consisted only of Manhattan - had twice as many residents, and the bridge was seen as a solution to overcrowding in Manhattan while spurring development in Brooklyn. The bridge would enable people and goods to cross the East River quickly, regardless of weather conditions.

From The Great Bridge by David McCullough: A bridge over the East River, joining the cities of New York and Brooklyn, had been talked about for nearly as long as anyone can remember… But nothing was done. The chief problem was always the East River, which is no river at all technically speaking, but a tidal strait and one of the most turbulent and in that day, especially, one of the busiest stretches of navigable salt water anywhere on earth. "If there is to be a bridge," wrote one man, "it must take one grand flying leap from shore to shore over the masts of the ships. There can be no piers or drawbridge. There must be only one great arch all the way across. Surely this must be a wonderful bridge."

Original cross-section of the roadway on the Brooklyn Bridge. (Figure by Paul Phillipe Cret and Rudolphe Modjeski.)

Liberty State Park

With the Manhattan skyline, the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island as a spectacular backdrop to this urban park, Liberty State Park is an extraordinary and unique public resource. The park hosts more visitors than any other in New Jersey, currently over 4 million/year, testament to the public's interest in this special place. Major festivals and other events are often held in the park. The historic Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal (CRRNJ), a grand setting for much of New Jersey's transportation history in the northeast, sits prominently at the north end of the park. Liberty Walk, a 2 mile promenade, links a picnic area, interpretive center and the CRRNJ Terminal while presenting visitors with a sweeping view of the Hudson River. Liberty Science Center, a popular attraction for students and families, is located in the park's western section. Liberty State Park contains both estuarine and upland habitats. Herons, egrets, migratory shorebirds, and waterfowl utilize habitat at the park. In the winter, long-eared owls are often seen near the interpretive center. Liberty State Park was once an urban industrial area. As a result of this historical land use, the Division of Parks and Forestry has spent the past 25 years planning and building park infrastructure as well as remediating the site for public enjoyment. As part of the Division's waterfront improvement initiative for Liberty State Park, development of an 88 acre Green Park was completed in 1999. The Green Park is made up of crescent lawns, trails and landscaping improvements, including newly planted trees, shrubs and wildflower meadows. Approximately 4 miles of paved walkways have been added, as well as 7 plaza areas located along Liberty Walk, providing views of Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. The "Save Ellis Island!" initiative is meanwhile taking action to restore important historic features of the island where, long ago, immigrants to this country made their first stop.

The American Museum of the Moving Images
34-31 35th Street Astoria, NY

The American Museum of the Moving Image specializes in the art, technology and history of moving image technology. The museum presents exhibitions, film screenings, lectures, publications, community filmmaking, conferences and seminars. There is something for everyone here, with exhibits geared towards "hands-on" experiences. Some examples of this are: dubbing your own dialogue over an existing movie's soundtrack, electronically "trying on" famous movie costumes, editing film, creating movies of yourself, and many, many behind the scenes attractions. An entire day can easily be spent here.

Empire State building

350 Fifth Avenue At Fifth Avenue and 34th Street stands New York City’s most famous fixture - starring in over 90 movies, a star of gigantic proportions - The Empire State Building.
Having held the record as the world’s tallest skyscraper for 40 years - the symbol of this city was constructed in only two years - 1930 to 31 and the 1,453 foot colossus instantly became a tourist magnet. Even King Kong came to visit!
Enter the spacious Art Deco lobby lathed in 10,000 square feet of marble, and head downstairs for your ticket to the observation levels. Lines get pretty long, especially during summer and the holiday season, but you can fit a trip here any time into your itinerary, they’re open from 9:30 a.m. until midnight every day.

The New York Aquarium

Like the history of the WCS, the New York Aquarium’s history is also a long and successful one. On December 10th, 1896, it opened its doors for the first time in lower Manhattan in what is now known as Battery Park, making it the oldest continually operating aquarium in the United States. On October 31st, 1902, the Aquarium was adopted into the care of what was then the New York Zoological Society. At the time, the Aquarium housed only 150 specimens of wildlife.

In 1941, the Aquarium at Battery Park was closed due to the proposed construction of a bridge from lower Manhattan to Brooklyn. The Aquarium’s inhabitants were temporarily housed at the Bronx Zoo until the new aquarium was built after WWII. On June 6th, 1957, the Aquarium opened its doors at its new location in Coney Island, Brooklyn.