City Hall Park, South Street Seaport and the Brooklyn Bridge
LOWER MANHATTAN: City Hall Park, Woolworth Building, Municipal Building, Beekman Tower, South Street Seaport, Stone Street
This page is about the area on Lower Manhattan around City Hall Park, a beautiful park/square just next to the classic Woolworth Building, City Hall and Municipal Building. In the area is also Beekman Tower and just to the East is South Street Seaport, a touristy but nice historical area with ships, stores, restaurants and views over Brooklyn. It is one of the few pedestrian areas in Manhattan. There are also several pictures of Brooklyn Bridge, New York's most famous bridge. It was very hot this day when I took the following photos!
City Hall Park:
Woolworth Building is a 57-storey Gothic masterpiece. Upon completion in 1913 it was the world's tallest building (until 1930). It is still one of the most recognizable skyscrapers in New York, and is situated just next to WTC (the glass bldg behind is 7WTC), but was not severely damaged. It is still one of the 20 tallest buildings in New York.
Since 1966 Woolworth Bldg has been a National Historic Landmark. The architect was Cass Gilbert.
Woolworth Bldg was designed to resemble a Gothic cathedral.
When I visited New York in 1998 I visited the lobby of Woolworth Building, but it is not allowed anymore after 9/11
In the back is the new glass 7 WTC.
Manhattan Municipal Building, the beautiful large building that houses a part of the City Hall. The golden triangular roof and the curved roof with the golden statue "Civic Fame" are both part of the same building. The statue is NY:s 2nd largest (after Statue of Liberty). It is 183m tall to the top of the tallest spire and it is one of the world's largest municipal buildings. It was completed in 1914.
Municipal Building, seen from the other side of the park, in the crossing Chambers and Lafayette Sts. The Art-Beaux building, designed by McKim, Mead and White, was very influental and was a prototype for Terminal Tower in Cleveland, Writght Bldg in Chicago and the 7 Stalin towers of Moscow!
New York City Hall, main building, is a bit smaller then Municipal Bldg. A large area on the front of the City Hall and the back of Municipal Building are blocked and the City Hall was under renovation.
This monument stands in front of the City Hall (front) and Municipal Bldg (right).
Some street dance performance in front of the City Hall.
Municipal Building has many European architecture elements.
The beautiful triangular building seen from City Hall Park.
The Jacob Wrey Mould Fountain was named after its architect and was placed in City Hall Park in 1871. Between 1920 and 1999 it was moved to Bronx, after it finally came back to the park. It survived 9/11, standing just 2 blocks from the WTC site.
The ornate bronze candelabra and the flickering gaslights were reconstructed from Mould's original design.
City Hall Park with Jacob Wrey Mould Fountain. In the background you can see Liberty Plaza, Equitable Building, Millenium Hilton and Barclay Building.
View from Park Row from the left: Unknown classic building, Millenium Hilton, St Paul's Chapel, THE SPACE IN THE SKY IS WHERE THE OLD WORLD TRADE CENTER STOOD, Barclay Bldg, the new 7 WTC, Woolworth Building, City Hall Park.
The new One World Trade Center, u/c, seen from City Hall Park.
City Hall Park seen from the Broadway. A postmodern highrise to the left.
A pyramid in City Hall Park. Some kind of art installation.
An older building between the park and WTC.
The beautiful tower with the triangular roof I don't know the name of. To the right is City Hall.
The beautiful older residential buildings at Spruce Street and Park Row and Beekman Tower seen from City Hall Park.
Spruce Street:
Beekman Tower, also known as 8 Spruce Street and New York by Gehry. It was completed in 2010, but opened in 2011, the same years that we visited New York. It was designed by the world famous architect Frank Gehry. It has 76 floors. It is 265m to the top.
The shining curvy top, a 903-unit luxury residential tower, is built in reinforced concrete. The 5 lowest floors look like a common brick building and houses an elemtary school and there is also a hospital inside the building!
Beekman Tower by Gehry.
Woolworth Building seen from Spruce Street. To the right is the lower part of Beekman Tower, featuring a large elementary school!
The new One World Trade Center seen from a side street.
The new Seven World Trade Center seen from a side street.
Municipal Building and City Hall seen from Spruce Street.
Very beautiful older residential buildings at Spruce Street.
One Brooklyn Bridge Plaza from 1976 is not the most beautiful building in New York. It is 165 m tall and is situated between Brooklyn Bridge and City Hall Park.
Brooklyn Bridge, New York's most famous bridge, seen from near City Hall Park and Municipal Building on Lower Manhattan.
South Street Seaport:
South Street Seaport lies right next to the Brooklyn Bridge, where Fulton Street meets East River. It is a historic harbour area, consisting of a few blocks, that includes many restored 19th century commerical buildings, that are among New York's oldest. Pier 17 is where you can find the shopping, as well as renovated historical ships, included in an outdoor maritime museum.
South Street Seaport seen from Water Street.
Water Street, towards the Financial district.
The entrance to South Street Seaport with Fulton Market to the left.
At South Street Seaport you can find a museum, pubs, restaurants and stores.
Looking towards Front Street. Note the part of Brooklyn Bridge in the sky in the background!
The area is considered a museum. Seaport Museum has preserved store interiors.
The ship Peking. It is a historical barque from 1911.
The largest privately owned fleet of historical ships is part of the South Street Museum.
Part of Lower Manhattan skyline, seen form South St Seaport.
Ambrose, a lightship part of the historical fleet.
South Street Mall at Pier 17, South Street Seaport. It is the former Fulton Fish Market Building that was rebuilt as a shopping mall in 1983. Nirvana's original video for their song "In Bloom" was recorded here.
Lower Manhattan skyline.
American International Building (close-up, middle).
A black ship with the skyline of Brooklyn Heights in the background.
Brooklyn Bridge:
Brooklyn Bridge is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the USA. It was completed in 1883 and connects the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn. It spans the East River and was designed in a neo-gothic style. It is featured in an endless number of movies. It is a National Historic Landmark and one of New York's most famous symbols. It was designed by John August Roebling. There is a walkway over the bridge.
3 bridges: Brooklyn, Manhattan and Williamsburg bridges. To the right is Williamsburg in Brooklyn and to the left is Lower Manhattan.
Water taxi seen from South St Seaport, with Brooklyn in the background.
View towards Brooklyn Heights.
Water Street right next to South Street Seaport.
Front Street. A nice small street with restaurants and boutiques, leading to South St Seaport.
Beekman Street towards Beekman Tower.
A gritty mix of small buildings and skyscrapers of the Financial District, an interesting angle! The tallest looking on the picture is 20 Exchange Place from 1931.
Stone Street:
Stone Street is a small pedestrian street on Lower Manhattan, close to South Street Seaport and Wall Street. Stone St has many European bars and restaurants. This part is very European looking (especially Dutch or British) since it includes many restored historical buildings.
We tried a beer at the Swedish restaurant called Smorgas Chef on Stone Street.
Stone Street, the European looking pub street in the Financial District. It was raining heavily during our visit, that is why it is so empty.
Hanover Square, a small square near Stone Street, Pearl Street and Wall Street.
Near Brooklyn Bridge:
Brooklyn Bridge was the longest suspension bridge in the world when it opened in 1883.
Beekman Tower, or New York by Gehry, and Woolworth Building.