Welcome To New York’s Central PARK!

It’s a magical oasis in New York City – 40+ blocks of great lawns, turtle-filled lakes, an ice skating rink and so much more – like a secret castle!

Behold Belvedere Castle!

Of course Central Park would have a secret castle, and it’s tucked away near one of the park’s many lakes!

This stunning photograph from Architectural Digest puts it in perspective – just one of the park’s many wonders!

Here’s how Belvedere Castle is described in official park literature:

“Designed by Central Park co-designer Calvert Vaux and architect Jacob Wrey Mould, the structure and adjacent terraces and pavilions were all called “the Belvedere,” which means “beautiful view” in Italian. The entire complex, completed in 1872, was designed as a place from which to enjoy views of the surrounding landscape; the building originally had no windows or doors, as it was intended as an open-air lookout tower.”

Here’s a video I shot yesterday, looking up toward the castle from “Turtle Pond”:

The castle was designed as a focal point in the landscape, as it emerges from the dramatic “Vista Rock!”

The view from the other side of Turtle Pond is truly stunning, and serene as well, like all of the park.

Now about all those turtles in Central Park:

Not only are the lakes filled with them, they like to be petted as well!

See that video and more about the Turtles of Central Park here:

I will be exploring more of this incredible oasis as well – but remember the time I was in New York and got my “walk on?”

196 blocks to be exact!

It was all part of my “Hitch Hiking” series, where take a fun hike and tie it in to a Hitchcock classic – in this case “Rear Window!”

See it all here!

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