Welcome To New York’s Central Park!

I found this aerial shot of Manhattan and Central Park online – a gorgeous shot that captures the majesty of the park….but a closer look also reveals something else:

The Park Has “Arches!”

Yes, that’s Alex standing in front of one of the thirty-six ornamental spans, most of which were built in the 1860s as part of the park’s construction. And you know what? No two bridges in the park are alike!

Every Archway Has A Story!

I will sahre some of the most interesting arches and give a bit of history to each, but first: note that they all have lights affixed inside:

And every single light has a very unique feature: bird nests!

Take a look!

The birds are very noisy in the best way! They build nests and their babies squeak and squeak until they are fed…it’s very cool to see them fly up into the light!

And while 36 archways may seem like a lot, don’t forget this:

Central Park Is Big!

This public park, which New Yorkers call their “backyard”, is 843 acres. It’s approximately 2.5 miles long and 0.5 miles wide! Thousands and thousands use the park every single day – and it’s free!

There are various types of arches constructed in Central Park. “Ornamental Bridges or Archways” are larger spans integrated into the greater landscape, made of brick, stone or cast iron.

The park also has a few “rustic” bridges, smaller stone or wooden bridges that span small walkways or streams, like this one in “the ramble”…follow the creek as it flows under one of the wooden bridges…

While the park is huge, you can see arches almost everywhere you turn, and they are fun to walk though and film like this:

As you can see, the park is filled with many different unique arches! Here’s a visual look at some:

Here’s a very unique arch: it’s on the northwest side of the”The Ramble”, the serene hideaway just north of “The Lake” and Bethesda Fountain…you can actually jump up and hold yourself up with your arms on both walls…here’s a video look at how narrow it is:

Here’s a bit of Park history:

The bridges were devised as part of Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux‘s proposal for Central Park, the Greensward Plan. Most of the spans were built in the 1860s. By 1872, there were thirty-three spans; six more spans were built before the end of the 19th century.

The “Sled Dog” Arch!

Just outside the Willowdell Arch is this terrific statue of a sled dog – it takes a bit of effort, but the statue does explain its history:

I have walked through all parts of the park, and still probably have a few more arches to find:

Central Park is filled with terrific things to see and do…like checking out the sunbathing Turtles:

They love to catch some rays, and are open for a little petting as well! Check this out:

And if you think that’s an adorable video, click on my story here to see a hungry Turtle literally rise out of the lake for a bite to eat!

The park also has another unique aspect to it: it has a castle!

Where is it, and more importantly: why?

Click on my story for the answer!

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Categories: Art, Exotic Travel, Memoirs, nature, New York, Pop Culture, Real Estate, Travel, Travel Adventures, Travel Memoir

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