The green area in the heart of Manhattan is home to numerous figures, sculptures and fountains, so it is almost impossible not to encounter any of these sights while strolling through Central Park.
107th United States Infantry
According to simplyyellowpages, there are several war memorials in Central Park. This one is dedicated to one of them and the soldiers who served in World War I and had to pay for it with their lives. The creator of the memorial, the sculptor Karl Illava, was sergeant of the 107th Infantry and created a memorial based on his memory that was intended to commemorate the innumerable emotions associated with the acts of war. This includes the aggressiveness of the fight as well as the caring care of wounded comrades. It’s on the Perimeter Wall on Fifth Avenue, 67th Street.
The Pulitzer Fountain is south of the park (59th Street, Fifth Avenue)
Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton is one of the United States’ Founding Fathers and is buried in the cemetery of Trinity Church in Lower Manhattan. This larger than life granite statue shows the famous American in colonial clothing and was a gift to Central Park from the son of the famous statesman John C. Hamilton in 1880. The statue is located in the center of the park east of The Great Lawn between 82nd and 83rd Streets.
Giuseppe Mazzini
The bronze bust of the Italian patriot, philosopher and politician is on the edge of Sheep Meadow. It is a work of art created by Giovanni Turini.
Pulitzer Fountain
When newspaper publisher Joseph Pulitzer died in 1911, he bequeathed $ 50,000 to build a fountain to be modeled on the fountain on Place de la Concorde in Paris, France. Pulitzer wanted the fountain on the Grand Army Plaza to be implemented by the Austrian sculptor Karl Bitter, who was ultimately commissioned to implement it on the square. The bronze figure of the fountain represents the Roman goddess Pomona. At Christmas time the trees around the fountain’s basin are illuminated, which gives the entrance to the park a festive note.
Alexander von Humboldt
A bronze bust in Central Park was also dedicated to the German scientist and naturalist Alexander von Humboldt. The artwork once stood on 59th Street / Fifth Avenue before being relocated to its current location across from the Natural History Museum. It is located on the West Side / 77. Street.
Hans Christian Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen is best known for his fairy tales like “The Little Mermaid” or “The Ugly Duckling”. The statue in Central Park shows the author seated with a book in his hands and a duck at his feet. Stories for children are told at the statue in the summer months. The sculpture is located on 74th Street near Fifth Avenue west of Conservatory Water.
Sophie Loeb Fountain
This fountain was once a drinking fountain dedicated to Ms Loeb, a writer and advocate for children. For a long time the sculpture stood on the edge of the Heckscher Playground. In 1987 it was relocated to the Levin Playground. Not far north of the fountain is the Alice in Wonderland statue, another remarkable sculpture with the famous figures of Lewis Carroll.
The lakes in the park
In the green lung of the world metropolis there are several lakes, each of which has its own charm. The following are the most popular.
The reservoir
The reservoir is located in one of the park’s most picturesque landscapes and holds a billion gallons of water. The lake was built as a temporary water reservoir for New York City in the 1860s and closed in 1993. The route around the lake is popular with runners and was walked by President Bill Clinton, Madonna and Jackie Kennedy Onassis and even named after the latter in 1994 (Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir). For a long time the view of the reservoir was obstructed by a two meter high fence. This has now been replaced by a steel fence with cast iron ornaments, which allows a breathtaking view of the park and the surrounding city.
The Lake
At 20 acres, Central Park Lake is Central Park’s largest natural body of water. Originally, the lake was designed from a swamp by park builders Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux and was intended to offer people the opportunity to go boating in summer and ice skating in winter.
The hole
As we know from the famous Loch Ness, “Loch” is the Scottish word for lake. The body of water is fed in part by a natural stream known as Montayne’s Rivulet in the 17th and 18th centuries. It flows under the arches of Glen Span and Huddlestone into the sea. The stream, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, is dammed in several places, creating three pretty waterfalls.
Conservatory Water
The area around the water is particularly popular with families with children. This is not only due to the sculptures there, but also to the storytelling program, the model boats, the café and the fact that the water played an essential role in the classic “Stuart Little”.
From April to October you can watch children and boat lovers in this pond how they steer their model boats through the water and if you want, you can even rent a model boat east of the pond and try yourself as a captain. In winter you can often ice skate on the pond for free.
Harlem Sea
The artificial body of water was named by the park designers Calvert Vaux and Frederick Law Olmsted after the Dutch word for lake “sea”. The full name is also reminiscent of the formerly independent village of Harlem, which was founded by European settlers in the 17th century and was located on the area of Central Park.
Today the lake is used for fishing and swimming. There are two playgrounds nearby and the landscape around the water is also a blooming habitat for numerous animals. The Charles A. Dana Discovery Center is located on the north shore of the lake. It is one of the park’s visitor centers and has many free programs, exhibitions, and events. Among other things, live concerts are presented as part of the Harlem Meer Performance Festival in summer.
Numerous other sights and attractions of the city’s “green lung” are on the official website of the Central Park Conservancy listed.
