This tour focuses
on the middle section of the Park. Less congested than the lower
end of the Park, there is still plenty to see! In addition to
the listed highlights we will also see Cleopatra's Needle, the
King Jagiello monument, Turtle Pond and others.
Strawberry
Fields
Officially opened in 1985 as an international peace park
to commemorate the memory of John Lennon who was slain in
front of his home less than 100 yds. away on Dec 8th 1980.
The Neapolitan tile mosaic centerpiece is a favorite gathering
place for fans and is rarely bare of some kind of daily
tribute to the famous musician.
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Great
Lawn
Once a reservoir, it is now the largest element of the park
not part of the original design. The Great Lawn is the annual
summer home to the Metropolitan Opera and New York Philharmonic
concerts as well as past host to Billy Joel, Simon and Garfunkle,
Garth Brooks, the Pope and the Dali Lama. It is sacred ground
in NYC.
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Bow
Bridge
Beautifully restored in 2001 to it's original colors and
re-laid with South American Ipewood. This graceful cast
iron span is perhaps the best known of the 36 bridges build
by Calvert Vaux and a charming, relaxing place to take in
one of the park's best views!
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The
Ramble
What park designer Olmsted described as a "wild garden,"
is actually a lush 36-acre forest intersected by meandering
pathways and a stream. It's a wonderful, shady place to
lose yourself in and also a place in which many are easily
lost. Audubon Society lists it as one of the best bird watching
locations in the country!
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Belvedere
Castle
Perched upon Vista Rock, the second highest point in the
park, the castle offers commanding views over Delacorte
Theater, Turtle Pond, as well as the Great Lawn. Today it
is home to NYC's weather station
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Shakespeare
Garden
One of two formal gardens in Central Park. This one contains
samples of approximately half of the trees, wildflowers, herbs
and shrubs mentioned in the bard's many works including a
black mulberry bush grown from a cutting at the poet's home
and burial site. This is a lovely, quiet reflective zone of
the park, a real enchanted secret garden! |
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