New York, or “Big Apple” as it’s called the Americans – is a city of the American dream, the concentration of the American spirit and equal opportunities, the center of the entire U.S. and global capital, a city of contrasts, the concentration of unprecedented luxury Manhattan and the poverty of color blocks, City endlessly darting yellow taxi, which never for a moment to sleep. New York City is so absorbed all the features of American life that a detailed acquaintance with the city amounts to familiarity with all of the United States.

Who does not know Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx? Those who have ever heard about the “black block” of the city – gangs of Harlem and New York? Although, of course, the city’s sights are not as well known: it’s Central Park, and the building of the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty and Brooklyn Bridge.

It is also important omen of New York are its skyscrapers. Most Manhattan neighborhoods, and many other urban areas densely built-up multi-storey buildings, but the heaviest concentration falls on the southern and central parts of Manhattan.

The attacks of September 11, 2001 have 2 more buildings in New York world-renowned – destroying them. Now place the towers of the World Trade Center Freedom Tower being erected. It is expected that this will be the highest skyscraper in the world.

New York will give you a comprehensive view about all the diversity of living in America, nationalities, religions, the goods and the most frequent social cataclysms USA. Most impossible jewelry, thousands of monuments of culture and art, cuisine all over the world, daily fashion shows – all this can be found in New York.

Recreation and entertainment in New York

His attraction for both local people and visitors to the City of New York shall set a variety of recreational and cultural centers of entertainment. In New York more than in any other city in America, theaters, music groups, ballet troupes, sports grounds, museums and art galleries.

New York – the theater capital of the United States. Autumn and winter, the doors are opened only 38 theaters in the area of Broadway and West 40′s and 50′s streets. In mid-1980 there were 200 small “vnebrodveyskih” theaters – mostly in Greenwich Village and Chelsea. The city has about 400 movie theaters – from the gigantic hall Radio City Music Hall for 6200 seats to the local cinemas and absolutely tiny zalchikov, which demonstrates an elitist movie or pornography. Manhattanskaya entertainment industry is also impossible without the hundreds of bars, cafes, night clubs and discos.

Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (Lincoln-Center) in the vicinity of Amsterdam Avenue between 62 th and 66 th Western streets, in the northern part of the Theater District, consists of three buildings around the square with a fountain: Avery Fisher Hall (the former Philharmonic Hall, built in 1962), which gives concerts of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, the New York State’s tietr (1964) – playing area of the New York City Ballet and the world-famous “Metropolitan Opera” (1966). The Lincoln Center Theater also includes “Vivian Beaumont, Theater Library and Museum of Performing Arts, Julliard Music School and Chamber Concert Hall Alice Tully Hall. Other major concert halls – Carnegie Hall (1891), famous for its excellent acoustics, and New York City-Center (both – in central Manhattan) and Brooklyn Academy of Music in the heart of Brooklyn.

Metropolitan Museum of Art, located in Central Park near Fifth Avenue and 80 Street, has the world’s richest collection of paintings and sculptures of all time. Kloysters Museum in Fort Tryon Park in northern Manhattan has a few buildings, which are exhibited in the halls of medieval art collection of the Metropolitan Museum, including the famous tapestries. At the corner of Fifth Avenue and 70 nd Street, 40-room mansion of Henry Clay Frick Art Museum is located Frick Collection, which contains works of European art.

In the fund Pierpont Morgan Library on East 36 th Street kept many rare manuscripts and author’s original literary works. Exclusive art 20 in. devoted to three meetings: The Museum of Modern Art (1939) on West 53rd Street, with a wonderful garden sculpture park (1951), Solomon Guggenheim Museum (1959) on Fifth Avenue between 88 th and 89 th streets – a cylindrical building, erected on Project Frank Lloyd Wright, and the Whitney Museum of American Art (1966) on the corner of Madison Avenue and 75 th streets. Extensive and diversified collection of works of art exhibited in the Brooklyn Museum on Eastern Parkway, near Park Avenue.

Works of art and objects related to the history of the town, represented in the exhibition of the New York Historical Society on Central Park West between 76 th and 77 th streets and in the Museum of New York City on Fifth Avenue between 102 th and 103 nd streets. American Museum of Natural History on Central Park West near 79 th Street is the world’s largest thematic exhibition. In the museum complex also includes Hayden Planetarium.

Among other noteworthy museums in a separate gallery houses in Asia, China House Gallery, the Museum of Design and Decorative Arts Cooper-Hewitt, the Spanish Society of America, the Jewish Museum, Museum of American Folk Art, Museum of the American Indian, Museum of Contemporary Crafts, Museum of primitive art, New York Jazz Museum, the Museum of Sea Port on South Street. In addition, the city has approx. 125 private art galleries.

New York fans are sick of the numerous local professional sports teams: “Knicks (basketball),” Giants “and” Jets “(American football), the Yankees and the Mets (baseball), Rangers and Islanders ( hockey), “Apls” (tennis). The largest city in the sports arena – Madison Square Garden in manhattanskom “Midtown” stadiums “Shea” in Queens and the Yankees in the Bronx. Complex “Madison Square Gardno” (1967) includes a covered sports arena to 19,5 thousand seats, a concert hall for 5-thousand seats, a bowling alley, an office skyscraper, shops and underground railway platform at Pennsylvania Station and Long-Aylendskoy branches. At the stadium, Flushing Meadow, “championship matches are held the U.S. Open.

Transportation New York

Metro. The basis of the public transport system in New York form the Metro (in America they say “sabvey” – “Underground”) and a bus. Trolleybuses and trams no. Price for travel in the subway and bus, by our standards, much – 1,5 dollars (Pensioners pay 75 cents) 1. However, the collected money is still lacking, and the city pays extra transport departments.

New York subway on the number of lines, stations and the length of underground lines is not unparalleled in the world. But the number of passengers on New York City Subway is not a leader (see table).

In addition to the New York subway, there is still a small network of underground, connecting with New York its western suburbs of New Jersey (Jersey City, Newark, Hoboken). The system is managed by PATH (pronounced PET), a reduction of the Port Authority Trans-Hudson. The word «Trans-Hudson» suggests that the underground river crosses. Hudson, twice. At the New Jersey shore, it reaches the surface. From the New York subway PATH favorably neatness, since it was built recently. Independent subway line, or rather the urban railway, is available on Staten Island, the most poorly attended of the boroughs of New York. It crosses the island from north to south.

New York subway old: it was commissioned in 1904, ie later than in Boston (1897), but earlier than in Philadelphia (1907), and even more so in Chicago (1943).

Stations (they are at present 468) deprived not only of artistic delights, but even the most down-ornaments. They usually do not have land pavilions: to enter the subway, you just need to come down. And those pavilions that are quite insignificant. Inexpressiveness New York subway unpleasant affects migrants from Russia, waiting for just about anything, but not so obvious misery. On the platforms, station names most often lined with pieces of mosaics on the walls, such as 103d Street. At the very same old stations is not even such a simple-minded ornaments and the names written on thin iron columns-pillars.

Subway cars are not much different from those that built and operated by us. The main advantage – the presence of air-conditioners, which literally saves the passengers from the grueling summer stuffiness. In the cold season has a heated seat. Since the transom windows and no ventilation hatches, the noise inside the car is not as deafening as in ours. Sami cars somewhat broader and more spacious. Seats shallow, plastic or metal. From the car in the car can pass at the time of the train. Just open the door to the end of the car and step over to the platform, serving from one wagon to another site. roadside barriers to protect from falling.

When the train information on the approach to the next station by the Special Assistant (conductor), which goes to the middle of the composition. Therefore, passengers are recommended at night to sit in mid-cars: it is safer. However, now the robbery in the subway on the lone passenger in the empty car – a rarity, but 15-20 years ago to go in too late and too early, it was risky.

Among the train station there are some who go both express and did not stop at all stations. Therefore, the beginner is not so easy to understand the dense web of lines of the New York subway. Lines denoted by the letters or numbers. With the approach of the need to carefully look at the cab driver: in terms indicated the letter or numeric designation of the line: for example, D, Q, or 4.

One must be prudent and at the entrance to the underground from the street. In some cases, the entrances to the subway at the same station and the same line but in opposite directions may be different. Once I went down to the subway stop at “86 Street” (I had to go to the edge), but it turned out that from the angle of intersection, from what I entered, you can only go in the direction of “downtown” to the center. And to get to the train in the opposite direction, should enter from the opposite side of the street. Since I have already passed a turnstile and was on the platform, I had to go back, climb up, go to the opposite side of the street and there again descend into the subway. When I did all this, the wicket did not accept my card because he did not run out of appropriate 18 minutes since the last entry in the subway. Nothing to do but stand and wait the allotted time.

Many lines stretch from one end of town to another. The composition of the passengers significantly changed. Stand out differences in people’s skin color. When the subway crosses the areas inhabited by African Americans, could not help notice that almost all the passengers in the car – black. This is very typical of the inner parts of Brooklyn and Harlem.

A remarkable feature of the New York subway – many lines work around the clock. Himalayan metro very shallow, as the rocky soil (hard crystalline rocks: granite, gneiss). So, naturally, there is no need for escalators: the passengers can easily descend and ascend the stairs. Outside the city center metro comes to the surface, usually the rails are laid on the platforms.

Bus transportation. Bus traffic, which began in 1907, much has survived tram and trolleybus. Directories reported that buses in New York, 4373, that is one and a half times less than the subway cars. They serve 234 lines, including 31 express bus lines. Buses new, comfortable and air conditioned.

Along with the usual stops are provided and stop “on demand”. To inform the driver that you want to go to the next “request stop”, click on one of the special vertical stripes, which strengthened on the inner walls of the cabin. Preserved and buses, where for the same purpose should be to pull the cord. In the cabin of the bus you can take the booklet with the scheme of bus routes in the region to New York. Since the streets of Manhattan’s very common one-way traffic, it is often one bus route, but the following in different directions, do not move on the same street, but in different, nearby. For example, on Fifth Avenue traffic goes from north to south, and in parallel to her sixth – on the contrary, from south to north.

Water transport. Many people use the ferry. Large, spacious ferries to the southern tip of Manhattan constantly running across the bay to Staten Island. These ferries are always full of tourists wishing to admire the panorama of the city by the bay, save on transportation costs: travel free.

In addition, pp. Hudson River between New Jersey shore and the Manhattan walk big boats. These boats are no longer used by tourists, but mainly those who work in New York, and lives “beyond the river”, that is, the Hudson River, in the suburbs. It is basically a “white collar” people are quite wealthy. In the morning they get from their suburb to the nearest pier on the local buses or their transportation, as wives (husbands) on cars. At the intersection of a very wide river. Hudson boats required 8 minutes. The New York shore leaving passengers already waiting for buses, ready razvezti them to the subway. The ticket price includes the ferry and pay for the bus.

There has boats and with longer routes: they float on the River. Hudson and round the southern tip of Manhattan. A large marina is located at the famous Wall Street, and many bank employees use every day by ferry, which acquire a monthly ticket (the price, however, much – $ 160). A friend of mine gets out of the house in the prestigious village of Fort Lee in New Jersey to a skyscraper on Wall Street in just 35-40 minutes. It is little wonder, given that tens of thousands prigorodnikov spend in the car or in the car and train 2 hours one way!

Rail. In Manhattan there are two major railway station. The one that is more important is called Grand Central Terminal, that is, Central, and the one that smaller – Pennsylvania Station (in ordinary speech – Penn Station). Vain search for stations near the large forecourt. Both are located in densely built-up areas, and places for the area is not there. Do not see from the street and railroad tracks – they are below ground level.

The majestic building of Grand Central Station was built in 1913 on money Kissamas William Vanderbilt, whose grandfather Cornelius Vanderbilt at the time run to New York on 12 rail liniy2. After a major overhaul of the 1998 Grand Central has become even more convenient. His snacks for all their democratic entourage famous wonderful cuisine, especially seafood. Leaving the station, you get to Park Avenue. Beneath it on the north laid railway tracks. The eye observes that Park Avenue is located above ground level. This is because there is not digging a tunnel, but simply blocked the path above.

Second station, Penn Station, and underground. Identify it on the ground the easiest of them located on the famous sports-concert hall at Madison Square Garden, where, in particular, matches are held professional basketball and hockey.

Since both stations are sent to long-distance trains and suburban trains. Take the train can be on some other stations.

Aviation. To go see the “big world” – distant states and other countries – New Yorkers used mainly by air transport. In the New York air passenger service to two airports. Both are located within New York City’s borough of Queens on Long Island. One of them – on the southern outskirts of Queens, the second – on the north, both in Atlantic waters. Kennedy Airport – a key, but LaGuardia Airport is an international, although primarily used for flights within the United States. When will the first one did not exist, La Guardia was a major New York airport. He also named after a famous person in the United States – New York Mayor Fiorello La Guardia. In addition, New York is served by Newark Liberty International Airport and large, though it is located in another state – New Jersey. He even closer to Manhattan than the airports in Queens, and the road from the airport to Manhattan takes less time than from the actual New York airports limo.

In the airports of New Yorkers traveling mostly by car: either on their own, or take a taxi. A much less likely to use an express bus. But to reach the airport on the subway is not accepted, although it is the cheapest way. The fact is that directly to Kennedy Airport and LaGuardia subway is not suitable, ground subway track runs a little bit away. But next to the airport subway station linked to the airports by special bus routes (to pay for travel on this bus is not required). Should not forget that New York City – a seaside town and the airport, La Guardia and you can sail on the ferry! They regularly run between the southern Manhattan.

Landmarks of New York

Brooklyn Bridge. Thought about how to connect the individual cities Manhattan and Brooklyn (now representing the areas of New York), discussed in the community since 1806 with a view to assessing the project carried out research, dealt with the construction of a tunnel, which was then considered less difficult than to ground work. More than 60 years were debates (sometimes sarcastic character who acquired), until finally it is not put into motion. In 1869, John Augustus Röblingen presented his project “New York Bridge Company, and which approved it on September 1 that year.

In the introductory part of “Plan and details on mounting structures, tower structures and steel ropes” says: “consider the construction of which will be built in accordance with my plan, will not only become the world’s largest bridge, but also will reveal a tremendous engineering the creation of a century on the continent. The most impressive of the details in the form of huge towers will be the main token of neighboring cities and turn in the national monuments. Great work of art and a successful example of the advanced technology of bridge building, this structure will always be testimony to the energy, enterprise and community well-being of the people who provided its construction. Such ambitious words proclaimed by its project, while certainly confident in its implementation.

City Council, which distributed in 1857, funds for this project, in 1866 chose an innovative alternative Röblingen and approved the corresponding estimates. In formulating his plan, Röblingen provided for the use of steel. Even the construction equipment is quite new: the first time during seizure pounds directly under the water for the installation of supports used pneumatic caissons. Unfortunately, the construction process was accompanied by unpleasant episodes. Initially, there was an accident with himself Röblingen: before starting work as he was walking on the ferry during the inspection of sites for future support, broke his leg. Following this, a few days later, July 20, 1869, and followed the demise of the designer of tetanus.

Responsibility for project management was transferred to his son Washington, who acquired the necessary experience, working alongside his father on the construction of suspension bridge on the Ohio River in Cincinnati. Personally overseeing the seizure of land under water, Washington Röblingen in 1872, he went down to the caisson with compressed air and received a syndrome of decompression (decompression sickness). While the causes of this condition have been little studied, and many workers as a result of decompression became paralyzed people, and then and goodbye to life. Washington Röblingen himself paralyzed, and in these circumstances, he suspected the cause and decided to no longer continue dredging under water, which, incidentally, already has reached the required depth. But the guide all the work he was forced out of the window now only own home.

Three span of the bridge connected the two Gothic towers, the length of the main span was 486.3 meters. The bridge had cost 15.1 million dollars. Building the bridge took 14 years.

On the first day of the order of 1,800 vehicles and nearly 150.300 people benefited from them to move to the other side. But a week later, the people there was a rumor about the possibility of sudden collapse of the bridge, which led to a stampede and the death of 12 people. To assure the people in the strength of the bridge, the authorities held him for 21 elephants from the nearby touring circus.

Building Krayslerovskogo Center (English Chrysler Building) – Skyscraper company Chrysler, was built in 1930, one of the symbols of New York. The building height of 319 m (1 046 feet) is located in the eastern part of Manhattan at the intersection of 42 nd Street and Lexington Avenue. Originally owned by the corporation Chrysler, now it is jointly owned by «TMW Real Estate» (75%) and «Tishman Speyer Properties» (25%).

Order plan of the building architect William Van Helen (born William van Alen), former Senator William H. Reynolds – the man who invented “Drimlend (born« Dreamland »- unpreserved amusement park on Coney Island). Ready project was subsequently sold to Walter P. Chrysler at the company headquarters.

By this time the building was beginning to ascend to the heavens: the New York spurred the desire of builders to build the highest skyscraper in the world. It was built at a speed of 4 floors per week. Just before the completion of the building equaled the height to the building architect H. Craig Severance at 40 Wall Street (born 40 Wall Street), which is now called the Trump Building “. Severance and Van Helen were partners, but their ways parted, and they became fierce enemies. Severance knew what should be the height of the building of his competitor, so he adds to his skyscraper two feet, taking over, thus the title of the tallest building in the world. (The building is to be distinguished from structures – such as the Eiffel Tower.)

But, not wanting to be left out, Ellen van (without advertising it) received permission from the city to crown the building 38-meter spire. The spire of stainless steel Nirosta, assembled inside the building of separate components, was installed on top of a building in one November day in 1929, transforming the skyscraper Chrysler not only the tallest building in the world, but in the highest design. This title van Helene and Chrysler have enjoyed less than a year later he moved to the Empire State Building. Unfortunately, the joy of the van Helena was poisoned Chrysler’s refusal to pay his fees.

Skyscraper Chrysler has been open to the public May 27, 1930

He is an example of Art Deco architecture. The peculiar ornamentation of the tower design repeats motifs caps on rims cars Chrysler at that time. Maybe – this is the best example of the period of Art Deco architecture in New York, the most beautiful period in the development of the city.

Unusually elegant lobby, and on top of the building was the sightseeing area, which a few years later was replaced by a restaurant. But none of these enterprises could not pay off when the onset of the Great Depression, and the former site reviews was transformed into a private club. The uppermost levels of the building are narrow with low ceilings, they largely created for observation from the outside and used for radio equipment and other mechanical and electrical equipment.

Critics of his time the building was blamed for “frivolous” decoration, stray from the direct and functional modernism. For example, the top is a huge silver gargoyle in the form of eagles. But the general public, however, contemplating it with delight and enthusiasm, and even gave nicknames, one of which was “The beauty of Manhattan.” Over time it has been recognized by many as the highest expression of architectural era the 1920′s, had failed in “black Thursday”.

Skyscraper Chrysler in pop culture

- In the movie “Armageddon” blow the asteroid breaking skyscraper Chrysler in half and makes the upper part of the broken pavement.

- In the video game «Parasite Eve» building is a hotbed of bloodthirsty hostile creatures. Mysterious “real” boss is acquired on the top floor.

- In the video game Freedom Fighters building is a good benchmark for the passage of the first levels, largely created an “atmosphere” of the game.

- In the classic low-budget movies by Larry Cohen «Q: The Winged Serpent (1982)” dragon nest, just below the spire of a skyscraper, where he extends his campaign of terror on New York City, while remaining invisible to residents.

- In the animated series “Spiderman” is one of the main villains Kingpin manages his crime syndicate from the skyscraper Chrysler, and its upper floors have a platform for takeoff and landing aircraft with vertical take-off.

- In the film “Godzilla”, two Apache helicopter accidentally blow up the building, chasing after a monster in Manhattan.

- Matthew Barney took art-house film entitled “Cremaster 3″, narrating the history of the skyscraper.

Metropolitan Museum of Art New York’s largest art collections in the world. As the variety of collections, on the qualitative composition is the most significant in the Americas storehouse of art can be put on a par with such world-renowned museums like the Louvre and the Hermitage Museum.

In the Metropolitan Museum’s collection includes works of Western European and American artists, monuments of art culture of the peoples of Asia, Africa, the Middle and Far East. In its collections are not only painting, sculpture and graphics, and decorative arts.

History of the Metropolitan Museum is relatively short: the initiative of its creation belongs to a group of American artists and public figures, among whom were members of the historical society, a professor of the Academy of drawing and representatives of the business world. In April 1870 the Legislative Assembly of New York authorized the opening of the museum. At the very beginning of its existence, he had no collections, no building, where they could store and display. The funds specifically established by the corporation, which included two hundred and fifty members and was led by the guardians, were bought by a hundred paintings in Brussels and seventy-four in Paris. In Belgium, the paintings were bought by Dutch and Flemish painters, in France – Italian, French, Spanish, English.

In 1872 in a small building on Fifth Avenue between Fifty-third and Fifty-fourth streets, opened the first exhibition of art gallery. It was soon completed a three-storey building in Central Park, which took twelve exposition halls, which until 1926 was surrounded by additional outhouses and now became the center of a large architectural complex.

Metropolitan Museum of Art in its present form was formed from a number of private collections, either purchased or donated by wealthy collectors who wanted to contribute to the development of national culture.

By the year 1930 Metropolitan Museum of Art is the largest U.S. collection of Western European paintings. A significant contribution to the formation of the modern image of the Metropolitan Museum, introduced Francis Taylor, appointed in 1940 as its director. Under the leadership of the Taylor Museum has become a major research institution. Taylor was the organizer of the service restoration, the Center for the aesthetic education of children, lectures on the history of art.

In the postwar period, when European museums mostly restored collection, looted by the Nazis, Metropolitan Museum of Art has continued to acquire the masterpieces of world scale.

Metropolitan Museum of Art – one of the few museums that have the opportunity to acquire such masterpieces as “Aristotle with a bust of Homer by Rembrandt, which cost two million dollars, and” Portrait of Juan de Parejo by Velasquez, cost the museum at five million dollars. The latest earnings – the gift of banker Lehman – the collection for which was opened a special pavilion, where the interiors restored the home environment galleries are wonderful paintings Sassetta, Botticelli, El Greco, Rembrandt, Goya.

Skyscraper Iron (English Flatiron Building; also known under the name “Fletayron Building”) – a skyscraper in Manhattan, located at the junction of Broadway, Fifth Avenue and East 23 Street. The name translates to English as a building with iron because of its shape, resembling iron.

Author buildings – Daniel Burnham (Daniel Burnham). Construction of 82-meter building was completed in 1902. At that time it was one of the tallest buildings in New York. Originally the building was called the Fuller Building, and only in the 30s of the last century it received its present name. Today the Flatiron Building is one of the symbols of “Big Apple”.

An interesting feature is that it was one of the first high-rise buildings, construction of which is attached to the frame of steel beams.

Statue of Liberty – A “symbol of New York and the United States,” one of the most famous sculptures of the world “,” symbol of freedom and democracy “,” Lady Liberty “, which only epithets and names or come up with for this statue in New York! Some people are amazed by its size, others – paid tribute to the idea embodied in the sculpture, others simply perceive it as one of the modern wonders of the world.

Each of the four million visitors annually who come to a small island in New York Harbor, where a monument is installed, can make their views on the latter. And each in its own way will be right … The statue is truly immense: its height from base to tip of torch – almost 47 meters, and with a powerful granite pedestal – 93 meters. One nail on the hand woman, represented freedom, weighs three pounds. Under the wind gently rocking the statue: the range of fluctuations reaches 7.6 centimeters, while the torch – even up to 12.7 inches!

Inauguration of the sculpture was held on October 28, 1886. But it is not just born, and not soon. The idea of creating this character originated from a French scholar, lawyer and advocate of the abolition of slavery Edouard Rene Lefebvre de Labulaye in the late 1860′s. He proceeded from the fact that America and France linked old friendships. France has provided moral and material support to the struggle for American independence – French General Lafayette even became a national hero in the United States. Paris liberals looked to the U.S. Constitution as a model for imitation. To this circle belonged Labulaye. Gather a group of intellectuals, he suggested that a sign of friendship with America to give her some form of symbolic gift from the French people …

Soon came the idea of a giant sculpture. Author Labulaye invited to become a sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, who already had a reputation as the creator of monumental sites. There is evidence that Bartholdi, creating a statue for New York, which he called “Liberty, carrying light of the world”, had based its earlier draft of the giant sculptures destined for Egypt. Sculptor really been there in the 1860′s. Acquainted with the builder of the Suez Canal by Ferdinand de Lesseps, Bartholdi proposed to the Egyptians to create an open water route between the Mediterranean and Red seas with a huge sculpture of a lighthouse-lamp in his hand.

The statue was called “Progress” or “Egypt Carrying light in Asia “. However, the ruler of Egypt, Ismail Pasha did not accept this idea – apparently because of financial considerations … Sculptor himself has always denied the “Egyptian” origin of Liberty and insisted that the project designed to America, quite original. Nevertheless, it is curious that it was de Lesseps, who became a celebrity after the opening of the Suez Canal, headed the committee to establish a “gift of France, the United States …

A lot of assumptions there, and as to who was the model of freedom. Some, for example, believe that the sketch sculpture Bartholdi sketched with his mother – Charlotte. Riddle hitherto not been solved …

Complex internal skeleton of the statue was to design Gustave Eiffel, already proven specialist in the creation of the original iron designs for railway bridges, the future author of the famous Parisian tower. Fund raising for a giant sculpture began in 1874. It is noteworthy that the opening, as it would now call “advertising campaign” special cantata “Freedom” was written by composer Charles Gounod. Since 1875, a team of twenty people worked in sheltered workshops – a week, ten hours a day … Housing made of copper sheets, which gave the necessary form by hand.

Initially planned to install a statue to the 100 th anniversary of American independence in 1876-m. But the work dragged on very slowly. At an international exhibition in Philadelphia, dedicated to the anniversary of American independence, were able to deliver a hand with a torch, and that is the end of the exhibition. The delegation then headed Bartholdy. Take a choice of island Bedlouz Island in New York, the sculptor suggested that this piece of land was renamed Liberty Island. So it happened after 80 years: in 1956 the island received the name of Liberty Island.

If problems arose in France to raise funds, have been successfully resolved through the lottery, then the United States, few are enthusiastic about the construction of the pedestal … Then the fund-raising campaign led by Joseph Pulitzer, publisher of the New York World. This man’s name is known by the most prestigious journalism awards in the U.S., the Pulitzer … As a result, skillfully constructed propaganda directed to ordinary Americans and criticizing greedy moneybags, managed to collect donations of $ 100 thousand dollars (as well as to significantly increase the circulation of the newspaper!).

Now we could start the building of the pedestal, a project that created the American architect Richard Morris Hunt. The first stone in the foundation laid on Aug. 5, 1884. In Paris, the sculpture has long been “outgrown” the studio and climbed over the city. In June 1884 the construction of the statue was completed, the Fourth of July, at the ceremony, she was “presented in gift” to representatives of America.

The following year, the statue, which weighed 225 tons and disassembled into parts and the French frigate “Isere” smuggled into the United States. There again, the sculpture has been collected – on a pedestal in New York. Bartholdi, arriving at the ceremony in America, said simply: “The dream of my life is finished.” At the opening of the statue on Oct. 28, 1886, U.S. President Cleveland, said: “We should not forget that freedom is settled here.” At that time, Bartholdi was a colossus in his head – he had to cut the rope to a monument to fallen blanket of colors of the French flag …

Since then, stands the famous statue on the island of Liberty Island, the former Bedlouz Island, the fortress on the site of Fort Wood, which once protected the harbor of New York. At the plate, which holds Freedom in the left hand, is written the date – July 4, 1776, the day when independence was proclaimed the United States.

And in 1903, was attached to the pedestal, another, smaller plate, with Emma Lazarus’s poem “New Colossus”, written in 1883, the program raise funds for the construction of the pedestal. It is noteworthy that the poet could not even attend the opening ceremony. Jeanne-Emilia, wife of Bartholdi, and eight-year old daughter Lesseps Totota were the only women admitted at the opening ceremony of the statue. Here, indeed, a historical curiosity: the ideas of freedom and equality did not yet extend to those “weaker sex”! ..

For more than a century statue of her several times repaired and improved. The last major works were completed in 1986. Then the statue began to highlight the first laser. Images Statue of Liberty can be seen on license plates of cars in New York. But it became a symbol of all America. Even during the First World War, its image as a “female version” of Uncle Sam, began to appear on the posters calling for military valor.

Until 1899 the Statue of Liberty was the tallest structure in New York. Gradually, its much more “evolved” the skyscrapers of Manhattan. However, close it still produces a magnificent impression. And the flow of visitors to her without interruption – one after another is sent to the island ferries.

Gift of the French “repay”. In 1885, Americans who lived in Paris, presented with a small town a copy of the statue. Today it stands at the Grenelle bridge across the Seine. It is quite similar to the original, except for size – only 10 meters in height, that is almost five times less than the original. And on a plate in his hand, given two dates – the American and French Revolutions …

Today there are more than 200 copies of the Statue of Liberty – in 39 U.S. states, several current and former U.S. possessions, including the Canal Zone, and Guam, and the Philippines … In the Copenhagen district of Christiania – the city of hippies, “where anarchy, – also has its own Statue of Liberty, rather, a parody of it, cleverly made from ancillary material, which resembles the original, and a great dummy. Well, everyone – my understanding that freedom itself …

Wall Street – The name comes from the streets of the city wall, which in the 17 th century was the northern boundary of the Dutch city of New Amsterdam (one of the first names of New York). In 1640-ies the fence and the fence of boards fenced residents of the colony. Later, by order of the West India Company (West India Company) the Governor of the Dutch colony Peter Stayvesant using slave labor, built a stronger fence. By the time the war with Great Britain strengthened 12-foot wall of wood and the land has been strengthened created in 1653 Palisades. Building a wall protected the settlers from attacks by Indian tribes, the colonists of New England and the British Army. In 1685, residents of paved road along the wall, which they called Wall Street, which literally means “street wall”. In 1699 the wall was destroyed by the British.

With the discovery in 1973 in the vicinity of the World Trade Center, many large and powerful companies on Wall Street moved into these buildings. In the future, this neighborhood attracted to the area and other major corporations. The attack on Sept. 11, 2001 led to a drop in business activity in the area, and as a result of business was to move to other areas of the city and in neighboring states and other business centers of America, such as Chicago and Boston.

The main attraction of the street – New York Stock Exchange. In a figurative sense, so called as the exchange itself, and the entire U.S. stock market in general.

Most of the larger of the New York financial institutions no longer have their head offices on Wall Street, having moved to other areas of the lower and middle of Manhattan, in Connecticut or New Jersey. One of the recent financial mastodons, took office on this street, the company JPMorgan Chase, has sold its building on Wall Street, 60 German bank Deutsche Bank in November 2001.

The population of New York

One of the most characteristic features of New York – ethnic diversity. In the past, the vast majority of the city were white immigrants from Europe. In the mid-19 century. dominated by immigrants from Ireland and Germany. By the beginning of the 20. most significant group of immigrants were Jews and Italians. In 1940, approximately 94% of urban population was white.

In the early 1920′s began to grow rapidly immigration of African Americans from the American South. After the Second World War in New York came to a lot of Puerto Ricans. Ethnic appearance of the city significantly to evolve, as many whites moved to the suburbs, and representatives of other races settled within the city limits. In 1980-1990-ies in New York surged Asians – especially Chinese, Indians and Pakistanis, as well as many immigrants from Central America and the Caribbean.

Today New York is the real miracle of urbanization, the leader in the density and population in the United States – only on a single Manhattan has approximately 7 million people, just as New York-based conglomerate with its suburbs has 18 million people. Unique concentration of population postpones its distinctive imprint on the character of an ordinary New Yorker: an endless rush and bustle of the city accompanied by his whole life. Some people genuinely love New York, the other desperately hate him, but for four hundred years of fascinating metropolis lights attract millions of people from different continents.

In New York, so much so intertwined different styles of art, culture and architecture that is difficult to identify the fundamental differences between New York City attractions of the characteristic features of other cities in the world, many places here will seem familiar to you, though you had never seen them.

New York City today – more than 18,000 restaurants, one hundred and fifty museums of international importance and, of course, thousands and thousands of shops, boutiques, supermarkets with products from around the world.

Geography and climate of New York

New York City includes the island of Manhattan, the island of Staten Island, the western part of Long Island, part of the North American continent – (Bronx), and several small islands in New York harbor. New York is about 40 ° north latitude and 74 ° west longitude. The highest point of New York is a hill Todt Hill, altitude 125 m, which is located on Staten Island. Staten Island – the most hilly and spacious and the least populated area of the city. In densely populated Manhattan, on the contrary, land is limited and expensive, which explains the large number of high buildings and skyscrapers. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has an area of 1,214.4 km ², of which 785.6 km ² – land and 428.8 km ² (35,31%) – water.

The climate in New York – humid and continental. The city is located on the coast, so the temperature fluctuations are less pronounced than in the country.

Winter in New York, the average temperature is between -2 ° C and +5 ° C. Almost every winter, snow falls, an average of 60 cm per year. Spring is mild, with temperatures of 7 ° C to 16 ° C. Summer in New York is relatively hot, with an average temperature of 19 ° C to 28 ° C, and with periods of high humidity. Often the temperature exceeds 32 ° C, and occasionally reaches 38 ° C heat and above. Autumn in New York, pleasant, with temperatures of 10 ° C to 18 ° C. But New York’s weather is very unpredictable, and occasionally surprising New Yorkers with a soft, almost snow-free winter or very noticeable coolness in summer. Sometimes, that in April the case of strong storm, which covered New York with a thick layer of snow. Sometimes the temperature can fluctuate sharply from day to day. Travelers are encouraged to monitor the weather forecast and have several types of clothing in late autumn and early spring (ie in November, March, April).

History of New York

Originally the city was called New Amsterdam who established it in 1626 by the Dutch, but in 1664 the British have chosen this place called the city after which he was still. A huge metropolis at the mouth of the Hudson River is considered “capital of the world, no other city on earth can not compete with New York for the title.

The territory that now constitutes the city of New York, long before the arrival of Europeans lived such Indian tribes as Manahattou and Canarsie. This is confirmed by discoveries of arrowheads and other artifacts in areas of the city, not occupied by buildings, such as Invud Hill Park and Riverside Park. European settlement began in 1626 with the founding of the Dutch settlement of New Amsterdam (Nieuw Amsterdam) at the southern tip of Manhattan. In 1664, English ships captured the city without encountering resistance, and it was renamed New York in honor of the Duke of York. At the end of the second Anglo-Dutch War in 1667 the Dutch formally handed over to New York to the British and in return received a colony of Suriname.

At the beginning of the War of Independence of the modern territory of the city was the scene of important battles. As a result of the Battle of Brooklyn in Brooklyn, started a large fire, which burned much of the city, and it before the end of the war fell into the hands of Great Britain, while the Americans once again not captured them in 1783, this day, titled “Evacuation Day” (English) long celebrated in New York.

During the XIX century the city population boomed by an influx of large number of immigrants. In 1811, was developed by a visionary master plan for development of the city, on street grid was expanded to encompass all of Manhattan. By 1835, New York City overtook Philadelphia as the largest city in the United States.

During the Civil War the city’s strong commercial ties with the South, as well as its growing immigrant population, led to a split between the Union and the Confederacy, culminating in the Draft riots, the worst civil unrest in American history.

After the war the rate of immigration from Europe grew steeply, and New York became the first stop for millions of people arriving in the United States in search of new and better life.

In 1898, the City of New York acquired the current frontiers: first, it consisted of Manhattan and the Bronx, connected to the city from the south, from Westchester County (west Bronx in 1874, the rest of the territory – in 1895). In 1898, under the new law, a new municipal units, originally called the Greater New York. The new city was divided into five districts. Manhattan and the Bronx have expanded their borders and the territory now covered with the original city and the rest of the District of New York. Brooklyn District consisted of the city Brooklyn and several municipalities in eastern Kings County. Queens County was established in the western part of Queens County and covered several small towns and villages, including Long Island City, Astoria and Flushing. County Staten Island fully accommodate Richmond District. All of the former metropolitan authorities in these areas have been abolished. A year later, within the county of Queens, who had fallen within the area of Queens, became Nassau District (Nassau). [3] In 1914 the state legislature created a district of the Bronx, and District of New York fell to the size of a Manhattan. Today the boundaries of the five boroughs of New York largely coincide with the boundaries of the districts.

Statue of Liberty first half of the 20 th century the city became the world’s center of industry, commerce and communications. In 1904 the company began to operate the first subway Interborough. In 1930-x gg. outlines of the New York soared upward with the construction of several of the highest skyscrapers in the world.

After the Second World War, New York became the undisputed world-leader in the city. Construction of the UN headquarters in New York, a unique symbol of the political significance of the city. New York also has replaced Paris as the center of world art. Meanwhile, place the move of the population to the suburbs, which led to the slow decline in population. Subsequently, changes in industry and commerce and rising crime led into the 1970′s New York in the social and economic crisis.

The terrorist attacks of 11 th September 2001 have affected and Washington, but New York suffered most due to attacks on the World Trade Center and the thick acrid smoke, which continued to pour out of its ruins in a few months after the fall of the Twin Towers and fire. Despite this clearing of the center of the explosion was over more quickly than planned, and since then the city cheered and put forward new plans for the devastated area. Freedom Tower, which aims to build on the site of the World Trade Center, should be the highest skyscraper in the world (1776 feet or 532.8 meters) to the planned completion of its construction in 2012

New York Neighborhoods

Manhattan

Bronx. Bronx – mainly sleeping area. In the northern Bronx neighborhoods are small houses built in the “suburban” style (Riverdale and Uilyamsbridzh), and in the eastern Bronx – high-rise residential areas, where wealthy people settle (Parkchester and Coop-City). There are also slums – Mott Haven, Morrisania and Hunts Point in the South Bronx. In 1920, with the laying of the Bronx lines overground and underground, here from the South East Side and Harlem moved many Irish, Jewish and Italian families. County Ford race quickly became an Irish quarter. The main body Fordemskogo University, located at the intersection of Ford Road, and Third Avenue. In 1960-1970-ies in this boro settled African Americans and Puerto Ricans, in particular – in the South Bronx, as well as in the west Bronx – in Trimonte and eastern Trimonte.

Grand Avenue Competition crosses the western Bronx from north to south. The once beautiful boulevard bordered by strong residential buildings, the beginning of 1980 became the heart of the terrible slum ashes. Near its southern tip, on the corner of 161 th Street and River Avenue, is the stadium the Yankees. In the south-eastern part of the South Bronx, the Hunts Point, are the major meat and food wholesale markets. Some pp. Harlem built Hall of Fame. Ford family, crossing the Grand Competition in the north – the main shopping street in the district. In the center of boro park is located to the famous Bronx Zoo and botanical garden. Park the Van Kortlandt is located in north-western part of the Bronx, and Park Pelem Bay goes to the Straits of Long Island in the north-east.

Brooklyn. Brooklyn – the most populous of the five municipal districts of New York. Its central business district, Civic-Center, shipyards and factories, old churches and cultural institutions vividly recalls the era when Brooklyn was a sovereign city. In 1855 it was the third largest town USA. From its glorious past boro inherited beautiful green boulevards and beautiful residential neighborhoods like Brooklyn Heights, overlooking the southern Manhattan and the Bay Upper New York Bay. In Brooklyn, there are many large ethnic enclaves: Bensonherst – Italian District, Borough Park – mostly Jewish, the poor neighborhoods of Bedford-Stayvesant Brownsville and mostly inhabited by African Americans, Sunset Park – Puerto Rican neighborhood.

Among the attractions of the Borough can be called ancient cemetery Greenwood (1840) in the western part of central Brooklyn – one of the oldest rural cemeteries in the country. To the north-east of the cemetery is located in existence since the 1860 Park Avenue – one of the nation’s largest urban forest park zones. Nearby are the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn Museum and Brooklyn Public Library. In the extreme south of Brooklyn, on the shore of the Bay-Lower New York Bay, which is Coney Island, famous for its beach with a wooden boardwalk and amusement park.

Queens. Queens – the largest of the five New York boroughs, and its oldest residential neighborhoods, Flushing and Jamaican emerged 300 years ago. Prior to Queens in 1898 became part of New York, it consisted of a series of small villages separated by vast woodland parks and beaches. Since the 1920′s in Queens rapid urbanization was, though some neighborhoods still retain their age-old appearance. Long Island City near the East River – the center of light industry. Forest Hills – a fashionable residential district. In the Borough of compact residence of several ethnic communities. The Greeks settled in Astoria, Hispanics – in Jackson Heights and Corona, African Americans – in Jamaican. In late 1970 – early 1980′s in Queens settled by immigrants from India, Pakistan, the Caribbean and Korea.

Many Queens residents live in private homes for one or two families, built mainly after the First World War. However, in recent decades due to population growth has increased the number of high-rise residential buildings. Most people in Queens belong to the category of “white collar”, and a significant portion of their works in Manhattan. The largest enterprises of Queens – International Airport La Guardia in the north and the name Dzh.Kennedi – in the south. In Queens there are many places for recreation and sports and entertainment facilities, including Park-Flushing Meadows (where matches are held the U.S. Open tennis), the stadium “Shea” racetrack “Akuidakt and Jacob-Riis Park on the waterfront Rokavey.

Staten Island (formerly Richmond). Municipal District of Staten Island, located on o.Staten, the least populated and more like a suburb. In this borough are mainly white, middle-income New Yorkers. Here are some of the old neighborhood – and Richmondtaun Tottenvill. Administration boro-located with the marine station of Saint George. From this pier ferries depart connecting o.Staten with other areas of New York, nearby islands and the mainland. Opening of the bridge Verratsano – Narrous in 1964, making it easier statenaylendtsev to other areas of New York, promoted the growth of the local population.

District of Greater New York. New York City is located in southwestern New York state and is bordered by the states of New Jersey and Connecticut. Agglomeration of Greater New York includes the actual city of New York and merged with it in a single urbanized area surrounding the city of the same name and neighboring states: Yonkers, Mount Vernon, White Plains, New Rochelle (pcs New York); Jersey City , Linden, Newark, New Brunswick, Passeyik, Paterson, Perth-Amboy, Elizabeth, and others (piece of New Jersey), Danbury, Milford, Norwalk, Stamford, etc. (items Conn.).

Expanding borders located on the o.Manhattan New York in 1898 was a major achievement of the city administration. However, included in the city limits large areas of the Bronx, Queens and Staten Island for a long time remained the countryside. In addition, there were neighborhoods, mostly in the east of New Jersey, which, although they were involved in the socio-economic orbit of New York, but the administration did not include in its composition.

In Greater New York, a complex process of interaction between different political organizations, many ethnic communities and different sectors of society, are also characteristic of such large cities as Newark and Yonkers. Along with the neighborhoods extremely wealthy people (some central neighborhoods of New York or its suburbs, such as Great Neck in Nassau County, Skarsdeyl Dariena in Westchester or Fairfield County in Connecticut) are over-populated areas inhabited by the poor (Haarlem, etc. .). However, most areas of Greater New York City inhabited by middle class, to make daily trips to work in Manhattan or other large industrial and commercial centers.