I
have loved New York City from when I was a little kid. I always look forward to
going there. I love to see the buildings lit up at night, and when you're in New
York, it's like nowhere else on earth. It's the greatest city in the world. The
attacks of 9/11/01 have united New York more than ever, and I will miss the
World Trade Center. They were one of my favorite landmarks. I created a site
exclusively as a tribute to the World Trade Center with links to external sites
containing 360 degree rotating panoramas from different areas around the World
Trade Center before destruction. It's worth seeing. New York is home to many
different ethnic groups, and its diversity is what makes New York City one of a
kind. Below are the buildings; to see the bridges, click the designated link. Enjoy..
Click the photos to enlarge them
The buildings are shown on this
page. For bridges click the link below
Finished in 1931, the Empire State Building stands
102 stories (1250 feet tall). The top of the antenna is 1472 feet tall. It
claimed the title of the world's tallest building from the Chrysler Building a
few blocks away. It held that title until the World Trade Center rose above the
Empire State Building by 100 feet in 1974. The Empire State Building has an 86th
floor observation deck, located between the blue and the white light in the upper
right picture. That offers a gift shop and an outdoor deck promising
breathtaking views of the city. There is a 102nd floor observation deck, located
at the top of the red light in the upper right picture, but that is usually
closed because of excessive crowds.
The Chrysler Building was finished in 1930-31 and was designed
by William Van Alen. The Chrysler building is the ideal example of Art Deco in
New York City. It's distinguished top was designed to look like the hub caps
that were built into Chrysler's cars. The building is 77 stories tall, and 1044
feet tall. The Chrysler building did hold the title of the world's tallest
building for a while until the Empire State Building claimed it. Actually, the
Chrysler Building and 40 Wall St. were being built at the same time, and the
builder of 40 Wall St. thought that his building would be the tallest, but a
long steel spire was secretly being built inside the tower of the Chrysler
Building and was pushed through the roof, surprising everyone and allowing it to
be the tallest building in the world. The Chrysler Building is located at 42nd
street and Lexington Avenue.
The G.E. Building, known as 30 Rockefeller Plaza is headquarters
to NBC TV. The building is 70 stories high and was built around the time of the
Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building. Looking at it from the North or
South, the building seems very wide and bulky, but when looking at it from the
East, you see that it is in fact a very narrow building indeed. One of it's
unique characteristics is the layered or terraced look which is part of the art
deco period. At the base of the building lies Rockefeller Plaza where
there is an ice skating rink and a huge Christmas Tree around the Holiday
Season. You might get on the TODAY SHOW which happens right in the plaza if you
position yourself in the line of the cameras when Matt Lauer and Katie Couric
come outside in the summer. At the top of the G.E. Building is the Rainbow Room,
a restaurant which offers great views of the city while enjoying live
entertainment and a fancy atmosphere.
Grand Central Terminal is one of the most architecturally
amazing places around. As you stroll around its many levels the stone designs on
the staircases and the 5 ton chandeliers are amazing. There is marble everywhere
you walk, and its main concourse is one of the biggest rooms in the world. Now,
Grand Central is just used for Metro North Railroad, a commuter line that goes
north of the city. Grand Central is home to many new restaurants on its new
Dining Concourse, one level below the main concourse. The terminal contains
scores of tunnels, with 117 different train platforms. It is located at Park
Avenue and 42nd Street.
The Woolworth Building
The Woolworth building was designed by Cass Gilbert and was
completed on April 24, 1913. The building was originally owned by Frank W.
Woolworth and company but was sold to the Witkoff Group for 155 million. Frank
Woolworth originally paid the 13.5 million out of his pocket to build the tower,
and until recently, the building never had a mortgage. It is located between
Park Pl. and Barclay St. in Lower Manhattan.
For 300 years, the South Street Seaport has been a key
commercial center. Today it consists of a mall with shops and a food court with
great views of the Brooklyn Bridge and New York Harbor, and the Fulton Fish
market located on a cobble stone street. From the seaport you can see great
views of Lower Manhattan, New York Harbor, and the Brooklyn and Manhattan
bridges.
The Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty is located on Liberty Island in New York
Harbor. It was usually the first thing that immigrants would see when they
entered the harbor. The statue was given to the U.S. as a gift from France.
Visitors can usually go to the top of the base, and if you're lucky, the top of
he crown.
Lower Manhattan
Lower Manhattan known as Downtown Manhattan is considered to be
the financial capital of the world. The area is home to many firms, companies,
banks, and the New York Stock Exchange. If you want to see capitalism in action,
Lower Manhattan is the place to go. The completion of the World Trade Center
marked a renaissance for the area. Before the Trade Center, Downtown Manhattan
consisted mostly of TV and radio shops. Now unfortunately the World Trade Center
is gone, but the strong American resolve has prevented the economy of Lower
Manhattan from collapsing
The World Financial Center is a beautiful
office complex built on the land dug up from the World Trade Center's
construction west of West St. The complex consists of four office buildings
designed by Cesar Pelli and are gorgeous examples of modern architecture. The
Financial Center was finished in 1986. Between 2 and 3 WFC, there is a beautiful
atrium called the Winter Garden that houses sixteen forty foot palm trees
and floors consisting of rare Italian marble. The Winter Garden reopened on
September 17th, 2002 after undergoing major renovations due to the damage done by the
collapse of the North Tower of the World Trade Center last year. The center also
has a beautiful park and docks right on the Hudson river.
Radio City Music Hall is home to the world
famous Radio City Rockettes. Around Christmastime every year, they put on the
Christmas spectacular which I saw, and it was quite a show. The foyer as seen in
the last picture was built in the art deco period, and the design reflects that.
The Plaza is known as the crown jewel of
fifth avenue. It was built quite long ago, and is one of the finest hotels in
NYC. It is home to top restaurants such as the Palm Court (2nd picture), and the
Oak Room. I ate at the Palm Court a few years ago, and it was quite an
experience. They had a harpist playing, and the atmosphere was very fine.\
St. Patrick's has to be one of the biggest
if not the biggest cathedral I have ever seen. The church has two towering
spires that reach 330 feet above street level. The cathedral has a gothic
design, its columns on the inside are quite something.
The New York Public Library is a huge
Beaux Style Library on 5th Avenue and 42nd street. There are tons of volumes
inside and plenty of reading space. Behind the library is beautiful Bryant Park
which was restored in the 90s to be an inviting oasis in midtown. The lawn is
open frequently for lounging as well as the chairs and tables and carousel in
the park. In the summer there is the Bryant Park film festival where there is
seating on the lawn and viewers face west toward a large screen. Also there are
summer concerts, some put on by CD 101.9 that I frequently attend and overall is
a great environment.
Finished in 1931, the Empire State Building stands
102 stories (1250 feet tall). The top of the antenna is 1472 feet tall. It
claimed the title of the world's tallest building from the Chrysler Building a
few blocks away. It held that title until the World Trade Center rose above the
Empire State Building by 100 feet in 1974. The Empire State Building has an 86th
floor observation deck, located between the blue and the white light in the upper
right picture. That offers a gift shop and an outdoor deck promising
breathtaking views of the city. There is a 102nd floor observation deck, located
at the top of the red light in the upper right picture, but that is usually
closed because of excessive crowds.
The World Financial Center is a beautiful
office complex built on the land dug up from the World Trade Center's
construction west of West St. The complex consists of four office buildings
designed by Cesar Pelli and are gorgeous examples of modern architecture. The
Financial Center was finished in 1986. Between 2 and 3 WFC, there is a beautiful
atrium called the Winter Garden that houses sixteen forty foot palm trees
and floors consisting of rare Italian marble. The Winter Garden reopened on
September 17th, 2002 after undergoing major renovations due to the damage done by the
collapse of the North Tower of the World Trade Center last year. The center also
has a beautiful park and docks right on the Hudson river.
