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Did you know that Central Park is larger in land mass than the principality of Monaco? The tiny European city-state measures just 2.2 sq.m (500 acres), whereas the park covers 3.4 sq. km (843 acres).
Created in 1876, Central Park is the most visited urban park in the United States, and one of the most visited in the world, drawing nearly 40 million people annually. A beautiful and diverse environment, the verdant park is a National Historic Landmark and an important habitat for an amazing variety of flora and fauna. It's also culturally significant: it's one of the most filmed locations in the world, and serves as a stage for performing arts and other large-scale events. But how much do you know about this extraordinary green space that's hemmed in by some of the most dramatic urban architecture on the planet?
Click through the following gallery and explore Central Park.
Central Park was once just a small village called Seneca, a community founded in 1825 by freed African Americans. The settlement was later inhabited by other minorities, including Irish and German immigrants. Pictured is a 1857 map showing the former location of Seneca Village.
In July 1853, the New York State Legislature passed the Central Park Act, authorizing the purchase of the present-day site of Central Park. Five years later, landscape architects Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux drew up plans to create the first landscaped public park in the United States. They called their design the "Greensward Plan" (pictured). The park was officially created in 1876.
An American landscape architect, journalist, social critic, and public administrator, Frederick Law Olmsted is considered the father of American landscape architecture.
Born in London, the British-American architect and landscape designer Calvert Vaux co-designed with Olmsted what would become Central Park. On his own, Vaux designed and created dozens of parks across the United States.
One of the first features of Central Park to be completed, the Lake has endured as a favorite leisure amenity for New Yorkers and Big Apple tourists. From April through November, visitors can rent rowboats and hire authentic Venetian gondolas at the Loeb Boathouse to explore the idyllic landscape.
Strawberry Fields is a landscaped section of the park dedicated to the memory of John Lennon. Located opposite the Dakota building on Central Park West at West 72nd Street, the memorial features a mosaic of inlaid stones, with a single word, the title of Lennon's famous song 'Imagine.' It serves as a gathering point for Beatles' fans from all over the world.
In the mid-19th century, sheep used to roam freely in Central Park, hence the name "Sheep Meadow." The animals were removed in 1934, though a sheepfold now contains the Tavern on the Green Restaurant. The meadow today is used for large-scale events during the summer, including music concerts.
As well as the Meadow, Central Park's Great Lawn has also staged a number of music concerts. Simon & Garfunkel famously staged their 1981 reunion 'Concert in Central Park' here. Elton John and Bon Jovi have performed on the Meadow, and Pope John Paul II held an open-air mass at the site in 1995.
The park has provided a verdant backdrop for hundreds of films, beginning in 1908 when the original silent cinematic version of 'Romeo and Juliet' became the first movie to be shot in Central Park. It starred Paul Panzer as Romeo and Florence Lawrence as Juliet. Pictured is a dueling sequence shot at Bethesda Terrace.
Despite its urban setting, Central Park is incredibly biologically diverse. The park has 20,000 trees, and a total of 303 bird species have been recorded, including the red-tailed hawk (pictured). And believe it or not, raccoons number among 10 different mammals seen in the park, and in 2002 a new species of centipede species was discovered here.
Central Park continues to appear in numerous film and television productions, as seen here during a night shoot of the crime-drama series 'Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.'
One of the entrances to Central Park is the grandiose Columbus Circle, a circular plaza located at the southwestern corner. The 23-m (76 ft) Columbus Monument is listed on the national Register of Historic Places.
One of the most distinctive buildings overlooking the park is the Dakota. Completed in 1884, it was the home of former Beatle John Lennon from 1973 until his murder under the main entrance archway in 1980.
A scenic haven and an ideal place to escape the Big Apple hustle and bustle, The Pond and Hallett Nature Sanctuary is home throughout the year to 240 migratory bird species. This is also where to admire NYC sunsets, as they burnish surrounding skyscrapers in a golden wash.
Snow leopards, sea lions, grizzly bears, and exotic species like the red panda (pictured) greet visitors to this zoological oasis. A children's zoo introduces youngsters to super cuddly domestic breeds including goats, sheep, and the only cow in Manhattan!
Looking for the ultimate in panoramic urban views of Central Park? Get to the top of the Rockefeller Center and be rendered speechless!
Once known as the Central Park Reservoir, this body of water was renamed in 1994 in honor of the former First Lady to commemorate her contributions to the city, and because she lived nearby.
Central Park's favorite architectural folly, 19th-century Belvedere Castle is a fusion of the Gothic and the Romanesque. Its name comes from belvedere, which means "beautiful view" in Italian. These days the castle houses the official Central Park weather station.
There are three wooded areas in Central Park: North Woods, the Ramble (pictured), and Hallett Nature Sanctuary.
Two of the park's most recognized architectural features, Bethesda Terrace and Fountain was designed by Calvert Vaux. The terrace is noted for its lower arcade (pictured), decorated with a stunning veneer of ceramic tiles.
The iconic Loeb Boathouse is the only Manhattan venue set on a lake. Besides boat hire, the boathouse is a landmark restaurant—and one of the most romantic dining spots in the city!
The 1,800-seat open-air Delacorte Theater is home to the Public Theater's annual summer Shakespeare in the Park productions. Tickets for plays are free and issued on a first-come, first-served basis. The festival has attracted many A-list actors, including Meryl Streep, Morgan Freeman, Martin Sheen, and Al Pacino. The amphitheater is located on the southwest corner of the Great Lawn, and overlooks Turtle Pond.
Rat Rock, so named for the rats that used to swarm there at night, is an example of glacial debris deposited in the area as ice fields melted around 12,000 years ago. The outcrop is a popular landmark and attracts boulderers, who practice climbing techniques on the time-worn stone.
Blockhouse No. 1 is the oldest surviving structure in Central Park. Completed in 1814, the squat stronghold was part of a series of fortifications in northern Manhattan. It stands in North Woods at the northwest corner of the park.
Also known as Cleopatra's Needle (one of three similar named Egyptian obelisks in the world), this ancient monument was gifted to New York City by Egypt in 1877 and erected in the park in 1881. It's seen here during a New York City winter, and stands on a somewhat obscure site west of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
See also: Secrets behind famous monuments.
The only straight path in the entire park is The Mall, a broad promenade that runs from 66th Street to 72nd Street and eventually meets the Bethesda Terrace and Fountain.
Bethesda Fountain remains a cherished landmark feature of Central Park. The fountain sculpture was designed by Emma Stebbins in 1868, and unveiled in 1873. The American sculptor was the first woman to receive a public art commission from New York City.
Its 27-m-long (87-ft) span makes Bow Bridge, completed in 1862, the park's longest bridge. Central Park has 36 ornamental spans, most of which were built in the 1860s as part of the park's construction. No two bridges are alike.
Central Park explored in all its glory
Exploring New York City's famous green space
TRAVEL New york city
Created in 1876, Central Park is the most visited urban park in the United States, and one of the most visited in the world, drawing nearly 40 million people annually. A beautiful and diverse environment, the verdant park is a National Historic Landmark and an important habitat for an amazing variety of flora and fauna. It's also culturally significant: it's one of the most filmed locations in the world, and serves as a stage for performing arts and other large-scale events. But how much do you know about this extraordinary green space that's hemmed in by some of the most dramatic urban architecture on the planet?
Click through the following gallery and explore Central Park.