USA | UNESCO World Heritage Sites in New York City
Wednesday, July 14, 2021
Most people assume that there’s only one UNESCO World Heritage Site in New York City. That’s the iconic Statue of Liberty, of course. But, most don’t know that there’s another building in the city that has also been awarded with the prestigious honor of being on the list, Frank Lloyd Wright’s futuristic Guggenheim Museum. Granted this building is only a part of the 20th-Century Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright group. Now, that’s two.
Dig deeper and we find that there’s three more. The Brooklyn Bridge, Central Park, and Ellis Island. These three are yet to be given the official title of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but they are on the tentative list since 2017. Besides being interesting sites on their own, visiting them beforehand will save you the hassle of going back to New York after they’ve been officially designated as World Heritage Sites.
For UNESCO World Heritage Sites enthusiasts and completists, a tour of these five sites while in New York is a must. While these places would probably take a single day to see, exploring the city on a longer trip is, of course preferable. When planning an extended New York trip, why not consider renting out a place instead of staying in a hotel? The average cost of a studio rental in New York City is $2,295, according to research by Zumper. It might seem expensive at first glance, but it might just be more economical, especially if you consider that an average hotel price in the city is at $300 per night.
STATUE OF LIBERTY
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| STATUE OF LIBERTY ~ PHOTO BY KOSHY KOSHY |
La Liberté éclairant le monde, as the French calls their gift to the United States of America in 1886, is the first UNESCO World Heritage site in New York City. Inscribed on the list in 1984, its name means Liberty Enlightening the World. The massive copper statue of Libertas—the Roman Goddess of Liberty—stands at ninety six-meter high from ground level to torch, and is situated on Liberty Island along the New York Harbor.
One of the best vantage to view the Statue of Liberty is at the southern tip of Lower Manhattan—Battery Park. But if you want a closer look, you can board a $12.00 ferry from that same park in New York or Liberty State Park in New Jersey—both operated by Statue Citycruises.
THE GUGGENHEIM
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| THE GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM ~ PHOTO BY SAM VALADI |
Like a massive UFO that landed right smack at the corner of 1071 Fifth Avenue on the corner of East 89th Street, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum is part of the 20th-Century Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright UNESCO World Heritage Sites which spans eight buildings across six states in the USA.
Commonly referred to as The Guggenheim, it is designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright in his Organic Style and was inducted into the UNESCO World Heritage Site list in 2019. The white cylindrical structure was built in 1937 and is home to Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, early Modern, and contemporary art.
If you want to experience the unbroken ramp gallery inside and see the artworks, prepare to shell out $18.00 to $25.00 for admission fees. However, if the ticket prices seem too high for you, the building itself is a masterpiece of 20th century architecture and can be admired from the sidewalk.
BROOKLYN BRIDGE
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| THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE |
Linking Manhattan Island and Long Island across the East River, the Brooklyn Bridge is one of New York City’s iconic landmarks. The 486.3-meter hybrid cable-stayed / suspension bridge was built in1883 and is the longest of its kind during its opening. Amazingly, it’s still in use up to this day—that’s more than a hundred years in service!
There’s no admission fee to cross the Brooklyn Bridge, and there’s a designated sidewalk for people to use. It would take an hour to cross the bridge from end to end.
ELLIS ISLAND
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| ELLIS ISLAND ~ PHOTO BY PETR KRATOCHVIL |
North of the Statue of Liberty is Ellis Island. In fact, it is part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument. It is a small island full of history—from being an immigrant inspection station, a military installation, a detention center for immigrants, a prison for war, and a hospital.
Ellis Island can be visited in conjunction with your Statue of Liberty tour via Statue Citycruises starting at $23.50.
CENTRAL PARK
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| CENTRAL PARK ~ PHOTO BY ANTHONY QUINTANO |
Sprawling 3.41 square kilometers or fifty one city blocks, Central Park is the fifth largest park in New York City—the top spot is taken by Pelham Bay Park in Bronx. But not to be outdone, it is the most visited park in the USA and the most filmed park, not only in America, but the World.
The park has a lake, nature sanctuary, reservoir, meadows, rinks, carousel, zoo, mall, and theater to name a few, and it would take at least two hours on foot at a leisurely pace to see everything. Visiting Central Park is entirely free of charge.
COVER PHOTO BY MCAD LIBRARY
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