Battery Park, New York City

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At the southernmost tip of Manhattan Island lies Battery Park. The Battery is named for the artillery battery that was stationed there at various times by the Dutch and British in order to protect the harbour. You’re likely to find yourself here at some point, catching the ferry that goes to the Statue of Liberty and to Ellis Island, or the Staten Island ferry. But this fairly small park is worth devoting some time to rather than simply passing through en route to somewhere else. For one thing, it of course affords great views of the harbour. With the sweeping Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, the skylines of Brooklyn and Queens, Governors and Staten Islands and of course Liberty herself, this has to be one of the world’s great harbour views.

Among the main sights in the park itself is the historic Castle Clinton, nowadays serving as the ticket office for the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island ferries. It was built between 1808 and 1811 to defend New York during the anticipated War of Independence. The War over, it became in turn a cultural centre for the city, an immigration centre (pre-dating Ellis Island), aquarium and now ticket office. Interpretive displays around the walls of the fort explain a little of this varied history, although you may feel as we did that after standing in line in the hot sun for your ferry tickets for some time, you have seen enough of the fort and want only to get out on the water or into the shade of the park’s trees.

As part of the restoration of the park a Garden of Remembrance has been created, paying tribute to those who lost their lives in the attack on the World Trade Center and those who survived. There is also a memorial which features an eternal flame lit on the first anniversary of the attacks – it burns in front of the mangled sculpture "The Sphere for Plaza Fountain", which adorned the World Trade Center Plaza prior to the 9/11 attacks. I was also very taken with Luis Sanguino's sculpture “The Immigrants” which shows a group of people waiting in line for inspection to be admitted to the country. This reminds us how many of New York’s immigrants must have passed through this park over the years.

NB The park area is currently (2008) undergoing some extensive renovations and improvements, so be aware that some parts may be closed off when you visit. The aim is to restore this southern tip of the island to a premier position in the life of the city. Much has already been done, such as the new promenade by the waterfront, and the aim is to complete all works by 2010.

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After coming back from the Staten Island ferry, I walked up to Battery Park to rest my feet for a little while. This is a big park with lots to see and do, surrounded by some nice buildings, sort of like an oasis in a desert of glass, cement and steel.

Here I found 4 Statue of Liberty impersonators, lots of monuments to admire, a hot dog cart, a squirrel and overall a nice place to watch people go about their business. I especially liked the pier house and the American Merchant Mariners' memorial. In front of the memorial there's a plaque that says (some of the text will be quoted) "Dedicated to all merchant mariners who have served America from the Revolutionary War the present day."

The Icon of Hope: this damaged sphere was an sculpture called "The Sphere" by Frietz Koenig and used to be at the WTC. The sculpture was found among the rubble and then moved here, and an eternal flame was added, to remember all those who died on that disaster.

The Korean war memorial: unfortunately my knowledge of the Korean war is very limited, but this is a memorial for us to either learn or remember those who died in the war between North Korea, China and the former Soviet Union. The monument is in the middle of a circle, and the circle contains the # of casualties per country, the same countries that are represented by flags below the soldier.

On summer and fall it's worth to be in NYC, because there are a lot of festivities, music events in every of NYC's 5 boroughs...

Everywhere in the parks and neighbourhoods of NYC's five boroughs Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Staten Island and The Bronx one can hear the music of this city...

Most of the festivities are free and worth to drop by and meet locals and listen to their music...

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Battery Park is a pretty park located by the harbour at the very bottom of Manhattan.

We wandered through on a sunny morning, enjoying the spring blossoms.

It is from here that I had my first glimpse of the Statue of Liberty - how exciting!! I could just make her out through the smog.

From Battery Park you can catch a ferry to Ellis Island and the Statue. The Staten Island Ferry leaves from the pier to the left of the park (when you are looking out to sea).

We sat for a while in the park, enjoying the sun, watching the ferries and trying to take photos of the occasional squirrel!!

Restored in 1997 and originally dedicated in 1963 to our servicemen and women who lost their lives in the Alantic Ocean during World War II. 4,067 lives were lost and their names, rank and home state are inscribed on the eight 19-foot-high granite walls. It over looks the New York City Harbor in Battery Park. In fact you past this beautiful monument while walking to the ferry to catch the Ellis Island and Statue of Liberty.

In the middle of Battery Park (the first park in NYC) a statue from the World Trade Center is now located. It seems the world. It is broken and with wholes but it has been left like this on purpose. To remember the 11th September 2001

Get the subway down to the southernmost part of Manhatten island. Battery park is the port area where you can catch the liberty island ferry. Its also a short walk to the business district of Wall St.

On the walkway around Battery Park, there are benchs to sit on and look at the harbor. You have a good view of the Statue of Liberty and this is where you board the Liberty Ferry to take you to Liberty Island and Ellis Island.
The cost of the ferry is $10 for adults. There was alot of vendors set up down here they are selling things and making portraits. Very nice area. Beware of pickpockets, street vendors, etc. Just be on guard. It is very lovely down here. A very short walk from the subway. Also some vendors selling food and drink were here. Very nice area for a stroll.

Free; so very budget worthy.

At the bottom of Manhattan, just below the financial district is Battery Park. With a decent yet distant view of the Statue of Liberty this park is visited by thousands. These many are comprised of tourists and local office workers in a New Yorkled state of mind, who might pass by for a quick outdoor lunch or just to get away from it all. Unfortunately there aren't any trees or shelter on the walk closest to the water. All of the vegetation is within the park itself, away from where the docks are
History anyone? At the time of the War of 1812, a fort was built here (1808-1811) and named Castle Clinton in 1817 after DeWitt Clinton who was the Mayor of NYC at the time. After the army left the site and in the many following years, the area served as an entertainment center, an opera house, and then an immigration landing depot, and even served as the NYC Aquarium until it was closed in 1941.

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Battery Park is a great place to stroll with great views of the Hudson River and Jersey City at the distance. The park has a few places to lounge and watch the world go by.

Recently we decided to spend a nice afternoon walking along Battery Park and just taking the nice views and weather. During our stroll we witnessed a women fishing on the Hudson River (yuk) and she was reeling in a fish, turns out it was actually a shark...I didn't know there were sharks in them there waters. It was a small shark, but a shark nonetheless...I wonder if she planned to eat it?

Battery Park is at the southern tip of Manhatten Island and has several monuments in it, including what is left of the World Trade Center, see photo. It is a sphere that was supposed to stand for world peace. Yeah right...
It almost made me cry to see it, since during the previous visit to NYC I was standing on top of one of those buildings. I think this is the reason I have not made a VT page until now, even though I have been to NYC several times. I am still debating if I should put an old photo on here or not....