Visit this vibrant neighbourhood of New York and enjoy the sights and energy that sets this iconic city apart from many other world centres. Lower Manhattan is the central borough for business, culture, and government in the City of New York.
Lower Manhattan is often referred to as Downtown Manhattan and encompasses the neighbourhood south of 14th Street, flanked by the Hudson and East Rivers, down its southernmost tip at New York Harbour and the legendary Brooklyn Bridge.
The area was originally inhabited by the Native American – Lenape People. In 1626, Dutch settlers arrived and set up a fur trading post which they called New Amsterdam. In 1664, the conquering British claimed victory and re-named it New York after the Duke of York.
A hideous snippet from history is this callous account of an incident that took place after a series of fires in 1741. Officials in the city arrested 31 blacks and 4 whites, suspected of arson, all of whom were later convicted. The city officials executed 13 of them by burning them alive and hanged all the others.
New York’s, Lower Manhattan offers visitors a window into the past, with historical reminders of bygone days to feats of modern day engineering. This vibrant part of New York City provides many cultural attractions, a thriving restaurant scene and bustling shops.
Sight-seeing
It is worth visiting the National Museum of the American Indian and the Trinity Church. The South Ferry area offers visitors a view into maritime history, summer concerts and winter ice-skating, along with shops, restaurants, cultural activities, harbour cruises and more. You can board the Staten Island Ferry and catch ferries to Ellis and Liberty Islands. Don’t forget to get a selfie with the Statue of Liberty for the wall back home.
Completed in 1883 the Brooklyn Bridge is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States. Spanning the East River, it connects the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn. Walk the Brooklyn Bridge and get some great shots of the city from the wide wood-plank pedestrian walkway which is elevated above the traffic, it’s spectacular.
Famous places to get that selfie in the financial hub district include: the New York Stock Exchange, Wall Street and Federal Hall. Get to Stone Street, which is a landmark stretch of cobblestone, lined with historic buildings. It is believed to be the City’s oldest paved road.
The 9/11 Memorial is understandably an extremely popular site for visitors. The One World Trade Center at the time of writing was the 4th tallest building in the world, it has a three-level observatory at the top affording awesome views of the city, well worth the effort. Visit the historic Trinity Church, an active parish church in the Episcopal Diocese of New York, near the intersection of Wall Street and Broadway.
But Lower Manhattan is certainly not all about a financial district. It’s boasts many neighbourhoods celebrated in literature and film, legend and shared passionately amongst travellers. Districts like China Town, Little Italy, Greenwich Village, the Meatpacking District, East Village and off course SoHo, TriBeCa, NoHo and NoLIta are all worth exploring.
We hope this blog will help you on your travels. If you are looking to stay in this awesome area of the Big Apple visit our blog, ‘Where to Stay in Lower Manhattan’ which will give you a range of the best accommodation in various price categories. Enjoy Manhattan’s, Lower Manhattan, we did, it’s a great area to stay and explore.
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