New York

- New York is a symbol of America

- it is the largest city in the USA and it lies on the coast at the mouth of the Hudson
and East Rivers
- it has about 20,4 million inhabitants
- it is an important seaport, with a good connection with inland, and the largest
business, industrial and cultural centre of the USA
- it is also the centre of the art world, the media world, the theatre world and
fashion world
- New York is a seat of the United Nations Organization

- New York, originally called New Amsterdam, was a little Dutch town built on a small
part of Manhattan
- in 1626 the Dutch colonizers bought the island from Indians for 24 dollars in goods
- the Dutch protected the town against Indians by a wooden wall
- now in the place of the wall is Wall Street which is known as the world`s most
important financial centre
- after the War of Independence, New York was the capital of the USA for four
years and its first President was inaugurated there in 1789

- New York has 5 parts:

1. Manhattan
2. Brooklyn
3. Queens
4. Bronx
5. Richmond (Staten Island)

- during the 18th century the city grew to such an extent that it was necessary to plan
its further development
- at the beginning of the 19th century town planners suggested the existing grid
system which consists of rectangular streets and avenues
- avenues run from north to south and Streets run from east to west
- the only exception in this plan of streets and avenues is Broadway – “The Great
White Way” – an old Indian road – runs almost diagonally from the south to the
north

- a typical phenomenon of all major American cities are skyscrapers

- they started to be built because of the lack of space and the high price of land in
the city centres
- Manhattan, the heart of New York, is famous of its skyline, a large number of
skyscrapers on a small area
- in the New York City Harbour there is the Statue of Liberty with its torch,
standing on Liberty Island
- it has become a symbol of both freedom and the United States itself
- the statue also commemorates French-American friendship for it was designed
by Frederic Bartholdi and given by the people of France in 1886
- it is 92 metres high including its pedestal, the height of the statue itself is 45.3m
and it weighs 225 tons
- the Lady holds a book with the inscription “4th July 1776”, the date of the beginning
of the independent United States

- probably the best known feature in Lower Manhattan was the World Trade Centre
(destroyed by the attack of the terrorists on 11 September 2001) dominated
by the 110-storey twin towers

- the most famous building of NY is the Empire State Building, built in 1931

- another famous place is Rockefeller Centre, a large business and entertainment

complex of 21 buildings, mostly skyscrapers

- Times Square, the intersection of Broadway and 7th Avenue was known as the
center of performing arts in NY
- it received its name after the New York Times (a magazine) which in 1904 moved
into the Times Tower
- the square has lost most of its glamour in recent years
- however, one popular tradition from its heyday persists: people still come there to
welcome in the New Year
- another interesting place for visitors of NY is Fifth Avenue for its luxurious shops,
jewelry, the largest department stores
- it runs six miles through the city

- there is also St. Patrick`s Cathedral – the largest Roman Catholic church

- Broadway – it is famous for its theatres, including the well known Metropolitan
Opera and Carnegie Hall, many cinemas, night clubs and bars

- people coming to New York City like to visit Chinatown with its restaurants serving
typical Chinese food

- a unique atmosphere is characteristic of Greenwich village – the home of artists,

writers, actors and musicians

- Central Park is the largest and most important park in New York City
- it offers both summer and winter attractions, such as a zoo, an ice-skating rink, an
open-air theatre, tennis courts, biking paths, children`s  playgrounds, concerts and
dances