Manhattan Architecture Walking Tour (Self Guided), New York
The skyscraper, which has shaped Manhattan's distinctive skyline, has been closely associated with New York City’s identity since the end of the 19th century. Despite the Great Depression, some of the world’s tallest skyscrapers were completed in Manhattan during the 1930s, including numerous Art Deco masterpieces that are still part of the city's skyline – most notably the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building and the 30 Rockefeller Plaza that forms the centerpiece of Rockefeller Center. Even now that other commercial structures have reached far greater heights, they remain icons that refuse to relinquish their special meaning.
As you will also see on this special tour, however, Manhattan’s intricate architecture is not represented only by the huge number of tall buildings. Proper handling of the large-scale planning and technical aspects allowed the Grand Central Terminal complex to be seen easily from below. And now, even with high-rise buildings around, it stands as a solid and radiating icon of innovative urban design. The station’s main facade, a Roman triumphal arch, symbolizes the gateway to the city.
Not far from the Empire State Building, Macy’s original flagship store is 9 stories above ground and covers an entire block. A department store in the GRANDEST tradition, it oozes with history from an architectural standpoint. Make sure you see the old wooden escalators on the Broadway side!
Yet another unique and majestic sight, the Flatiron Building stands at Broadway and Fifth Avenue – the two most important streets of NYC. Although you cannot visit inside, the main attraction is outside where the wedge shape captivates tourists flocking around the park opposite taking photo after photo. Besides its subtle elegance, the building has an interesting backstory, too. Due to the wind-tunnel effect at the site, in the early 20th century, men would hang out on the corner and watch the wind blowing women’s dresses up so that they could catch a little bit of ankle. This entered into popular culture and there are hundreds of postcards and illustrations of women with their dresses blowing up in front of the Flatiron Building.
Follow our self-guided walking tour to visit some of the most famous architectures in Midtown Manhattan at your own pace.
As you will also see on this special tour, however, Manhattan’s intricate architecture is not represented only by the huge number of tall buildings. Proper handling of the large-scale planning and technical aspects allowed the Grand Central Terminal complex to be seen easily from below. And now, even with high-rise buildings around, it stands as a solid and radiating icon of innovative urban design. The station’s main facade, a Roman triumphal arch, symbolizes the gateway to the city.
Not far from the Empire State Building, Macy’s original flagship store is 9 stories above ground and covers an entire block. A department store in the GRANDEST tradition, it oozes with history from an architectural standpoint. Make sure you see the old wooden escalators on the Broadway side!
Yet another unique and majestic sight, the Flatiron Building stands at Broadway and Fifth Avenue – the two most important streets of NYC. Although you cannot visit inside, the main attraction is outside where the wedge shape captivates tourists flocking around the park opposite taking photo after photo. Besides its subtle elegance, the building has an interesting backstory, too. Due to the wind-tunnel effect at the site, in the early 20th century, men would hang out on the corner and watch the wind blowing women’s dresses up so that they could catch a little bit of ankle. This entered into popular culture and there are hundreds of postcards and illustrations of women with their dresses blowing up in front of the Flatiron Building.
Follow our self-guided walking tour to visit some of the most famous architectures in Midtown Manhattan at your own pace.
How it works: Download the app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store to your mobile phone or tablet. The app turns your mobile device into a personal tour guide and its built-in GPS navigation functions guide you from one tour stop to next. The app works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
Download The GPSmyCity App
Manhattan Architecture Walking Tour Map
Guide Name: Manhattan Architecture Walking Tour
Guide Location: USA » New York (See other walking tours in New York)
Guide Type: Self-guided Walking Tour (Sightseeing)
# of Attractions: 8
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.2 Km or 2.6 Miles
Author: doris
Sight(s) Featured in This Guide:
Guide Location: USA » New York (See other walking tours in New York)
Guide Type: Self-guided Walking Tour (Sightseeing)
# of Attractions: 8
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.2 Km or 2.6 Miles
Author: doris
Sight(s) Featured in This Guide:
- Rockefeller Center
- St. Patrick's Cathedral
- Grand Central Terminal
- Chrysler Building
- New York Public Library
- Empire State Building
- Macy's in Herald Square
- Flatiron Building
1) Rockefeller Center (must see)
Back in 1801, a New York physician named David Hosack bought 22 acres of empty land from the city with an aim to establish America’s first botanical garden. And for the next ten years, the Elgin Botanic Garden really did bloom—until funding wilted, the plants went wild, and Columbia University had to step in to take over the property in 1823.
Fast-forward a century to 1926, when the Metropolitan Opera went searching for a grand new home. Columbia leased the land to its generous patron, John D. Rockefeller, Jr., setting the stage for a glittering cultural palace. Then the stock market crashed in 1929, the opera backed out, and Rockefeller found himself with prime New York real estate and no tenant. So, he pivoted—and decided to build a mass-media powerhouse instead.
In 1930, after months of negotiations involving Radio Corporation of America, National Broadcasting Company, and Radio-Keith-Orpheum, the plan was set: an entertainment complex of unprecedented scale. To make room, 228 buildings were cleared and 4,000 tenants relocated. Early name ideas included “Radio City,” “Rockefeller City,” and the dramatic “Metropolitan Square,” before the now-famous title finally stuck.
Today, Rockefeller Center stretches across all of Doctor Hosack’s original 22 acres—though the botanicals have long been replaced with 14 Art Deco buildings, a standalone tower along 51st Street, and four more rising on the west side of Sixth Avenue. There are rooftop gardens, but you’ll have to crane your neck to see anything green.
On the west side sits Radio City Music Hall, still flashing its neon glamour. And at the heart of it all lies the sunken Lower Plaza, praised by Chinese-American architect Ieoh Ming Pei as “the most successful open space in the United States, perhaps in the world.” Most visitors simply know it as “the place with the ice rink,” which has been delighting skaters since 1936.
Then there’s the view. “Top of the Rock” offers three levels of indoor and outdoor decks with clear, cinematic vistas of the New York skyline. Back on the ground, the shops spread out in every direction—big names, small designers, and everything in between. It’s the kind of place where you realize: shopping isn’t just about what you buy; it’s about where you buy it...
Fast-forward a century to 1926, when the Metropolitan Opera went searching for a grand new home. Columbia leased the land to its generous patron, John D. Rockefeller, Jr., setting the stage for a glittering cultural palace. Then the stock market crashed in 1929, the opera backed out, and Rockefeller found himself with prime New York real estate and no tenant. So, he pivoted—and decided to build a mass-media powerhouse instead.
In 1930, after months of negotiations involving Radio Corporation of America, National Broadcasting Company, and Radio-Keith-Orpheum, the plan was set: an entertainment complex of unprecedented scale. To make room, 228 buildings were cleared and 4,000 tenants relocated. Early name ideas included “Radio City,” “Rockefeller City,” and the dramatic “Metropolitan Square,” before the now-famous title finally stuck.
Today, Rockefeller Center stretches across all of Doctor Hosack’s original 22 acres—though the botanicals have long been replaced with 14 Art Deco buildings, a standalone tower along 51st Street, and four more rising on the west side of Sixth Avenue. There are rooftop gardens, but you’ll have to crane your neck to see anything green.
On the west side sits Radio City Music Hall, still flashing its neon glamour. And at the heart of it all lies the sunken Lower Plaza, praised by Chinese-American architect Ieoh Ming Pei as “the most successful open space in the United States, perhaps in the world.” Most visitors simply know it as “the place with the ice rink,” which has been delighting skaters since 1936.
Then there’s the view. “Top of the Rock” offers three levels of indoor and outdoor decks with clear, cinematic vistas of the New York skyline. Back on the ground, the shops spread out in every direction—big names, small designers, and everything in between. It’s the kind of place where you realize: shopping isn’t just about what you buy; it’s about where you buy it...
2) St. Patrick's Cathedral (must see)
In case you wonder why New York has two Saint Patrick’s Cathedrals, it’s not because the city has twice as many saints—it’s because the first one simply couldn’t keep up. The Old Cathedral from 1815 did its best, but by the mid-1800s, the Archdiocese had outgrown it. So, in 1858, construction began on a new spiritual heavyweight: the towering Gothic Revival cathedral that now occupies the block between 50th and 51st Streets on Madison Avenue. Designed by James Renwick Jr. and formally opened in 1879, it rises directly across from Rockefeller Center, as if keeping an eye on the skating rink...
From the outside, the building is a full Gothic drama. Marble everywhere, pointed arches stacked like architectural exclamation marks, and stained-glass windows glowing in neat vertical ranks. The whole structure stretches 332 feet in length, with transepts spanning 174 feet. But the true attention-grabbers are the twin spires—330 feet of pure, sky-seeking ambition—framing the bronze entrance doors.
Step inside, and the scale refuses to let up. A broad central aisle is flanked by two narrower ones, separated by 32 marble columns that seem determined to out-pose each other. Look up, and you’ll see ribbed Gothic vaults meeting in elegant bosses overhead. Along the sides, twelve chapels create quieter pockets of devotion, while seating for 2,400 fills the nave with long lines of wooden pews.
Even the high altar has a story. The original version was shipped off to Fordham University Church in the Bronx, making room for the current altar carved from grey-white Italian marble and crowned by a bronze baldachin. It rises beneath a statue of Christ the King, complete with angels and decorative pinnacles.
Today, the “new” Saint Patrick’s Cathedral is firmly established as one of Manhattan’s defining landmarks, recognized both as a New York City designated landmark and listed on the National Register of Historic Places—a cathedral built to impress, and one that still succeeds brilliantly!
From the outside, the building is a full Gothic drama. Marble everywhere, pointed arches stacked like architectural exclamation marks, and stained-glass windows glowing in neat vertical ranks. The whole structure stretches 332 feet in length, with transepts spanning 174 feet. But the true attention-grabbers are the twin spires—330 feet of pure, sky-seeking ambition—framing the bronze entrance doors.
Step inside, and the scale refuses to let up. A broad central aisle is flanked by two narrower ones, separated by 32 marble columns that seem determined to out-pose each other. Look up, and you’ll see ribbed Gothic vaults meeting in elegant bosses overhead. Along the sides, twelve chapels create quieter pockets of devotion, while seating for 2,400 fills the nave with long lines of wooden pews.
Even the high altar has a story. The original version was shipped off to Fordham University Church in the Bronx, making room for the current altar carved from grey-white Italian marble and crowned by a bronze baldachin. It rises beneath a statue of Christ the King, complete with angels and decorative pinnacles.
Today, the “new” Saint Patrick’s Cathedral is firmly established as one of Manhattan’s defining landmarks, recognized both as a New York City designated landmark and listed on the National Register of Historic Places—a cathedral built to impress, and one that still succeeds brilliantly!
3) Grand Central Terminal (must see)
It may well be puzzling as to why New Yorkers use the terms “Grand Central Terminal” and “Grand Central Station” as if they’re the same thing... Here’s the secret: one is the rail terminal, the other is the post office attached to it, and the whole complex is busy enough that no one pauses to sort out the terminology.
The place's story began with Cornelius Vanderbilt, the 19th-century business titan, who collected railroads the way others collect postcards. After buying the Hudson River and New York Central lines in 1867, he fused them together and launched the construction of Grand Central Depot two years later.
The original depot, designed by architect John B. Snook, arrived in full Second Empire style—mansard roofs, ornate flourishes, and the confidence of a building that knew it had somewhere important to be. By 1874, it was ready for service. Trains glided into the Park Avenue Tunnel at 96th Street, slipping underground for the final approach. This solved the small problem of locomotives barreling down Manhattan streets, which city residents understandably found less than charming.
Then came 1902. A steam locomotive, blinded by smoke in the Park Avenue Tunnel, missed its signals and collided with another train. The crash sealed the depot’s fate. Within a few years, it was demolished, making way for the Grand Central Terminal we know today. The firms Reed & Stern and Warren & Wetmore teamed up to create the Beaux-Arts landmark—one focused on the functional layout, the other on the dramatic exterior.
Inside, the terminal doubled as an art gallery long before that was fashionable. The Main Concourse ceiling famously charts a glowing, backwards zodiac. The façade features the Glory of Commerce sculpture, a bronze statue of Vanderbilt stands guard out front, and cast-iron eagles keep watch over the whole scene.
Vanderbilt Hall regularly hosts exhibitions and seasonal events, while the Dining Concourse adds its own glow with rows of illuminated lightboxes. And every so often, the terminal surprises commuters with performance art—from choreographed flash mobs to unexpected installations—turning an everyday commute into something slightly cinematic.
The place's story began with Cornelius Vanderbilt, the 19th-century business titan, who collected railroads the way others collect postcards. After buying the Hudson River and New York Central lines in 1867, he fused them together and launched the construction of Grand Central Depot two years later.
The original depot, designed by architect John B. Snook, arrived in full Second Empire style—mansard roofs, ornate flourishes, and the confidence of a building that knew it had somewhere important to be. By 1874, it was ready for service. Trains glided into the Park Avenue Tunnel at 96th Street, slipping underground for the final approach. This solved the small problem of locomotives barreling down Manhattan streets, which city residents understandably found less than charming.
Then came 1902. A steam locomotive, blinded by smoke in the Park Avenue Tunnel, missed its signals and collided with another train. The crash sealed the depot’s fate. Within a few years, it was demolished, making way for the Grand Central Terminal we know today. The firms Reed & Stern and Warren & Wetmore teamed up to create the Beaux-Arts landmark—one focused on the functional layout, the other on the dramatic exterior.
Inside, the terminal doubled as an art gallery long before that was fashionable. The Main Concourse ceiling famously charts a glowing, backwards zodiac. The façade features the Glory of Commerce sculpture, a bronze statue of Vanderbilt stands guard out front, and cast-iron eagles keep watch over the whole scene.
Vanderbilt Hall regularly hosts exhibitions and seasonal events, while the Dining Concourse adds its own glow with rows of illuminated lightboxes. And every so often, the terminal surprises commuters with performance art—from choreographed flash mobs to unexpected installations—turning an everyday commute into something slightly cinematic.
4) Chrysler Building
For almost a year (11 months) prior to the completion of the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building enjoyed the status of the world's tallest skyscraper. It was erected at an enormous rate of four floors a week, but despite the haste, no incident or accident occurred during the construction.
Commissioned by the automobile magnate Walter P. Chrysler, the skyscraper was designed by architect William Van Alen in 1928, and was meant to house the headquarters of the Chrysler company – hence the ornamentation in the lower floors, featuring steel automobile parts. Regarded by many well-known contemporary architects as the most beautiful structure in New York City, the building features art deco style with gradually decreasing steel arches studded with triangular windows. At 319 meters high and with 77 floors topped by a 38-meter spire, this is the highest steel-supported brick structure in the world. Initially, there was a viewing gallery on the 71st floor which was then closed in 1945. The marble-clad lobby has a mural in the ceiling, showing an automobile assembly line.
The Chrysler Building remains New York's best-loved skyscraper and was ranked 9th in the survey of the Favorite Architectural Memories in the US, ahead of many well-known landmarks, like the now destroyed World Trade Center. In 1976, the Chrysler Building was declared a National Historic Landmark.
Why You Should Visit:
Art-deco icon that looks good from any vantage point, but well worth a detour to take a closer look.
Tip:
If time is in shortage, just walk into the lobby to see the beautiful walls and floor. The ceiling is a unique work of art.
Commissioned by the automobile magnate Walter P. Chrysler, the skyscraper was designed by architect William Van Alen in 1928, and was meant to house the headquarters of the Chrysler company – hence the ornamentation in the lower floors, featuring steel automobile parts. Regarded by many well-known contemporary architects as the most beautiful structure in New York City, the building features art deco style with gradually decreasing steel arches studded with triangular windows. At 319 meters high and with 77 floors topped by a 38-meter spire, this is the highest steel-supported brick structure in the world. Initially, there was a viewing gallery on the 71st floor which was then closed in 1945. The marble-clad lobby has a mural in the ceiling, showing an automobile assembly line.
The Chrysler Building remains New York's best-loved skyscraper and was ranked 9th in the survey of the Favorite Architectural Memories in the US, ahead of many well-known landmarks, like the now destroyed World Trade Center. In 1976, the Chrysler Building was declared a National Historic Landmark.
Why You Should Visit:
Art-deco icon that looks good from any vantage point, but well worth a detour to take a closer look.
Tip:
If time is in shortage, just walk into the lobby to see the beautiful walls and floor. The ceiling is a unique work of art.
Sight description based on Wikipedia.
5) New York Public Library (must see)
Officially known as the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, but more commonly as the 42nd Street main branch, this is the New York Public Library in its most dramatic form. The building occupies a prime spot on Fifth Avenue between 40th and 42nd Streets, sharing the block with Bryant Park and wearing its Beaux-Arts architecture like a tailored suit that never went out of style.
The story dates back to 1895, when the Astor and Lenox Libraries merged and suddenly needed a home worthy of their combined ambitions. The chosen location sat beneath the old Croton Distributing Reservoir, a granite fortress that had outlived its usefulness. The firm Carrère & Hastings was brought in to replace it with something grander, brighter, and considerably more inviting than a municipal water tank.
When the library finally opened on May 24, 1911, New Yorkers poured in. The first borrowed book—an earnest study comparing Nietzsche and Tolstoy—set the tone for the building’s intellectual aspirations. Within its first week, a quarter of a million visitors wandered its halls, proving that the city was more than ready for a cultural showpiece.
The exterior lives up to its reputation. Vermont marble and brick form the façade, while bronze windows and fixtures add a warm contrast. Above the central entrance, pediments display allegorical sculptures of Life, Painting, and Sculpture—just in case you needed a reminder that this building takes the arts seriously... A graceful balcony stretches along the Fifth Avenue side, tying the whole ensemble together.
Approach the main entrance, and you’ll ascend a grand staircase toward a deep portico with six Corinthian columns and three archways. And waiting to greet you—calm, composed, and eternally photogenic—are the two famous Tennessee marble lions flanking the steps. They’ve stood watch for more than a century, making sure everyone entering this library does so with a sense of occasion...
The story dates back to 1895, when the Astor and Lenox Libraries merged and suddenly needed a home worthy of their combined ambitions. The chosen location sat beneath the old Croton Distributing Reservoir, a granite fortress that had outlived its usefulness. The firm Carrère & Hastings was brought in to replace it with something grander, brighter, and considerably more inviting than a municipal water tank.
When the library finally opened on May 24, 1911, New Yorkers poured in. The first borrowed book—an earnest study comparing Nietzsche and Tolstoy—set the tone for the building’s intellectual aspirations. Within its first week, a quarter of a million visitors wandered its halls, proving that the city was more than ready for a cultural showpiece.
The exterior lives up to its reputation. Vermont marble and brick form the façade, while bronze windows and fixtures add a warm contrast. Above the central entrance, pediments display allegorical sculptures of Life, Painting, and Sculpture—just in case you needed a reminder that this building takes the arts seriously... A graceful balcony stretches along the Fifth Avenue side, tying the whole ensemble together.
Approach the main entrance, and you’ll ascend a grand staircase toward a deep portico with six Corinthian columns and three archways. And waiting to greet you—calm, composed, and eternally photogenic—are the two famous Tennessee marble lions flanking the steps. They’ve stood watch for more than a century, making sure everyone entering this library does so with a sense of occasion...
6) Empire State Building (must see)
Meet the undisputed champion of New York’s Art Deco era: the Empire State Building, a 102-story giant that rises over 1,450 feet above Midtown’s daily hustle. It once ruled as the tallest building on Earth; today it’s still impressive enough to hold a lineup of titles—seventh-tallest in New York, ninth in the United States, and still one of the tallest freestanding structures anywhere in the Americas.
Its name comes straight from New York’s proud nickname, the “Empire State,” and its streamlined design was the work of the Shreve, Lamb & Harmon architectural firm. Construction began in 1930, wrapped up just a year later, and replaced the former Waldorf-Astoria Hotel that once stood on the same block. From the start, the goal was simple: to build the biggest, boldest skyscraper the world had ever seen.
You’ll find this landmark in Midtown South, planted along Fifth Avenue between 34th and 35th Streets. Three observatories—on the 80th, 86th, and 102nd floors—offer wraparound views that make the city look like an architectural toy box. And thanks to its starring role in more than 250 films and TV shows, beginning with King Kong in 1933, the building’s Hollywood résumé is nearly as tall as the tower itself.
The exterior keeps things classic: Indiana limestone, granite, and clean geometric ornamentation that embodies Art Deco style without telling a story in symbols. The main entrance features metal doors framed by sleek vertical piers topped with sculpted eagles, along with a gold-lettered transom that proudly spells out the building’s name.
In recognition of its cultural and architectural significance, the Empire State Building was declared a New York City Landmark in 1980 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. Today, it remains one of Manhattan’s most enduring icons—an unmistakable marker on the skyline and an essential stop for anyone wanting to feel the full vertical spirit of New York.
Its name comes straight from New York’s proud nickname, the “Empire State,” and its streamlined design was the work of the Shreve, Lamb & Harmon architectural firm. Construction began in 1930, wrapped up just a year later, and replaced the former Waldorf-Astoria Hotel that once stood on the same block. From the start, the goal was simple: to build the biggest, boldest skyscraper the world had ever seen.
You’ll find this landmark in Midtown South, planted along Fifth Avenue between 34th and 35th Streets. Three observatories—on the 80th, 86th, and 102nd floors—offer wraparound views that make the city look like an architectural toy box. And thanks to its starring role in more than 250 films and TV shows, beginning with King Kong in 1933, the building’s Hollywood résumé is nearly as tall as the tower itself.
The exterior keeps things classic: Indiana limestone, granite, and clean geometric ornamentation that embodies Art Deco style without telling a story in symbols. The main entrance features metal doors framed by sleek vertical piers topped with sculpted eagles, along with a gold-lettered transom that proudly spells out the building’s name.
In recognition of its cultural and architectural significance, the Empire State Building was declared a New York City Landmark in 1980 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. Today, it remains one of Manhattan’s most enduring icons—an unmistakable marker on the skyline and an essential stop for anyone wanting to feel the full vertical spirit of New York.
7) Macy's in Herald Square
Step into Herald Square, and you’ll find a retail heavyweight that has been dazzling New Yorkers since 1902. Macy’s flagship store isn’t just big—it’s the kind of big that makes you wonder if someone accidentally ordered the “extra-large city block” option. From the moment it opened, the place was already ahead of its time, proudly installing one of the very first modern escalators and setting the tone for every shopper who ever wanted to be whisked upward in style. With more than 1.2 million square feet packed under one roof, it still ranks among the largest department stores in the United States and earned the National Historic Landmark status back in 1978.
Inside, the scale only gets more impressive. Eleven levels of fashion, accessories, cosmetics, and designer labels unfold like a vertical universe of retail possibilities. You can wander from trendy streetwear to luxury couture in a single elevator ride, pausing along the way for anything from a caffeine boost to a sit-down meal. Macy’s hosts events throughout the year as well, so you may stumble upon a mini-concert, a product launch, or a holiday-themed spectacle when you least expect it.
Speaking of holidays, the store is practically a Broadway production in its own right every December. Its animated window displays along the Broadway side attract crowds who gather to admire whatever whimsical theme Macy’s dreams up for that season. Each year brings a fresh set of scenes, crafted with enough charm and detail to stop even the most hurried New Yorkers in their tracks.
And of course, part of Macy’s fame comes from its sales—serious discounts that often outshine those at other major department stores in the city. Whenever your shopping spirit needs a break, the food options scattered throughout the building make refueling easy, from quick bites to full meals. In short, this is one place where you can shop, snack, explore, and repeat without ever stepping outside.
Inside, the scale only gets more impressive. Eleven levels of fashion, accessories, cosmetics, and designer labels unfold like a vertical universe of retail possibilities. You can wander from trendy streetwear to luxury couture in a single elevator ride, pausing along the way for anything from a caffeine boost to a sit-down meal. Macy’s hosts events throughout the year as well, so you may stumble upon a mini-concert, a product launch, or a holiday-themed spectacle when you least expect it.
Speaking of holidays, the store is practically a Broadway production in its own right every December. Its animated window displays along the Broadway side attract crowds who gather to admire whatever whimsical theme Macy’s dreams up for that season. Each year brings a fresh set of scenes, crafted with enough charm and detail to stop even the most hurried New Yorkers in their tracks.
And of course, part of Macy’s fame comes from its sales—serious discounts that often outshine those at other major department stores in the city. Whenever your shopping spirit needs a break, the food options scattered throughout the building make refueling easy, from quick bites to full meals. In short, this is one place where you can shop, snack, explore, and repeat without ever stepping outside.
8) Flatiron Building
Perhaps the most photographed edifice in New York City, the Flatiron Building owes its popularity and name to the unique design. The isosceles triangle-shaped building may not be as high as the nearby high risers of today, but when it opened its doors for the first time in 1901, it surely was one of the tallest in New York – 307 feet, 21 floors – rising like a Greek column, contrary to the other New York skyscrapers rising from a lower base block.
The Flatiron building was designed by Chicago architect, Daniel Burnham, as an office building for the Fuller Construction Company. Styled renaissance palazzo with beaux art detailing, it has the exterior of steel clad with terra cotta. Upon inauguration, the building was dubbed Burnham’s Folly by skeptics who doubted it would stand against strong winds. The design, however, has defied their misgivings and remained structurally sound till the present. Nowadays, it houses the headquarters of the McMillan Publishing Company.
The Flatiron building symbolizes New York City in picture postcards, television commercials and documentaries. It became a New York City landmark in 1966 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.
Why You Should Visit:
The exterior of the structure is certainly unique and well worth a photo!
Tip:
At the crossroads between 5th Avenue and Broadway, this should be not the only attraction in the area. The district is trendy, and you can sit outside at one of the many local cafes or in Madison Square Park and just watch people go about their lives all day long. Alternatively, if you're more creatively inclined, the area has plenty of stores catering to those loving artistic design, as well as hip cafes and restaurants.
The Flatiron building was designed by Chicago architect, Daniel Burnham, as an office building for the Fuller Construction Company. Styled renaissance palazzo with beaux art detailing, it has the exterior of steel clad with terra cotta. Upon inauguration, the building was dubbed Burnham’s Folly by skeptics who doubted it would stand against strong winds. The design, however, has defied their misgivings and remained structurally sound till the present. Nowadays, it houses the headquarters of the McMillan Publishing Company.
The Flatiron building symbolizes New York City in picture postcards, television commercials and documentaries. It became a New York City landmark in 1966 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.
Why You Should Visit:
The exterior of the structure is certainly unique and well worth a photo!
Tip:
At the crossroads between 5th Avenue and Broadway, this should be not the only attraction in the area. The district is trendy, and you can sit outside at one of the many local cafes or in Madison Square Park and just watch people go about their lives all day long. Alternatively, if you're more creatively inclined, the area has plenty of stores catering to those loving artistic design, as well as hip cafes and restaurants.
Walking Tours in New York, New York
Create Your Own Walk in New York
Creating your own self-guided walk in New York is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
NYC's Chinatown and Little Italy Walking Tour
If New York were a giant cookbook, Chinatown and Little Italy would definitely be the chapters where flavors go wild. These two neighbors on Manhattan’s Lower East Side started as modest immigrant enclaves and somehow ended up becoming two of the city’s most recognizable cultural districts. Their stories mirror the bigger tale of New York itself: arrivals from faraway places, tight-knit... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.6 Km or 1 Miles
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.6 Km or 1 Miles
George Washington's New York
While not really a New York fan himself, George Washington held the city in high esteem, calling it “a post of infinite importance,” and is even credited with coining the term “New Yorker”. The scene of some of Washington’s greatest military trials and political triumphs, NYC is a home to several important sites associated with his life and career, such as Fraunces Tavern, Bowling Green,... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.6 Km or 1 Miles
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.6 Km or 1 Miles
Columbia University Walking Tour
Established in 1754, Columbia University is the oldest institution of higher education in the state of New York and the fifth-oldest in the United States. A member of the prestigious Ivy League, this renowned institution boasts a diverse campus designed along Beaux-Arts planning principles. Columbia's main campus occupies more than six city blocks in Morningside Heights, New York City, and is... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.3 Km or 1.4 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.3 Km or 1.4 Miles
Grand Central Station to Union Square
Despite being smaller than almost everything around it, including the humongous MetLife Building that dwarfs it from behind, the Grand Central Terminal is just so gorgeous and palatial-looking that it still manages to be the centerpiece of the whole East Side of Midtown Manhattan. Passing from here to Union Square, our self-guided tour is bound to introduce you to some of New York City’s most... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.8 Km or 2.4 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.8 Km or 2.4 Miles
NYC Top Religious Sites Walking Tour
Other than high-risers, New York City is also famous for the variety of beautiful places of worship renowned for their architectural splendor. After 1830, inspired by a love for all things medieval imported from England, the Gothic style developed in the metropolis, as first illustrated by the Grace Church (1846). The best example of this style, however, remains St Patrick’s Cathedral, which... view more
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 7.0 Km or 4.3 Miles
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 7.0 Km or 4.3 Miles
NYC Greenwich Village Walking Tour
Seeing Manhattan as a neatly pressed suit, one can easily imagine Greenwich Village as the shirt stubbornly refusing to stay tucked in. Its tree-lined streets, classic brownstones, and endless supply of cafés, jazz clubs, and Off-Broadway theaters have lured generations of writers, poets, artists, radicals, and runaways looking for a life less ordinary. This reputation was cemented in the... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.2 Km or 1.4 Miles
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.2 Km or 1.4 Miles
Useful Travel Guides for Planning Your Trip
7 Best Drinking Places in Upper West Side, NY
With “Bar Tour of the Upper West Side” sample a cross section from NYC’s great gamut of drinking establishments, including a Belgian Brasserie, a wine bar, Irish pubs, and one dive — just for fun! These spots offer something a little extra, like craft beers, inspirational artwork, a chance...
NYC Beer Tour
There are many great places to drink in New York City. Still, discerning connoisseurs are likely to find themselves awash in a sea of mediocre beer without first gaining a proper lay of the beer land. For those whose curiosity and taste buds urge them to venture beyond ubiquitious draft staples like...
NYC Souvenir Guide: 15 Authentic New York City Products to Take Home
In keeping with the song, one might think that, if they can make it in New York City, they can make it anywhere. Well, not always... Some of the things made in New York City aren't made anywhere else, and you'll definitely want to try or keep at least some of them to prolong your NYC...
Bar Tour of Lower East Side, New York City
The Lower East Side has been described the most livable neighborhood in NYC. Unique and dynamic, LES has boutique shops, cafes and restaurants alongside great bars and museums.In this historic neighborhood, residents strive to preserve its roots. Here, you can find young professionals who challenge...
NY Villages Best Tea and Coffee
This is a guide to the best tea and coffee shops and houses in the East, West, Washington Square and Greenwich Villages of Manhattan. None of these are chains, so tourists looking to avoid Starbucks can find sanctuary in this app. All of these run the gamut between W and E 14th Streets, and down 1st...
The Most Popular Cities
/ view all