Financial District (Manhattan) - Financial District (Manhattan)

Financial District (or Lower Manhattan) is the financial district of Manhattan.

To know

In the Financial District are some of the most famous places in New York: Wall Street, the Brooklyn Bridge (Brooklyn Bridge), la Statue of Liberty on Liberty Island ed Ellis Island in the bay, both accessible by ferries departing from the district.

Geographical notes

The Financial District is located in the far south of the peninsula, with the Hudson River to the west, the East River to the east, the New York Harbor to the south, and Chambers Street to the north. It is one of the two large commercial and business districts of New York - the other is Midtown - and it is the historic core of the city, which is well demonstrated by the chaotic interweaving of the streets unlike the grid system which instead regulates the streets and avenues of the area immediately to the north.

Background

Located in the southern tip of Manhattan, Lower Manhattan is the place where the first settlement was founded by the Dutch colonists known as the New Amsterdam. The foundation dates back to 1625, and the settlement immediately became the capital of the Dutch province of New Holland which stretched along the Hudson River. In 1664 it was conquered by the British and New Amsterdam became "New York".

At the end of the eighteenth century, at the outbreak of the American Revolution, New York became an important political center for the settlers. Protests against the Stamp Act led to the meeting of the Stamp Act Congress and the signing of the Declaration of Rights and Grievances. British soldiers took over New York and maintained control of the city until the end of the war when George Washington triumphantly returned to Manhattan. He would return again in 1789 to take office as the first president of the United States of America, as New York briefly was the nation's capital and also the place where the Bill of Rights was written and signed. Rights).

Shortly after the birth of the United States, Lower Manhattan began to become the economic and financial center of the new nation. In 1792 a group of stockbrokers signed the Buttonwood Agreement, which in fact was the creation of the New York Stock Exchange, under a plane tree at 68 Wall Street. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries the corporate culture that developed in the area led to the construction of many skyscrapers, and as New York's financial power grew so did its influence, as demonstrated by the financial crash of 1929. leading to the Great Depression.

In the 1940s and 1950s, Manhattan's new economic growth centered on Midtown. In the desire to bring new development to the Lower Manhattan area, many local leaders had the old structures torn down to make way for the new glittering skyscrapers, including the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center which were destroyed on 11 September 2001. Today the new World Trade Center is now complete: where the towers once stood there is a memorial, new buildings have been built including the Freedom Tower and the area is still one of the most vibrant in Manhattan.

How to orient yourself

Lower Manhattan has an irregular road system, a reminder of the old Dutch settlement of New Amsterdam. This road system is tremendously chaotic when compared to everything else in Manhattan which instead has a regular grid structure with some exceptions. The main avenues follow a north-south direction - West Street along the Hudson River, Church Street and Broadway through the district center, and Water Street and South Street (the former passes under the elevated FDR Drive) along the East River. With the exception of these, almost all the other streets in the financial district are very narrow and very busy during the day. The blocks around the intersection of Wall and Broad Streets (where the Stock Exchange and Federal Hall are) are car-free and only pedestrians can enter.

How to get

Underground

Most of the subway lines stop in the Financial District, so it is very easy to get to this area. There are also many buses that pass through this part of the island, but since the traffic is almost always congested it is not advisable to rely on these means.

The lines 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 is 6 connect the district to Uptown and al Bronx, 2, 3 and 4 also go up to Brooklyn passing under the East River (also 5 during rush hour). The lines TO is C. they go to Uptown and Brooklyn, with the A continuing to the JFK Airport area. There IS it runs parallel to lines A and C to Midtown, where it then continues until it reaches the Queens. The line R. it goes all the way to Midtown, Queens and then east to Brooklyn. Finally the lines J is Z they go northeast as far as Brooklyn and Queens, but remember that Broad Street and the Fulton Street section of the J / Zs are closed on weekends.

Plus the railway PATH connects the World Trade Center area to the New Jersey. There are two lines: one that goes to Newark and one that goes to Hoboken, both with stops in Jersey City. The PATH costs $ 1.75 per trip and you can use the MetroCard to pay.

There is a free bus that goes around Lower Manhattan called Downtown Connection.

Ferry

The Staten Island Ferry[1] connects the South Ferry terminal, the tip south of Manhattan, at the St. George's Ferry Terminal Staten Island. The ferry is free and is very popular with tourists because it allows you to admire the Statue of Liberty up close and the panorama of the Lower Manhattan skyline. The ferry runs around the clock, 24 hours a day, departing approximately every 30 minutes, more frequent at peak times and less at night.

NY Waterway[2] services from the World Financial Center terminal and Pier 11 / Wall St. terminal to several New Jersey locations along the Hudson River, including Hoboken and Weehawken. Rates depending on the route.

New York Water Taxi[3] in service from World Financial Center, Battery Park, Pier 11 / Wall St. and South Street Seaport to Midtown areas, Brooklyn, Queens, Yonkers and Breezy Point. The boats are painted like taxis and the fares are based on the destination.

How to get around

What see

• Wall Street. The heart of the Financial District and home to the New York Stock Exchange, Wall Street is a synonym for "business" in the United States of America (although most companies are no longer based on this street). It is a narrow street that runs down from Broadway to the East River, and owes its name to the wall erected here in 1652 to keep Manhattan from reopening by the natives out of the Dutch settlement. The wall was then demolished by the British in 1699. At the end of the 18th century merchants and agents were here in the shade of a plane tree to bargain, the origin of the Stock Exchange then founded in 1817. 

• New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), 18 Broad St (near 11 Wall St). Historic place, site of Black Thursday of 24 October 1929, the historic crack that started the Great Depression. The building was inaugurated in 1903, recognizable by its imposing facade with Corinthian-style columns. Closed to the public following the attacks of 11 September 2001. 
• 23 Wall Street (near Broad St). Built in 1914 and the headquarters of JP Morgan. Traces of the bomb that exploded on September 16, 1920 can still be seen. 
• Trump Building, 40 Wall St. Remarkable skyscraper completed in 1930 and which at the time surpassed the nearby Woolworth Building, becoming the tallest building in the world until the Chrysler Building (later surpassed by the Empire State Building) was completed a month later. Purchased by Donald Trump in 1995, hence the name. 
• Federal Reserve Bank, 33 Liberty Street. 
• Federal Hall, 26 on Wall Street (in front of NYSE), ☎ 1 212 825-6990. Free. Mon-Fri 9 am-5pm. Here on April 30, 1789, George Washington was proclaimed president of the United States. The building was used as New York City Halls and hosted the first settler meetings leading up to the American Revolution (events such as the Stamp Act Congress were held here). The current building dates back to 1842 and was used as a Customs House and then as a subsidiary of the Treasury (millions of dollars were kept in the basement). Today it is operated by the National Park Service as a museum. There are guided tours, but you can also roam freely and admire some period objects including the Bible used by Washington on the day he was sworn in as President. 

• Trinity Church, 79 Broadway (Broadway intersection - Wall St), ☎ 1 212 602-0800. Free. Mon-Fri 7-18, Sat 8-16, Sun 7-16. In 1697, by the will of King William II, an Anglican church and a parish were established. The present neo-gothic church is from 1846 and is an important building in Manhattan. Trinity Church Cemetery houses the graves and memorials of figures such as Alexander Hamilton, William Bradford, Robert Fulton and Albert Gallatin. 
• Bowling Green (on Broadway and Morris). Small park, as well as the oldest in the city, houses the Charging Bull a sculpture created after the 1987 bag crash. Bowling Green is also a spot on Broadway's various parades. 
• Battery Park. Free. The southern tip of Manhattan, where the artillery to defend the Dutch and then British settlement was located. Before the war of 1812 it was built Castle Clinton to protect the city (today it is a museum). In the park there are several memorials like The Sphere, which once stood in the World Trade Center and escaped the 9/11 disaster before being moved to Battery Park. Ferries to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island also depart from here (see below). 
• National September 11 Memorial & Museum (World Trade Center - remember that 'Ground Zero' is never used by New Yorkers), entrance at 1 Albany St (intersection of Albany and Greenwich Streets), ☎ 1 212 312-8800, @[email protected]. Free. Tue-Fri 10-20, Sat-Sun and holidays 9-20 (last admission one hour before closing). Where the World Trade Center Twin Towers once stood, the monument consists of two fountains and bronze panels where the names of the nearly 3,000 victims of that day are faithfully reported. The square around it is decorated with trees, a museum is under construction. Visit the site for more detailed information also regarding timetables and passes for visits [4]. 
• St Paul's Chapel, 209 Broadway (between Fulton and Vesey Sts), ☎ 1 212 233-4164. Free. Built in 1776, the chapel is part of Trinity Church parish and is the oldest building in Manhattan still in use. The only colonial church still in operation in New York City and where George Washington came to pray after he was elected president, more recently it has become famous for surviving 9/11 without a single broken glass, despite being on the other side part of the road from the. World Trade Center - and for having been a resting place for workers in the days following the tragedy. 

• Woolworth Building, 233 Broadway (between Barclay St and Park Pl). One of the oldest and most famous skyscrapers in New York completed in 1913 and tallest building in the world until 1930. Closed to the public since 11 September 2001. 
• City Hall. Between Broadway, Park Row and Chambers Street, City Hall was finished in 1812 and is still an integral part of the city's public life today as it houses the mayor's offices. The building is only accessible for guided views but there is a nice park surrounding it. To the north and on the same block is the Tweed Courthouse, another beautiful building that houses public administration offices. 

• City Hall Station. The subway station is a gem, with candelabra adorning it. However it has been closed since 1945, but it is still possible while on the train 6 after the last stop Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall because it will turn into the old station. This is the only point where such a thing is allowed throughout the city rail system. The Transit Museum (a Downtown Brooklyn) offers the possibility of some visits and even walking in the station, but you must be a member of the museum and a US citizen. 
• Manhattan Municipal Building, 1 Center St (near Chambers St). Completed in 1915 to compensate for New York's enormous growth, this 40-story building is massive and has a statue of a woman on top. 
• Brooklyn Bridge. From the intersection with Park Row (east of City Hall) you can walk (about 20-30 minutes), cycle or drive the quintessential New York bridge that leads to Brooklyn. Life from the bridge is remarkable, especially in Lower Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn but also Midtown and the New York Bay in the distance. 
• World Trade Center site (Ground Zero). Place where the twin towers once stood 
• Battery Park City. 
• Bowling Green. 
• Fraunces Tavern. 

Museums

• African Burial Ground National Monument, 290 Broadway, 1st floor (north of City Hall), ☎ 1 212 637-2019, fax: 1 212 227-2026. Free. Visitor Center: Tue-Sat 10 am-4pm except holidays; Memorial: daily 9 am-5pm except Federal holidays. For most of the 18th century, Africans in New York City were buried in a cemetery outside the city. The forgotten cemetery was rediscovered in 1991. The museum and memorial commemorate the approximately 15,000 Africans who were buried here. The museum is inside a federal building so the security measures are very strict. 
• Museum of American Finance, 48 Wall Street, ☎ 1 212 908-4110, fax: 1 212 908-4601. $ 8 adults, $ 5 students / seniors, children 6 and under free. Tue-Sat 10 am-4pm. Small museum dedicated to finance and markets. 

• Museum of Jewish Heritage, 36 Battery Pl, ☎ 1 646 437-4200. $ 12 adults, $ 10 seniors, $ 7 students, children 12 and under free; free admission on Wednesdays from 4 to 8 pm. Sun-Tue, Thu 10-17.45, Wed 10-20, Fri 10-17. Holocaust Memorial. 

• National Museum of the American Indian, One Bowling Green (northeast corner of Battery Park), ☎ 1 212 514-3700. Free. Fri-Wed 10-17, Thu 10-20. In the Alexander Hamilton US Custom House, this Smithsonian museum is the New York branch of what it is in Washington is in the Maryland. 
• New York City Police Museum, 100 Old Slip, ☎ 1 212 480-3100. $ 7 adults, $ 5 seniors / students / children, children under 2 free. Tue-Sat 10 am-5pm. Museum dedicated to the history of the New York Police Department. 
• Skyscraper Museum, 39 Battery Pl, ☎ 1 212 968-1961. $ 5 adults, $ 2.50 seniors / students. Wed-Sun 12-18. Exhibition on the history of the construction of skyscrapers. 
• South Street Seaport Museum, 12 Fulton St, ☎ 1 212 748-8600. $ 10 adults, $ 8 seniors / students, $ 5 children, under 5 free. Jan-Mar: Fri-Mar 10-17, Ships noon-16; Apr-Dec: Tue-Sat 10 am-6pm. Harbor area history museum and a collection of ships to see at South Street Seaport on the East River. 

New York Harbor

Lower Manhattan is the main point from which to reach the three islands of the New York Bay ("New York Harbor"): Liberty Island (where the Statue of Liberty is), Ellis Island is Governors Island. Another ferry operates to Liberty and Ellis Islands from Liberty Park to Jersey City, but most tourists take ferries from Manhattan. These are the most famous tourist destinations to be reached by ferries.

If you want to save time and money you can pass by the Statue of Liberty with the direct ferries to Staten IslandStaten Island Ferry, are free and depart from South Ferry Terminal, east of Battery Park.

• Governors Island, Ferries depart from the Battery Maritime Building at 10 South Street, ☎ 1 212 825-3045. Free. seasonal opening; Wed-Thu guided tours at 10am and 1pm, Fridays ferries depart every hour 10-15, Sat-Sun ferries depart every hour 10-17, from Brooklyn ferries depart every 20 minutes. Governors Island has a military history: home to headquarters and outposts from 1794 to 1966, then to the U.S. Coast Guard before becoming an attraction open to the public. 

Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island

• Ferries, Depart from Battery Park (New York) or Liberty State Park (New Jersey), ☎ 1 866 782 8834 (In the USA), 1 212 269 5755 (international). cost of the ferry $ 12 adults, $ 10 seniors (62), $ 5 children (4-12). Access to the extra $ 3 crown. Audio guides $ 6 extra. 8: 30-17: 15 (times change according to the season); if you leave after 2pm, you can only visit Liberty Island or Ellis Island. 

Tickets - Visitors to Liberty Island and Ellis Island have four different ticket options:

1. Reserve Ticket - includes the ferry; gives access to Liberty Island and Ellis Island, including Liberty Island terrain and the Ellis Island Immigration Museum. The Reserve Ticket allows you to save time waiting for the ferry thanks to the priority lanes at check-in. The Reserve Ticket does not allow access to the Statue of Liberty, the museum (in the pedestal), the Pedestal Observation Deck, or the crown. The price of the Reserve Ticket is the same as that of the ferry and there are no additional costs.
2. Reserve with Pedestal / Museum Ticket (access to the crown not included) - includes the ferry; this ticket allows access to the pedestal; see the internal structure of the statue; admire the view from the Pedestal Observation Deck; access to Fort Wood. It does not allow access to the crown of the statue. The ticket has the word "Monument" printed (for Monument Access). Before accessing the pedestal there is an additional security check. The price of this ticket is the same as that of the ferry and there are no additional costs. Try to buy tickets well in advance.
3. Reserve with Crown Ticket (includes Pedestal / Museum Access) - includes the ferry; in addition to being able to visit the pedestal and the Museum it allows you to go up to visit the crown for which you go through another security check. The ticket has an additional cost of $ 3. They are limited tickets and must be purchased well in advance (even a year in advance).
4. Flex Ticket valid for use over three days. The Flex Ticket includes the cost of the ferry and includes the same benefits as the Reserve Ticket, therefore it does not allow access to the pedestal, the museum and the crown. It also requires the purchase according to a specific date. With this ticket you can arrive at any time of day, preferably early to avoid the queues. It does not give the right to priority entries (Reserved Ticket entry). Tickets for Pedestal / Museum Access or Crown Access they cannot be taken online with the Flex Ticket.

Tickets can also be purchased from hotel concierges or at Castle Clinton National Monument in Battery Park, New York, or at the Central Railroad of the New Jersey Terminal in Liberty State Park, Jersey City, New Jersey. Monument Access (for Pedestal / Museum / Crown) may not be available if you plan to visit the same day (so it's always best to buy them in advance).

Attention: There is an entrance Reserved Ticket entrance separate (at security checkpoints) for those with Reserve Ticket, Reserve with Pedestal / Museum Ticket, and Reserve with Crown Ticket. This allows you to have a sort of preferential lane that is not provided for the Flex Ticket.

Statue Cruises it is the only way to access Liberty and Ellis Islands; ferries depart from Battery Park or Liberty State Park a Jersey City. Security measures before boarding are similar to those at airports (nothing, food, liquids, knives, etc.). A single ticket is valid to arrive on the islands and return. Tickets are limited: you can buy them on the same day or in advance by calling the company's ticket office or online. If you are leaving from Manhattan, you should arrive at Battery Park at least 2 hours early for the long security checks.

There Statue of Liberty, or Liberty Enlightening the World (the Liberty that illuminates the world), is actually a gift from the French to the United States of America made on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the nation's birth. It is located on Liberty Island and is one of the symbols of the United States of America and one of the most famous images in the world. Before leaving by ferry you can visit the Visitor Information Station, which reports the events of the day. You can then gather at the Liberty Island Flagpole (behind the statue) for a ranger-led tour of the island. With the Pedestal / Museum ticket - "Monument" shown on the ferry ticket, which requires a second security check - you can visit the monument lobby, the museum (where various exhibits of the statue are found including the old torch ), and the external area with the promenade and Fort Wood (the star-shaped structure with 11 points on which the statue rests). The Pedestal / Museum Ticket includes the ascent by elevator to the pedestal observation point (pedestal observation deck), not on the statue; however, you can look up and admire the internal structure of the statue (there are 4 observation points); from the observation deck you can admire a 360 degree panorama over the whole of New York City. There are 24 steps from the lift to the observation deck. Security checks are strict: travel light, and remember that if necessary you will have to put bags and backpacks in the cloakroom (for a fee). Queues on busy days can be very long, and remember that you must take the Reserve Pedestal / Museum ticket to visit the pedestal 1 week in advance. Those with the Reserve with Crown ticket can climb the statue thanks to the circular staircase up to crown, but tickets are limited in number and you have to buy them well in advance (even a year) [5]. The crown is entered in groups of 10 under the strict control of authorized personnel, and no more than 3 groups per hour. Children must be at least one meter tall and able to walk up and down stairs on their own, and anyone with a ticket must have photo ID that matches the name on the ticket.

Ellis Island it is served by the same ferry as the Statue of Liberty. Ellis Island was the home of the first immigration office of the nation, and more than 12 million people have passed through its offices from 1892, the year it opened, to closing in 1954. Today, more than 40 percent of Americans can trace their ancestry through Ellis Island. Here is theAmerican Family Immigration History Center, which contains evidence of the passage of 25 million immigrants, passengers and crew members who entered New York Bay.

What to do

Shopping

• Century 21, 22 Cortlandt St (cross Church St from the World Trade Center), ☎ 1 212 227-9092. Tue-Wed 7: 45-21.00, Thu-Fri 9: 45-21.30, Sat 10-21, Sun 11-21. Discounted end of series clothes, very popular with tourists and residents. During the busy Christmas period and entering it is a terrifying experience, during the rest of the year it is much less chaotic. 
• ^{[link not working]}J&R Music and Computer World, 23 Park Row, ☎ 1 212 238-9000. Tue-Sat 9-19: 30, Sun 10: 30-18: 30. It takes up an entire block across the street from City Hall Park and sells the largest assortment of computers, accessories, and other electronics in New York City, at discounted prices when ordered online. A must visit if you are thinking of shopping. For electronic New Yorkers, it is by far one of the best shops in the city. 
• World Financial Center (west of the World Trade Center), ☎ 1 212 417-7000. Shopping, dining, events and the Winter Garden. 

How to have fun

Where to eat

TO Broad Street there are restaurants of various chains.

Average prices

• Terry's, 41 River Terrace, ☎ 1 212 267-2816. Budget. Very popular with students. 
• Portobello Pizzeria Restaurant, 83 Murray St. $ 5 a wedge. Tue-Fri 10-21, Sat 10-20. Decent pizza, but better. 

Where stay

Average prices

• Andaz Wall Street, A Hyatt Hotel, 75 Wall Street, New York, NY 10005 (entrance on Water Street), ☎ 1 212 590-1234, fax: 1 212 590-1238, @[email protected]. $250-$350. Check in: 15, check-out: 12. The only hotel on Wall Street, with 253 rooms, all with internet, free minibar (except alcohol), free gym, and free refreshments in the lobby. 
• ^{[link not working]}Eurostars Wall Street, 129 Front St (at Pine St), ☎ 1 212 742-0003, fax: 1 212 742-0124, @[email protected]. $230-$400. Small but luxurious hotel north of Wall Street. 
• Gild Hall, A Thompson Hotel, 15 Gold St (at Platt St), ☎ 1 212 232-7700, fax: 1 212 425-0330, @[email protected]. $250-$300. 
• Holiday Inn Wall Street, 51 Nassau St, ☎ 1 212 227-3007. $150-$250. Two blocks from Wall Street, one block from the New York Stock Exchange, and across the street from the Federal Reserve Bank. 113 rooms with free wireless internet, fitness center and pets allowed. 

High prices

• Millenium Hilton, 55 Church St (across the street from the World Trade Center), ☎ 1 212 693-2001, fax: 1 212 571-2316. $300-$400. Business hotel, one of the tallest in New York (on the 55th floor). Rooms with stunning views. 
• New York Marriott Downtown, 85 West St, ☎ 1 212 385-4900, fax: 1 212 227-8136. $300-$450. Great view and nice rooms. 

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