Harlem and Upper Manhattan - Harlem e Upper Manhattan

Harlem and Upper Manhattan
(New York)
116th St.
StateUnited States of America
Federated stateNew York

Harlem and Upper Manhattan is a district of Manhattan of the city of New York.

To know

Upper Manhattan is a large, relatively under-visited area of Manhattan which runs from 125th Street to Inwood Hill Park to the west and 96th Street to the north on the eastern side (the island of Manhattan is so to speak "asymmetrical"). This vast area includes the famous neighborhood of Harlem, known to be a center of African American culture. Other interesting areas are those of Washington Heights, center of Dominican culture in New York and place where the museum is located The Cloisters and the great Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center; very interesting too Inwood, where there are the last remains of the primeval forest that once covered the whole island.

Upper Manhattan is a large and fascinating area where the characteristics and identity of the various neighborhoods change in the space of a few blocks. Harlem itself is actually made up of several small neighborhoods each with their own culture and history. Spanish Harlem, also called El Barrio, is the heart of Puerto Rican culture in the United States. Once known as Italian Harlem, today this area overlooking the East River and bounded by 96th Street and 125th Street, is a polyglot intersection of refurbished and residential streets also shared by West African immigrants living in single rooms of several hotels together with the many Latin Americans who still live here.

Further north and west and around 125th Street is the Harlem Renaissance, the center of African American culture in the early 20th century. While old institutions like Sylvia's restaurant and the Apollo Theater are still going strong, Harlem and especially 125th Street are experiencing a new renaissance thanks to the owners of the old cast iron houses being renovated and thanks to the opening of new shops and more. . Among others, the foundation offices of former US President Bill Clinton are also located in this part of the district. There are also famous churches such as the Abyssinian Baptist Church, and some of them even have famous gospel choirs.

West Harlem now roughly corresponds to Manhattanville, an area developed as a new Columbia University campus; Hamilton Heights, north of 133rd street and south of 155th street where City College is located, a place that has had several Nobel laureates and other distinguished students among others; and Sugar Hill, east of Amsterdam Avenue and north of 145th street, an area that has always been associated with African American culture and well known for Ella Fitzgerald's song Take the `A 'Train. The entire west of Harlem is a surprising mix of rundown streets with workshops, single family homes and buildings. Further west and along Riverside Drive to 165th street are beautiful residential buildings dating from the early 20th or late 19th century and in excellent condition.

North of Harlem are Washington Heights and Inwood, rarely included in regular sightseeing (apart from The Cloisters) but also in a phase of improvement. Washington Heightsit is the center of Dominican culture in New York. Today it is a mix of Bangladeshi immigrants and young artists and workers looking for low rents a stone's throw from old Dominican residents in the south, and old Jewish residents in the north towards the Cabrini Boulevard area. Columbia University's Medical School and Hospital, New York Presbyterian Medical Center dominates the entire neighborhood. On the northern edge of Washington Heights is The Cloisters, a medieval museum and gift from the Rockefeller family, in beautiful Fort Tryon Park. Further north there is Inwood, an almost exclusively residential area, e Inwood Hill Park, an area covered by the forest, the last place to see what the island of Manhattan must have looked like 500 years ago.

Background

The ancient village of Harlem was founded in 1658 by the Dutch governor Peter Stuyvesant and was called Nieuw Haarlem from the city Dutch of Haarlem. During the periods of Dutch, British and colonial rule, farms were established in the eastern parts of the area while some of the most illustrious families of New York such as the Delanceys, Bleeckers, Riker, Beekman and Hamilton maintained vast estates in the north and west of area.

At the beginning of the 1900s and particularly in the 1920s, African American culture, literature, art, African American music and dance began to flourish in Harlem, as well as social movements. All of this soon became known as "The New Negro Movement" and later as Harlem Renaissance. More than a literary movement, the Harlem Renaissance exalted African American culture and redefined the concept of "African American". From that time on, African Americans were encouraged to celebrate their cultural heritage.

Ironically during the 1920s and 1930s, many African Americans were excluded from attending the musical performances that members of their community had helped create. Many jazz clubs like Small's or the Cotton Club (where the great Duke Ellington performed) were reserved for a white audience only. The Savoy, which was mixed, was closed by the municipal authorities in the 1930s due to the risk of interracial relationships that could arise within it. Fortunately, the racial segregation in New York today is only a memory and those who come to visit Harlem can enjoy a bit of jazz in peace, perhaps with dinner or sipping a drink.

How to orient yourself


How to get

Harlem Map
Upper Manhattan Map

By subway

There are several subway lines that pass through this area. The lines TO, C., is 1 go up the West Side to Manhattanville, Washington Heights, Hamilton Heights, Inwood and Fort Tryon Park. There 2 and the 3 they go on Lenox Avenue more or less in the center, while the 4, 5, 6 I'm on the East Side. The line B. and the D. go up 8th Avenue and St. Nicholas Avenue along with A and C to 155th Street, then pass under the Harlem River to Yankee Stadium and other stops in the Bronx. Lines A and D and lines 4 and 5 during the day are fast lines, with the A and D taking passengers directly from 59th Street to 125th Street, while 4 and 5 run from 86th Street to 125th Street in one stop.

On the train

North Railroad Metro has a station at 125th Street and Park Avenue with easy connections to and from the Hudson Valley and the Connecticut. Check out the train section of the New York City main page for more information.

By bus

There are many bus lines serving this area. The M4 goes slowly up to the Cloisters from Village via the East Side (Madison going up and Fifth Avenue going down), via 110th Street, and via Broadway and Fort Washington Avenue even further north - a nice way to see the different faces of Manhattan but very slow! There is a large bus station under the ramps of the George Washington Bridge (175th Street between Broadway and Fort Washington Avenue) with connections to suburban areas of New Jersey and New York State.

How to get around


What see

  • The Cloisters, 99 Margaret Corbin Drive, Fort Tryon Park, ☎ 1 212-923-3700. Ecb copyright.svgAdults $ 25, Seniors (over 65) $ 17, Students $ 12 *, Free for members and children under 12 (accompanied by an adult). You pay what you want like in the Metropolitan Museum affiliate: there are suggested prices, but it's up to you to decide how much to spend. Simple icon time.svgopen every day from March to October: 10:00 - 17:15 November - February: 10:00 - 16:45 Closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas and New Year. On four acres overlooking the Hudson River in Fort Tryon Park, the building incorporates elements from five French-style cloisters and other monastic sites in the south of France. There are several works of art on display including the Unicorn Tapestry. 
  • Fort Tryon Park. One of the most beautiful parks in New York, on hilly terrain near the Hudson River. It has some of the highest points on the island and enough space for picnics on nice days looking out over the New Jersey Palisades across the river. 
  • Museum of the City of New York, 1220 5th Ave (between 103rd and 104th Street; subway: 6 to 103rd St or the 2 or 3 to 110th Street; Bus: M1, M2, M3, M4 or M106), ☎ 1 212 534-1672. Simple icon time.svgdaily 10 am-6pm "price =" suggested price $ 10 adults, $ 6 students / seniors, children under 12 free. Quite large and interesting museum with countless documents on the history of the city. It also has a large collection of everyday objects including nineteenth-century dolls. 
  • El Museo del Barrio, 1230 5th Ave (104th St), ☎ 1 212 831-7272. Ecb copyright.svgsuggested price $ 9 adults, $ 5 students / seniors, children under 12 free. Free seniors on Wednesdays, free for all on the third Saturday of each month. Simple icon time.svgTue-Sun 11 am-6pm. The only museum in the country dedicated to Puerto Rican culture. 
  • Hamilton Grange National Monument, 287 Convent Ave. Built in 1802 (and physically moved from its original location) it was the home of Alexander Hamilton, one of the founding fathers and first Secretary of the Treasury. 
  • Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, 135th St and Malcolm X Blvd (2 or 3 to 135th St). Research branch of the New York Public Library, repository of precious documents for the history and culture of African Americans. 
  • James Bailey House, 10 St. Nicholas Place (W 150th St). Road built by architect Samuel Burrage Reed. The large house was owned by circus impresario Anthony Bailey - who joined Phineas T. Barnum in 1881 to form the Barnum & Bailey circus. Harlem children call it today Beauty and the Beast house, the home of Beauty and the Beast. 
  • Strivers Row. Million dollar homes in an unusual area. 
  • Morris-Jumel Mansion, 65 Jumel Ter (C to 163rd St), ☎ 1 212 923-8008. Ecb copyright.svgAdults $ 5, seniors $ 4, students $ 4, children 12 and members free. Simple icon time.svgWed-Sun 10 am-4pm. Built in 1765, it is the oldest house in Manhattan. It was the headquarters of George Washington in 1776. Today it is a museum and among the various rooms to visit there is also the Washington office. 
  • Audubon Ballroom, NE corner of Broadway and 165th St. Where Malcolm X was assassinated. Only part of the original facade remains (the rest was demolished in 1992). 
  • Studio Museum Harlem, 144 W 125th St, ☎ 1 212 864-4500. Ecb copyright.svg$ 7 adults, $ 3 students / seniors, children under 12 free. Simple icon time.svgWed-Fri, Sun 12-18, Sat 10-18. 
  • Riverside Park, west of Riverside Dr. Beautiful park overlooking the river. In the summer there are open air shows and concerts. 
  • Hispanic Society of America, Audubon Ter (West of Broadway between 155th and 156th Streets), ☎ 1 212 926-2234. Ecb copyright.svgFree. Simple icon time.svgTue-Sat 10-16: 30, Sun 13-16M. Museum and library dedicated to Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American art and culture. 
  • Dyckman Farmhouse, 4881 Broadway, 10034 (A to 207th St), ☎ 1 212 304-9422. Ecb copyright.svgAdults $ 1, children free.. Simple icon time.svgWed-Sat 11-16, Sun 12-16. Former residence of William Dyckman who owned much of today's Inwood and Washington Heights. At the corner of 204th and Broadway, the farmhouse has become a museum focusing on life in the early days of Manhattan and hosts various initiatives for the neighborhood. The "Hessian Huts" in the back are a legacy of the British occupation during the period of the American Revolution. 


What to do

  • Marcus Garvey (Mount Morris) Park. One of the oldest parks in Manhattan. The elegant houses to the west and south of the park give an idea of ​​the old grandeur of the neighborhood (many of these were built in the 1880s). There Acropolis, with its more than thirty meters above street level, it offers splendid views towards the Empire State Building, the George Washington Bridge and Yankee Stadium. The Firetower, an 1857 building is the only remaining fire tower in the city. 
The Apollo Theater
  • Apollo Theater, 253 W 125th St (between Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard and Frederick Douglass Boulevard; subway: A, B, C, D, 2 or 3 to 125th St), ☎ 1 (212) 531-5300. The legendary Apollo Theater, "where stars are born and legends made", is the pride of Harlem and symbol of the artistic achievements of the United States of America. The Apollo is best known for its Amateur Night at the Apollo, who have helped launch the careers of true giants of world music such as Ella Fitzgerald, James Brown, Michael Jackson, D'Angelo and Lauryn Hill just to name a few. The Apollo remains the most important arena in the country for emerging Black and Latino artists. 
    • Amateur Night at the Apollo. Ecb copyright.svg$19, $25, $29. Simple icon time.svgWed 19:30. Amateur Night at the Apollo has a history that began in 1934 and has served as a model for shows such as Star Search and American Idol. The races are held almost every Wednesday throughout the year, culminating in the "Super Top Dog" race. The show combines top level talents with a very distinctive vaudeville spirit, and has always been based on public participation. This event proved to be an effective measure of the potential of many artists, so much so that it became the springboard for countless stars. 
  • In Harlem, there are several places to visit by taking a walking tour:
    • 125th Street, the commercial area of ​​the neighborhood. Full of life and full of shops.
    • St. Nicholas Avenue between 140 and 150 is a row of buildings with ornate facades and beautiful doors. South of 142nd Street is St. Nicholas Park.
    • Convent Av. Between 140 and 150 has other beautiful cast iron houses, typical of the area. Quieter and less populated than St. Nicholas Av, down from Convent and on the other side of St. Nicholas Park.
    • Broadway north of 132nd St. is the center of the Dominican community.
    • East 116th St. the commercial area of ​​East (or Spanish) Harlem. In reality it is an ethnically very diverse area and no less interesting for this.


Shopping


How to have fun


Where to eat

Average prices

  • A & D Restaurant, 360 Lenox Ave (120th St), ☎ 1 212 987-0912. Anglo-Caribbean. 
  • Blue Lagoon, 513 W 145th St. Anglo-Caribbean. 
  • Caribbean Cafe, 2310 1st Ave (between 118th and 119th Street), ☎ 1 212 426-2252. Anglo-Caribbean. 
  • Dia Restaurant, 1920 7th Ave, ☎ 1 212 665-2653. American. 
  • El Malecon, 175th St and Broadway. Dominican restaurant famous for chicken a la brasa (grilled chicken). 
  • El Presidente, 3938 Broadway (165th St), ☎ 1 212 927-7011. Another Dominican restaurant. 
  • Extremes Restaurants & Bakery, 182 Lenox Ave, ☎ 1 212 828-4487. Anglo-Caribbean. 
  • Harlem Revival. Modern and classy cuisine, a sign of the neighborhood's renewal. 
  • Mike's Bagels, 4003 Broadway (At 168th St), ☎ 1 212 928-2300. 
  • Patsy's Pizzeria, 2287 1st Ave (between 117th and 118th Street). Simple icon time.svg 1 212 534-9783. A beautiful old pizzeria with a wood oven. 
  • Settepani Restaurant, 196 Lenox Ave (120th St), ☎ 1 917 492-4006. 
  • Sister's Cuisine, 30 E 124th St, ☎ 1 212 410-3000. Anglo-Caribbean. 
  • Red Rooster, 310 Lenox Ave. (Between 125th and 126th St.) (2 or 3 to 125 St. Bus- M102 or M7 on Lenox or any other bus that goes on 125th St-), ☎ 1 212 792-9001. Ecb copyright.svgAppetizers $ 9-15; major- $ 14-33; Snacks - $ 4-6; side dishes- $ 7-9; Dessert - $ 4-10. Simple icon time.svgBrunch Sat-Sun 10: 00-16; dinner: Mon-Wed, 17: 30-22: 30 Thu-Sat, 17: 30-23: 30 Sun 17-22; Lunch: Mon-Fri 11: 30-15. Marcus Samuelsson's restaurant, a native ofEthiopia but adopted by Swedish parents. For this the cuisine has different African, Middle Eastern and obviously European influences. Reservation recommended. 


Where stay

Average prices


Safety

Violent crime has dropped significantly in Harlem and Washington Heights, and security in the Upper Manhattan area varies enormously depending on where you go and when. Most tourist destinations are absolutely safe. However, delinquency still exists, as in all of New York City. As in any other neighborhood, be careful where you walk at night. Metro stations are safe and patrolled by uniformed and plainclothes officers. Stay in busy areas, especially after dark. The Washington Heights area is densely populated, most of the residents speak Spanish and are friendly.

How to keep in touch


Other projects

  • Collaborate on WikipediaWikipedia contains an entry concerning Harlem and Upper Manhattan
3-4 star.svgGuide : the article respects the characteristics of a usable article but in addition it contains a lot of information and allows a visit to the district without problems. The article contains an adequate number of images, a fair number of listings. There are no style errors.