Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
St. Paul's Chapel
Manhattan's oldest church
was built in 1766 as an “uptown”
chapel for Trinity Church and took
on added importance while Trinity
was being rebuilt after the great
fire of 1776. The chapel was
modeled after London's St. Martin-
in-the-Fields and has been kept
as close as possible to its original
form. d 209 Broadway, between Fulton
& Vesey sts Map Q4 Episcopal service
8am Sun Concerts 1pm Mon, $2
donation www.saintpaulschapel.org
The “Boss Tweed”
Courthouse
The first New York County
Courthouse at 52 Chambers
Street (completed in 1881) was
built by Boss Tweed (see p48) , a
corrupt politician who spent
fortunes on this grand marble
monument to himself. The
elaborate interior and octagonal
rotunda are being restored,
though its future use is uncertain.
Municipal Building
This building dominating the
Civic Center area, straddling
Chambers Street, was the first
“skyscraper” by McKim, Mead,
and White, a 25-story
structure completed in
1914. The top is a veritable
wedding-cake fantasy of
towers and spires topped
by Adulph Wienman's
famous statue, Civic Fame.
The intricate terra-cotta
vaulting above the street
is modeled on the
entrance of the Palazzo
Farnese in Rome, and the
subway entrance at the
south end, an arcaded plaza, is a
dramatic vault of Guastavino
tiles. d 1 Center Street at Chambers
Street Map Q4
City Hall
The seat of city government
since 1812, City Hall is con-
sidered one of the most
beautiful early 19th-century
public buildings in the U.S.
The design, by architects
Mangin and McComb, Jr.,
won a competition held in
1802. A statue of Justice,
dating from 1887, crowns
the top of the structure.
The rear of the building,
facing north, was not clad
in marble until 1954,
since the architects never
expected the city to develop
further north. d Broadway and
Park Row Map Q4 Open for pre-
arranged tours only Free
City Hall
Left Interior, St. Paul's Chapel Right Municipal Building
80
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