0:00 Brooklyn Bridge to City Hall
11.15 City Hall to St. Paul’s Chapel
21:02 St. Paul’s Chapel to Trinity Church
31.25 Trinity Church to Bowling Green
38.20 Bowling Green to Statue of Liberty 0:00 Brooklyn Bridge to City Hall
11.15 City Hall to St. Paul’s Chapel
21:02 St. Paul’s Chapel to Trinity Church
31.25 Trinity Church to Bowling Green
38.20 Bowling Green to Statue of Liberty 0:00 Brooklyn Bridge to City Hall
11.15 City Hall to St. Paul’s Chapel
21:02 St. Paul’s Chapel to Trinity Church
31.25 Trinity Church to Bowling Green
38.20 Bowling Green to Statue of Liberty In this new series, I will be cycling around some of NYC’s amazing neighborhoods, and pointing out to the view nearly everything that neighborhood has to offer, from museums to art galleries, hotels, bars and clubs, to celebrity homes and businesses, to simply where to find a great coffee and bagel in the morning.
In it’s oldest neighborhood, The Financial District, FiDi, contains some of NYC’s most iconic structures, buildings, cemeteries, public art installations, parks, streets, and memorials, and is a must visit for every tourist visiting New York City.
0:00 Brooklyn Bridge to City Hall
11.15 City Hall to St. Paul’s Chapel
21:02 St. Paul’s Chapel to Trinity Church
31.25 Trinity Church to Bowling Green
38.20 Bowling Green to Statue of Liberty
#architecture #nyc #travel #history #worldtradecenter #bowlinggreen #brooklynbridge #stpaulschapel #chargingbull #nyclife #nyctourism #nyctravel #nyctravelvlog #nyctravelguide #worldcup2026 #nycvisit
[Music] Hello and welcome to the video tourist. In this new series, I’m going to be cycling around some of New York City’s more amazing neighborhoods and pointing out to you nearly everything they have to offer. Starting right here in downtown Manhattan’s financial district. The oldest
neighborhood in New York City is teeming with important national landmarks,
historical parks, streets, and celebrity grave sites. And along with great works of public
art, Phi is the must for any visitor to New York City. So stay right there and let’s see
what’s coming up on today’s show. [Music] [Music] [Applause] Hey, hey, hey. [Music] [Music] Okay, jumping right into it. We are starting
on what is arguably the number one tourist attraction in New York City. The greatest
engineering feat of its day when it opened in 1883. The Brooklyn Bridge was the world’s
first steel wire suspension bridge and with a main span of nearly 1,600 ft. It was
nicknamed the eight wonder careful. It was hailed as the eighth of the famed wonders
of the world. Up ahead with its historic Gothic revival arches is the Manhattan tower across which
is suspended these four gigantic cables each of which contains 5,000 steel wires. On our right,
just north of us is the Manhattan Bridge with the Lower East Side right below. Directly ahead
beyond the tower is the Civic Center neighborhood. And on the left, hold on, let me just get around
here first. On the left, where I will end up this episode, we see the skyscrapers in the financial
district. Next season, I will have a full episode cycling governor’s island out there in the middle
of New York Harbor. Up next, we see the iconic arches off the Manhattan Tower. Made from main
granite, the tower rises to about 276 feet above the water level. Right, I’m coming off the bike
here for a minute. Now, if you don’t want to walk the whole bridge, at least walk to this viewing
area where you’ll be able to get some stunning photographs of New York skyline once this gaffling
is down. Of course, it is down. On its first full day open in 1883, over 150,000 people walk the
bridge, and it continues to attract thousands of tourists and locals every day. Hold on, let me
just get through here first. As well as the more than 100,000 vehicles that cross it daily. Now,
I understand many of my viewers may be watching from abroad and may be learning English. Hold on.
So, in this series, I will be speaking as slowly, clearly, and as grammatically correct as I
possibly can. If you wish, enable the closed captions for this video because they are perfectly
aligned to what I am saying. This episode is the longest of the series because there is so much
to show you, but generally the videos will be around the 30 minute mark. Now, that blue and gray
structure on the right is the Verizon building. Built in 1975 in the then popular brutalist
style, it was designed to be a communication center for the Verizon Telephone Company and was
considered one of the city’s ugliest buildings. Careful. On that note, whenever
I show you something of interest, the graphic in the upper left will give
you its name, the year it was completed, in what dial, and by whose design. If it’s
a landmark, the name will be in green. Now, that brown building on our right is the
Murray Bertram High School. When it opened in the mid 1970s, it was the first business
themed high school in the United States. Coming up, we have the business school Pace
University over there on our left. And towering over Pace, we see a Spruce Street designed by
the famed architect Frank Garry. I’ll tell you more about this cool building when I show you
a better angle in a few minutes. That mammoth structure on our right is the back of a New York
City and National Historic Landmark. Named after a former city mayor. Hold on, let me just
get down here first. Showing you the Blue World Trade Center with the spire there in the
background. The Manhattan Municipal Building, named after Mayor David Dinkens, is amongst
the largest government office buildings in the world with nearly 1 million square ft of
office space. You can exit off the bridge, taking these stairs here down to Park Row,
the street running beneath us. Sometimes the vendors are here on the left and sometimes
they are not, but they will always be nearby. Watch, watch, my man. Now, I’m going to show you a short video
that explains where in New York City I’m located right now and what route
I’m going to be cycling today. Now, we’re starting at the very bottom
of Manhattan, right above the East River, across from Brooklyn. Coming up, I’ll show you
City Hall, the seat of New York City’s government. Then, we’ll walk through St.
Paul’s Churchyard. Continued on Broadway to the famous Trinity Church, after which we’ll stroll through
Bowling Green, the oldest park in New York City before finishing in the
battery right beside New York Harbor. One week after I shot the previous footage
in September of 2021, the city council in its wisdom shut down the Brooklyn Bridge path,
which I just rode across for pedestrian safety. The Brooklyn Bridge by path is now located below
the pedestrian prominad on the same level as the roadway. The following was filmed in June of
2025. And it is to the entrance of the Brooklyn Bridge that I’ve come to meet my good friend, the
artist Gabrielle Valdez. Hey Gabby, how are you? Now Gabby is holding this wonderful watercolor
map that she’s painted for me which depicts the route I’ll be cycling. You are more than welcome
to pause the video now and print out the map if you want to mark off places that interest you.
Okay, perfect. Abby, see you later. Thank you. Next, crossing center street, we
get to our first subway alert. Let me just get through here first. If
you want to get to this location, take a 456 JRZ train to the Brooklyn
Bridge City Hall Chamber Street station. One last look at the massive David Denkins
municipal building. Designed in a blend of Romanesque imperial bozar Italian Renaissance
and French Renaissance styles. It is located in a neighborhood called the civic
center. This area contains all the courouses and such and I’ll show you
more of it in an upcoming episode. Next, we got another view of a spruce street.
Designed by the famed architect Frankie Garry in a deconstructivism style at 870 ft, 8 spruce
street was the tallest residential building in the Western Hemisphere when it opened in 2011. Beside
the entrance to the bridge, we find the living memorial grove. All of the trees you see in this
grove are once located in the plaza areas around the World Trade Center. Although badly damaged in
the September 11th, 2001 attack, they all somehow survived and were transplanted here to be a living
memorial dedicated to that day’s tragic events. The upkeep of the Grove is funded in part by his
sincere highness, Prince Albert of Monaco. Now, let me explain the rest of the graphics at the top
of your screen. As I’m cycling, the white name is the street that I’m on. The red name on the left
is the street that’s behind me, and the green name on the right is the street I’m approaching. On
the left across Park Row, we find the flagship campus for the private business school, Pace
University. This was where the excellent TV show Inside the Actor Studio was once filmed. On our
right is City Hall, and I’ll tell you more about that in a few minutes. We are on Park Row, which
used to be called Printers Row because so many of New York City’s newspapers had their offices and
printing presses right here close to City Hall. And so that is why we find New York City’s only
statue to the newspaper editor and United States founding father Benjamin Franklin. Sculpted by
the German born plasman and unveiled here in 1869. Crossing the statue on the corner we find 41 Park
Row also known as the New York Times building. Completed in the late 1800s in a romanesque
revival style. This was the original home of the Times newspaper before it eventually
moved to its present location of Time Square. Moving on down the block, the flamboyant
red brick building we see here is the Potter building designed in a combination of Queen Anne
Neo Gre Renaissance Revival and Colonial Revival styles. It is a New York City landmark because
its use of press brick and red terracotta panels made it the first building in New York City to be
virtually fireproof when it was completed in 1886. Now, let’s just get around here to show you
another New York City landmark. Completed in 1883, in the same year as the Brooklyn Bridge was
opened, the typical court building is New York City’s earliest surviving skyscraper
and was constructed in the Queen Anne Neo Gre and Renaissance Revival Styles. It has a
very impressive ninestory atrium rising to a skylight and now contains the luxury Beakman
Hotel with high tidy rated bar and restaurants. Do the following image search to see
the Tip Court’s amazing atrium. Next, we’re taking a walk through City Hall Park. There
has been a public park or a public common at this location since the founding of the city, and the
park provides much needed green space in an area dominated by skyscrapers. Now, somewhere below
is the abandoned old city hall subway station. On the US National Register of Historic Places, this
amazing landmark has tours several times a year, so look out for those. Do the following image
search to see this beautiful station. The park regularly hosts public works of art and the
current exhibition is a series called Touching the Earth by the 99-year-old Pennsylvania
sculptor Thaddius Mosley. But we’re here now so I can show you New York City’s seat of
government. This is City Hall. Completed in 1812 in a blend of federal and French Renaissance
styles. It is the oldest city hall in the US that still houses its original functions and contains
the offices of both the New York City mayor and city council. It is a New York City and national
historic landmark. Its New York City landmarked interior is where President Abra Lincoln lay
in stage following his assassination in 1865. Moving on. It was from about this spot that
General George Washington read the Declaration of Independence to the citizens of New York City on
July 9th, 1776, which resulted in a bit of a riot. Here we see the City Hall Park fountain, which was
sculpted by Jacob Ray Mold and was first installed in 1842. It was removed in 1920, but returned
to the park after renovations in the late 1990s. It feels like over 100° Fahrenheit right now.
So, this shaded park is a great respite from this blazing sun. We are coming up onto one of New York
City’s most famous streets. This is Broadway. The world famous Woolward Building was completed
in 1913 in a neo gothic style. At 792 ft, it was the world’s tallest building
until about 1930 and remains in the top 100 in the US to this day. Designed
to resemble Gothic cathedrals of Europe, it quickly got its nickname, the Cathedral of
Commerce. Its three-story tutor arch entrance is heavily ornate while it’s very dazzling first
floor interior rich in marble sculpted reliefs mosaics and glass ceilings. Do the following
image search to see this glittering landmark. Now, we wait here for the lights to turn. While we wait, let me point out that New York City
landmark building right across the park. 15 Park Row was completed in 1899 in a classic revival
style and was once the home of the Associated Press News Agency. I’m just going to go ahead and
turn right here onto Barkley Street. The World War Building was so significant that on opening night,
all 80,000 of its lights were switched on by President Woodrow Wilson from the White House in
Washington DC. Coming up in the corner here is our first hotel. The Four Seasons New York Downtown
is a luxury hotel that contains nearly 200 contemporary rooms and suites. It also has a gym,
a 75 ft indoor pool, and a spa. Now, because of the scaffolding that has recently surrounded this
significant place of worship, I’m going to show you instead a video clip of St. Peter’s Church
that I filmed last week. Completed in 1840 in a Greek revival style, St. Peter’s Church caters to
the oldest Roman Catholic parish in New York State and has welcomed worshippers here to this corner
since 1786. On September 11th, 2001, it was to St. Peter’s altar that surviving firefighters carried
the body of FDNY Chaplain Father Michael Judge after he confirmed the first victim of the attacks
on the Twin Towers. We’ll just take a moment here. Now, this back tells us that it was in St.
Peters in September 1841 that won Father Edward Saurin celebrated his first mass
in America having just arrived with his fellow priests from France before traveling
on to South Bend Indiana where he founded the famed University of Notre Dame. Here we see St.
Peter’s summer hours all day during the week, Saturday afternoons and Sunday mornings.
On the ground floor of the Four Seasons, you will find the excellent steakhouse cut by
Wolf Gang Puck. Highly rated. Okay, let’s grab the bike. Here we see the back of the Wward building.
Moving on, we’re coming up to Church Street. Now, off to a right, it’s too far away to go
down to it. It’s in Tribeca, but this little gym has been described as the most alloring
addition to the downtown skyline in decades. 56 Leonard known as the Jenga Tower and also
the aptly named houses stacked in the sky is one very cool apartment building that was
completed in 2017. You’ll see more of the tallest building in Tribeca when I show
you that neighborhood in the next episode. Across the street we have this massive
lump of an office building. A national historic landmark 90 Church Street
contains the United States Postal Service Church Street station. Completed in
1935 in neocclassic and Arctic of styles, it survived the collapse of the nearby Twin
Towers, reopening for business in 2004. I’m crossing over to give you the best view
of the 9/11 cross symbol of hope. Surrounded unfortunately by scaffolding, this coupe is
picked by the California based sculpture John Crosk was inspired by a perfectly proportioned
cross that was found in the debris of the World Trade Center. That original cross can now be
found in the September 11th memorial and museum down the street. Up ahead, the building with
the white ribs is the Oculus, a subterranean transportation hub and shopping center designed
by the Catalan architect Santiago Karatava. The building is angled in such a way that every year
on the anniversary of the 911 attacks, the sun shines directly in the skylight and illuminates
the main hall at 10:28 a.m. the time of the collapse of the second tower. Now the building
with the multicolored artwork is the Oculus Beer Garden. If you go down Church Street to Day Street
on the left you will get to the Museum of Art and Technology which is some very cool exhibitions in
its Mercer lab. And just beyond that on the right is Italy famous Italian grocery and popular
food hall. Over on our left we look up to see the Millennium Hotel downtown which has 500 rooms
and suites. But here on the right is the building most tourists are down here to see. At 1,776 ft,
One World Trade Center, also known as the Freedom Tower, is the tallest building in New York and
actually the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. Looking for an easy way to remember
how tall it is? It was designed to commemorate the year America declared its independence from
Britain in 1776. Its observation deck on the 102nd floor is for me the greatest one in the city.
Now, if you come down here on a Friday afternoon, you will find Smorgesburg located in the plaza
between the Oculus and the beer garden over there. It is part of the largest weekly open
air food market in the US. And next is another soil alert. If you want to get to this location,
take an E train to the World Trade Center station. Now, we’re going to visit St. Paul’s Chapel with gravestones dating back to 1704. St. Paul’s
Churchyard is one of the oldest continuously used burial yards in the nation. Let’s move up here
for a bit and on our left we find the stage door, a longtime favorite deli and pizzeria.
Great spot for food. And next to that we see the Trinity Boxing Club which is located
in the former offices and printing press for the New York Evening Post in New York City and
National Historic Landmark. The New York Evening Post building is considered to be one of the few
outstanding art nuvo buildings ever constructed in the United States. It was completed in 1907
in a Vienna secession offshoot style of Art Nuvo. Two of the four sculptures we see near
the top were created by Goodson Bergam who is best known for his sculpting of Mount Rushmore
National Memorial in North Dakota and also his design for Stone Mountain in Georgia. And now
we get to St. Paul’s Episcopalian Chapel built in 1766 in a Georgian style, St. Paul’s
is the oldest surviving church building in Manhattan on 911. Even though it’s just
across the street from the collapsing towers, it suffered not even a single broken window.
Due in large part to a huge Sycamore tree at the far end of the graveyard there that
took the brunt of the falling debris. The Bell of Hope was a gift from London’s St. Mary
Leau, which is a sister church of St. Paul’s. Installed here one year after the attacks, the
bell is rung every year since in a ceremony on the 11th of September in four sets of five rings. The
traditional FDNY salute to fallen firefighters. Across Vestry Street, we see the New York City
and nationally landmarked the New York’s Lawyers Association building. Constructed using stone in
1930, it was designed in a Georgian revival style in a nod to the famous house of worship right
across the street. There are great tours of St. Paul’s where you’ll get to see the pew used by
George Washington after he prayed here following his inauguration as the very first president of
the United States in nearby Federal Hall in 1789. For months after the attack, the chapel provided
round-the-clock relief ministry to members of the NYPD, FDNY, and others involved in the recovery
operation at ground zero with a half million hot meals in total being distributed from the chapel.
Today, it hosts some important exhibits showcasing the 911 aftermath. Every Sunday night at 7 p.m.,
St. Paul’s hosts live music with complying by candle light along with more live music during
the week at lunchtime and in the evening. So, these are great times to come visit the
chapel. Next, I’m going to show you the very significant Montgomery monument erected in 1789.
It commemorates the death of the Revolutionary War hero, Brigadier General Richard Montgomery.
Born in Dublin, Ireland, he was the first American officer to die in the Revolutionary
War during the Battle of Quebec in 1775. Now, what makes this so significant is that
this is the very first official national monument of the United States, commissioned by
the second congressional congress under Benjamin Franklin in 1776. Moving on, we’re going to
exit the church grounds back onto Broadway. Now, this part of Broadway is also known as
the Canyon of Heroes. Who are these heroes, I hear you ask? In October 1979, the man thousands
of New Yorkers came out to honor was Pope John Paul II. So, what are these black granite plaques
embedded in the sidewalk? Well, New York City will regularly host ticker tape parades to celebrate
the achievements of a person or group. 1977, the new World Series champions, the New York
Yankees were celebrated. During these parades, ticker tape paper and now simply shredded paper
rains down from the windows of the skyscrapers along Broadway, creating a very cool site. In
1976, we welcomed the sailors of the tall ships that came to New York to join in America’s 200th
birthday celebrations. After their 1969 World Series win, we had a ticker tip parade for the New
York Mets. There are about 200 of these granite plaques the length of Broadway here celebrating
each of the parades in New York City’s history. There was another plaque there I
wanted to show you. But we better cross Fton Street here while we have the lights. Right, crossing Broadway. Now we are heading
for the Fulton Center. This subway and retail complex opened in November 2014 after a major
reconstruction which integrated five stations and nine subway lines. But first, this must have been
a brilliant ticker tape parade. In August 1969, New York City celebrated with Neil Armstrong,
Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins less than a month after the return from landing on the
moon. Now, this is our next subway alert. If you want to get to this location,
take an A, C, E, J, Z, R, W, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 train to the Fton Street station. Now,
we’re going to pass through the station because I want to show you a very cool piece of art.
Hired to deliver natural light to the very core of the complex was James Carpenter Design, a firm
that works on large scale art, architecture, and engineering projects. They produced this. The Sky
Reflector Nesh is made up of over 900 perforated optical aluminum panels that are attached to a
cable mesh made up of nearly 10,000 stainless steel components designed for one purpose to bring
the sky down into the lower levels of the center. Moving on, we’re moving up.
Just let this lady pass first. One last look at the very cool sky reflector net. The Fulton Center is the busiest transportation
hub in downtown Manhattan with up to 300,000 passengers passing through the station daily
availing of the multiple restaurants and retail stores that are in the center. Inside the entrance
on the corner of John Street and Broadway, here you will find elevators that will give
you access to the platforms. We are exiting out onto the corner of John Street and Broadway,
where I want to introduce you to a couple of New York City and national historic landmarks.
195 Broadway, also known as the AT&T building, was constructed between 1912 and 1922 in a Greek
inspired neocclassic style. Until 1983, this was the headquarters of AT&T, the world’s largest
corporation during the 20th century. And next, only 20 ft wide, is the landmark Corbin building.
Completed in 1889 in a romanesque revival style, this 160 foot long cast iron building is kind
of lost in the shadows and the scaffolding. Oh, hold on. If you go down the block, you will get
to the Liverpool legend Jamie Carer’s Gastro Pub down on the left at 17 John Street. Because the
scaffolding room is the view from the street, do an image search for Corbin building, New York City
to get a proper look at this stunning building. Up next, we come to a historical
marker that pretty much very few of the thousands of people who step
on it every day know it even exists. This is the Bartman’s sidewalk clock,
which last year celebrated its 125th year embedded in the sidewalk outside its
creative shop, William Bartman Jewelers, which has recently relocated down the block
and around the corner to Broad Street. Now, let’s just get over here out of the way
because on the corner, I want to show you our next hotel. Built in 1903, this 20story building
contains the upscale residence in by Marriott, New York. With over 240 contemporary rooms
and suites and room service provided by the Malt House restaurant across the street on the
left, hit a red light here, so we got to wait. Down the far block, you will find Century 21,
a very popular department store with heavily discounted designer brands. It is a must visit.
Right, continue to head south. We’re getting closer to the heart of the financial district.
But first, we’re coming up on a busy little corner for important works of public art. Moving
at speed while I’ve got the lights coming up. Crossing Liberty Street. I’m first going to
show you what has been called a masterpiece in New York City public art. Created in 1968.
This is the red cube by the Japanese born artist Naguchi. The diagonal lines and red painted
steel is in sharp contrast to the horizontal and vertical lines of the building behind it.
The New York City landmarked 140 Broadway. Considered to be one of the 20th
century’s most important sculptors, there is a gar museum dedicated to Isimu
Naguchi in Long Island City across the East River in Queens. I’ll be showing you that
great neighborhood in an upcoming episode. Right, I’m going to take
advantage of the lights again. We’re going back across Liberty Street to show you
Double Check, a sculpture created by John Stewart Johnson II in 1982, depicting a businessman
double-checking his briefcase before going to a nearby meeting. After 911, first responders
searching for survivors found the sculpture covered in dust and debris, took turns assuming
it was a human victim. Do an image search of double check 911 for amazing images of what those
first responders saw. Today it is a memorial to all business people who lost their lives on 911.
Crossing Liberty Street for the final time. We are arriving at Zucati Park. Privately owned, it’s
also a public space and so it is required to be open 24 hours a day unlike most civic parks. And
thus the park was used in 2011 by the Occupy Wall Street movement where massive anti-corporation
anti-wall street protests were held and the park was filled with tents for weeks. It is believed
that the first coffee house in the New World, the King’s Arms, was built on land right here in 1696
and was across from the King’s Arms that the first public demonstration opposing the British tea tax
was held in 1773, about 1 month before the more famous Boston Tea Party took place. Across Cedar
Street, we have a very cool restaurant called Trinity Place. Here, you can drink and dine in
this former bank’s 1904 vault, which was built by Andrew Carnegie of New York City’s Carnegie Hall
of Fame. This beautiful 70 volt sculpture is Ju De Vivra by the artist Mark de Seo French for the joy
of living. This was installed in the park in 2006. The equitable building completed in 1915
in a neocclassic style is a New York City and naturally historic landmark. The reason
this building is so significant is because the developers complete lack of respect for
their neighbors by reducing their street level access to sunlight and air resulted the
following year in the passage of the nation’s first zoning laws that regulated where and how
buildings could be constructed. Upon completion, it was the largest office building in the
world and could accommodate 16,000 workers. Moving on, we have a double header of
New York City landmarks. The US realy bank building first and the Trinity building
next door. Though very similar in appearance, both being designed in commercial Gothic style
and by the same architect, they were built at different times in the early 1900s. The site of
the Trinity buildings where the American Institute of Architects was founded in 1857. Up next we
have the churchyard of the famous Trinity Church of which are in turned such notables as steamship
owner Robert Fulton and US founding father Francis Lewis. They are buried alongside an unknown
number of heroic revolutionary war ps who died in British captivity and who are thought to be buried
here. They are memorialized here at the soldiers monument erected around 1854. It was designed
in a Gothic revival style to blend in with the church. Across the street, we have another New
York City landmark, 100 Broadway, which is home to the American Sorty Company building. It was
completed in 1896 in a neo renaissance style. Moving on, we get to Trinity Church. Established
on land grant by Queen Anne in 1705. Trinity is the oldest Episcopalian parish in New York State.
The present church is the third Trinity Church at this location. It was completed in 1846 and
is one of the earliest Gothic revival churches in the country. Trinity Church through its
compassion meals program provides meals every day except Sunday to those in the community who
are in need from breakfast to dinner. In 2022, the church provided around 1 million meals.
So, donations are very much welcomed. 1976, the church was designated a national
historic landmark because of its architectural significance and its place
within the history of New York City. And we’ve come to the famed Wall Street. Walk
down just one block and you’ll be right in the heart of the American Financial Center.
I’ll be cycling around there showing you all of White Hall in this season’s finale.
So, more of that to come. We’ve now arrived at what was the outskirts of New Amsterdam, the
original Dutch settlement that would become New York City. Wall Street was named after the wall
that protected the settlement’s northern flank. Now, we’re going to enter Trinity’s churchyard
and visit its most famous grave site. There’s a link in the description if you want to take
an interesting virtual tour of the churchyard that we see advertised here. Up first,
we have the grave site for John Watts, a US Congressman and judge. His grandson
erected this fine bronze sculpture here in 1893. But coming up is the grave site that everyone
visits the churchyard to see. This is the final resting place for Alexander Hamilton. A founding
father of the United States and as first secretary of the Treasury, the creator of the present
American financial system. He also founded the US Coast Guard and the New York Post before
being killed age 47 in a jewel in New Jersey with the then vice President Andrew Burr. He’s
better known today because of the Broadway show Hamilton. Buried alongside him is his widow,
the philanthropist Eliza Schelers Hamilton. Next, we find the graveside of the famous
engineer Robert Fulton. A successful inventor, he is widely credited with developing the world’s
first commercially successful steamboat, which revolutionized river trade and spurred the massive
growth of New York City in the 19th century. All right, these are beautiful grounds and quite
peaceful considering all the traffic around here. Rising high above us, we see what is
one of the city’s art deco masterpieces. This is the 50story 1 Wall Street built
in 1931 for the Irving Trust Company Bank. Finishing up here with Trinity Church. Let me grab my bike. This is our next subway
alert. If you want to get to this location, you take a four or a five to the
historic Wall Street station. And this is the Big Bus New York, one of the
bus tour operators that will bring you around the city. Now do the following image search
to get a look at one Wall Street’s dazzling former bank lobby which last year became a New
York City interior landmark. Next, 71 Broadway, better known as the Empire Building, was built in
1898 in a neocclassic style. It was the longtime home of the United States Steel Corporation. On
the left, we have a Whole Foods Market. Named after the French word for spring, the 160-year-old
French luxury department store Panto is designed to resemble a Parisian apartment and contains
several bars and restaurants and a coffee shop, of course. Next up, we have the New York City
landmark American Express building completed in 1917 in a neocclassic style 65 Broadway
was the headquarters for AMX until 1974. Down Exchange Place on Broad Street, you will find the largest indoor playground
in New York City. Complete playground is a 40,000 square foot facility designed
for children with all levels of ability on the wall.
Now, let’s keep going down the pavement a few feet because next
is a ticker tape parade that’s dear to my own heart. One week before St. Patrick’s Day
in 1948, New York City honored Aean Dealera, the former t-shirt of Ireland. We’d
have known him as the Lancella. Now, I’m going to cross Broadway here to
get in the bus lane. In New York City, you’re allowed to cycle in bus lanes, but only if
there are no buses using or approaching the lane. We were on Broadway which was once an Indian
trail named Wigwaskk and continues to follow that original trail eventually finishing up
about 20 mi north of the city close to the famous town of Sleepy Hollow which makes
Broadway the longest terare in New York City. The plaque here at 39 Broadway tells us
that this is the location of what was George Washington’s second presidential mansion in
1790. I’m about to do that right now. Damn. Douglas Carrian in 1938 was honored for his
legendary flight from New York to Ireland instead of his intended destination, California.
That one is funny. Absolutely any excuse to throw parades back in the 1930s. It certainly appears.
Moving on. We’re going to keep heading south. Let me just get you to the traffic here first
because up next we have one of New York City’s top tourist attractions with the long lines
here to prove it. The iconic symbol of Wall Street itself. Here we have the 7,000B charging
bull creation in bronze by the Italian sculptor Aruro de Monica. He actually dumped it in the
dead of night on the street in front of the New York Stock Exchange in December 1989. The city
moved it as it was blocking the street, but the statue proved so popular it was soon installed
permanently here at the foot of Broadway. Your first trip to New York City must include this
attraction. Coming up to the right here at 11 Broadway, we find the landmarked Bowling Green
office building. Completed in 1898 in a helenic renaissance style, this was the longtime home
for the British shipping company White Star Line. When the Titanic sank, it was here that distraught
relatives came to find out their loved ones faith. Now, the Bull is located across from New York
City’s landmark 26 Broadway, but are known as the Standard Oil Building. It was built in 1885 in
a Renaissance revival style for the company that made John D. Rockefeller all of his millions. This
is also the location for the New York Film Academy private film and acting school. It has a student
body of about 500. On the other side of the bull, we have 25 Broadway. This limestone office
building was completed in 1921 in a neo renaissance style for the Canard steamship
line and is a New York City landmark. Its first floor’s opulent great hall where once you
would have bought your ticket for one of Canard’s luxury ocean liners such as the Queen Elizabeth is
also a designated New York City interior landmark. Now, where we’re standing is a very significant
location in the history of the United States. For this is supposedly where the very last
British Union Jack flew in America. In 1783, General George Washington and his Continental
Army marched into the city and accepted the British surrender off New York at
the end of the war of independence. After lowering the last British flag on American
soil, the stars and stripes for the first time in New York City was raised on a flag pole near the
spot in Evacuation Day Plaza on November 1783. Next, we’re going to take a walk through
the oldest park in New York City. This is Boulder Green, which opened in 1733.
Supposedly, this area served as the council ground for Native American tribes, including
the local Lenap tribe, and is considered to be the site of the sale of Manhattan to the
Dutch for the princely sum of 60 gilders. The park is on the national register of historic
places and is also a New York City landmark, as is the customs house we see through the
trees there. Named after Alexander Hamilton, the Cosman’s House is now the home of the Smithsonian
Institutees, the National Museum of the American Indian, which features contemporary and historic
exhibits of art and artifacts by and about Native Americans. The iron fence around the green has
also been designated in New York City landmark, installed in 1771 to protect a statue of King
George III on horseback. After General George Washington read the Declaration of Independence
Uptown, an angry crowd stormed down Broadway and tore down the King statue, cutting off the royal
crowns that once sat at top these railings. Today, if you rub up the tops, you can honestly still
feel the marks left by those hacksaws all the way back in 1776. No kidding. This is where Bowling
Greens Farmers Market is held every Tuesday until about 3:30 p.m. Here we have our next subie alert.
If you want to get to this location, you’re taking a 4R5 train to the Bowling Green Station. Now,
the 450,000 foot Alexander Hamilton customhouse, completed in 1907 in a Bozar style, was one of
the most significant buildings in the United States when it was built until the introduction
of federal income tax in 1913. The US federal government’s revenue came almost entirely from
tariffs and goods imported into the country. As New York was the largest port in the US, 75% of
the annual federal budget was financed through this one building. And sitting outside here,
we see the four continents by the New Hampshire sculpture Daniel Chester French, which is a four
statue piece that reflects America’s main trading partners at the turn of that century. Here we see
Asia and the Americas, but Europe and Africa are both covered up at the moment. French is better
known for his monumental statue of Abraham Lincoln for the Lincoln Memorial in Washington
DC. Now we’re going to move fast to make the traffic lights. Crossing the corner, we have the
famous One Broadway. Completed in 1919 in the neocclassic style for the International Merchant
Marine Company. The JP Morgan owned shipping company’s former first class and cabin class
booking rooms was where you would have bought your ticket for the Titanic if she had not sank.
Now, those booking rooms are a City Bank branch. Presumably, that’s where you bought your
stairs tickets. Wink wink, nod, nod. Moving on, New York City is obviously a
wash with movie locations. So fans of the Min and Black franchise might recognize this
windowless building as the headquarters for the Intergalactic Agency that Will Smith
and Tommy Lee Jones worked for. In fact, the building’s purpose is way more
boring than that. It’s just part of the ventilation system for the Brooklyn
Battery Tunnel, which runs beneath us. Right, we’re going to head back up to Broadway. Ice cream. I’d just like to remind you that it
feels like 105 degrees Fahrenheit right now. The Customs House also houses the New York City
offices of the National Archives and they host exhibitions regularly. And I forgot to say that
the National Museum of the American Indian is a free museum. So, it’s well worth a visit to this
amazing building. Around the corner here, you’re going to find lots of different food vendors
every single day, including an ice cream truck. Let me just get around here first. want to
do in New York and you can’t even see it. Up ahead, we see another New York City
landmarked building completion in a bowar style, the Battery Park House is one of the last few
remaining examples of the monumental subway entrances that express the city’s pride in its
first subway system opening in 1905. And it is a subway alert. To get here, you can take a 4R5 to
the boarding green station. Carefully going here. 2:30. I’m
busy, busy, busy today. Okay, we are now in the battery, a very popular 25 acre public park named
after their artillery batteries that were built in the 17th century by Dutch settlers
to protect the settlement of New Amsterdam. On the left here, we have the Batteries urban
farm where students from all five of New York City’s burrows help tend the farm and harvest
its crops. The farm also grows trees and houses and oyster restoration station as well. Now,
let’s keep going. The battery is a very cool respite for the concrete jungle that I’ve just
cycled through, making it a very special place for residents and visitors alike. Up we have we
have our first glimpse of Cassid Clinton. This is the only place down here where you can buy
tickets for the boat that gets you onto Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. All other
trips offered in and around the battery are by independent operators who will only bring
you around the island. Now, that can be fun, too. But be careful. It may not be what you
intend to do, and you might be disappointed. This is Cass Clinton, an outstanding example
of 19th century American military architecture. Fort Clinton was completed in 1811 and was
one of over a dozen forts built to defend New York City in preparation for the upcoming
1812 war with Britain. None of its 28 cannons ever saw action as the British didn’t
attack New York Harbor. In peace time, the Sandstone Fort has been used as a theater,
a beer garden, an exhibition hall, and a public aquarium. Known as the fort that left outsiders
in from 1855 to 1890, it was home to the nation’s first immigration processing center. An estimated
8 million future Americans, mainly from Germany, Ireland, Scotland, Sweden, Denmark, Russia, and
Italy, a full 2/3 of all those who came to the US during this time were processed through this
building before closed to make way for the more famous Ellis Island to open out in the harbor.
Today, as I said, it is where you get your ticket to get out to the Statue of Liberty.
Batons of the battery are also located here, as is the museum here we see on the left.
Let’s take a look. How’s it going? This small museum contains a history timeline
across the top of these three dioramas, each depicting a different period in New York
City’s history. Starting with 1812, where we see the fort sitting 200 ft offshore. Next, it’s 1886
and the growing city has dumped landfill into the harbor, bringing the fort to the shoreline. And
finally, we see New York City during World War II. We see the tours of the fort run about
every two hours starting at 10:00 a.m. All right, let’s grab the bike and go. As you’ve already seen, the battery
is undergoing some major renovations, and this is going to make it more resilient
to coastal flooding. This massive project will protect the battery, ensure that it can
withstand and recover from future storms. But it does mean that a lot of the park is Hold on,
let me just get off the bike here for a minute. These renovations mean that a lot of the park is
off limits right now, including this cool statue coming up. This is the immigrants by the Barcelona
sculptor Luis Sanguino. Installed here in 1983, it is dedicated to the people of all nations
who entered America through Castle Garden in memory of Samuel Ruden, whose parents
arrived in America in 1883. This really is a beautiful statue, so do the following
image search to get a proper look at it. Now, we’re entering the boss garden
through its large spiral granite fountain. On the right we see the ongoing
work to storm roof the battery. Bos is the Spanish for grove of trees and the cafe
here sits amid 140 London pine trees which are themselves surrounded by about 30,000 perennial
plants that make up the whole garden. Very sheltered here. Nice and cool. Next we have one of
our last attractions in this episode. This is the East Coast Memorial which honors the thousands
of missing American servicemen who lost their lives in the western waters of the Atlantic Ocean
while engaged in combat during World War II. The installation here in the battery was completed in
1963 and the monument was dedicated by President John F. Kennedy in May 23rd of that year, just 6
months before his assassination in Dallas, Texas. It consists of eight massive 19t tall gray granite
pylons onto which are inscribed the names, rank, organization, and home state of
each of the missing. For example, here we see John Harrison Burke seemed first
class in the US Navy from the great state of Virginia. At the top of the memorial is one
of my favorite New York City sculptures. Bear with me for a moment while I move
over here to read you the inscription. 1941 to 1945 erected by the United States of
America in proud and grateful remembrance of her sons who gave their lives in her service and
who sleep in the American coastal waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Into thy hands, O Lord.
On a pedestal of polished black granite, this monumental bronze American eagle
by the Italian-B born albino manka is depicted in the act of laying a
laurel wreath on a watery grave. be a very cool place if you were here with
children. To my left we find the sealass carousel. This silver domed aquarium themed carousel lights
up the rides at nighttime and is a lot of fun. And docked over on our right, we see
one of the Statue City Cruise furries, which are the only furries that will
bring you to Ellis and Liberty Islands. Up ahead on the left is the only real
restaurant in the park. The view at Battery Park is a traditional American restaurant with
a beer garden and a harbor view patio. Now I’m going to finish up here showing you our last and
most important tourist attraction, the Statue of Liberty. Let me just drop the stand here first.
Lady Liberty installed in the harbor in 1888 was a gift from the French people to commemorate the
lions of France and the United States during the American Revolution and is a must visit when you
come to New York City. Now hold on there. I just spotted what will be our final huge tourist
attraction. That orange ferry beginning its 20-minute journey traversing New York Harbor is
the Staten Island Ferry. Operating since 1817, this is the world’s busiest passenger only
furry system. And pay attention, it’s free. Using the furry is the closer you will get to the
Statue of Liberty without paying. And that is it, folks. So stay tuned for some final messages. All
right, so thank you for watching and I hope you enjoyed my cycle around Financial District. If you
did, give me a like, leave me a comment, or ask me any question you have about New York City. If you
love the show, why not buy me a coffee? It will encourage me to keep showing you more of these
neighborhoods. But more importantly, hit that subscribe button so you don’t miss another episode
because next time I’m in Tribeca. See you then. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Mhm. [Music] near Robert Fulton. The