Central Park, Urban park in Manhattan, New York City, United States
Central Park is a 341-hectare (843-acre) landscaped park between Fifth and Eighth Avenues in Manhattan, stretching from 59th to 110th Street. It contains eight artificial lakes, the Ramble woodland, Sheep Meadow, and Bethesda Terrace, with sunken transverse roads hidden from view. The park's first areas opened in 1858.
Designers Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a competition in 1857 and began transforming rocky and swampy ground into shaped landscapes. The work unfolded over several decades, turning a mostly undeveloped area into green space within the growing city.
The park's name comes from its position between Manhattan's Upper East and Upper West Sides. Shakespeare in the Park has staged free performances at the Delacorte Theater since 1962, and the Central Park Mall serves as an outdoor gathering place for concerts and public events. Five visitor centers, including Belvedere Castle and the Dairy, orient newcomers.
Access points line the perimeter and connect to subway lines, and paths accommodate walkers and cyclists throughout the grounds. Visitors planning to explore should allow several hours, as distances between areas can be long and the terrain sometimes rises into small hills.
The layout includes eight artificial lakes, 36 bridges, 21 playgrounds, and a zoo, all set within naturalistic scenes arranged to block views of surrounding buildings. Trees and hills were deliberately positioned to create the feeling of being far from the city even while standing inside it.
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