Tompkins Square Park

Tompkins Square Park is a public green space in Manhattan's East Village that spans several blocks between Avenue A and Avenue B. The grounds include basketball courts, play areas for children, a fenced dog run, and a skate area, along with many shaded pathways under trees.

The city opened the grounds as a public square in 1834, after the Stuyvesant family made the marshy land available four years earlier. In the late 19th century, pathways and plantings were added that still shape the look of the place today.

The playground with its tall climbing wall and swings stays busy most hours of the day, while the benches under the elm trees draw chess players and conversation circles. On weekends, families from across the Lower East Side come here, and the fenced dog area fills with owners letting their animals run loose.

The nearest subway station at First Avenue sits just a short walk away, and several entrances along East 7th Street and East 10th Street make entry easy. Visitors find water fountains and public restrooms near the main pathways, and shaded benches are easy to spot.

One tree along the eastern edge marks a gathering from 1966 when A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada shared his teachings publicly in America for the first time. This spot is considered the starting point for the spread of the Hare Krishna movement outside India.