Lewisohn Stadium

Lewisohn Stadium is a neoclassical outdoor structure built into a hillside in Manhattan that could hold roughly 17,000 spectators in an amphitheater-style layout. The design takes advantage of the natural slope, using the hillside itself as seating areas.

The stadium opened in 1915, designed by architect Arnold W. Brunner as an athletic facility for City College of New York. It later became a major performance venue and helped shape the city's cultural life until the mid-20th century.

The New York Philharmonic held regular summer concerts here from 1922 to 1964, bringing classical music to thousands of people who might not otherwise have heard it. These performances became a defining part of the city's cultural calendar during those decades.

The hillside location naturally catches air movement, keeping the open-air space cooler on warm days. Subway connections nearby made it easy for New Yorkers to reach the venue without a car.

Singer Marian Anderson performed here with the New York Philharmonic in 1925, launching a career that would eventually make her the first African American lead singer at the Metropolitan Opera. This early performance was a pivotal moment in American classical music history.