Madison Square Garden

Madison Square Garden rises several floors above Pennsylvania Station and offers numerous seating configurations for sports events and concerts accommodating up to 20,000 people. The arena features multiple tiers of seats arranged in a circular pattern around the central event floor, along with luxury boxes and private sections along the upper levels.

The fourth version of the venue opened in 1968 following a design by Charles Luckman and replaced the previous location at Eighth Avenue and 50th Street. Its construction sparked major controversy because the original Pennsylvania Station, an architecturally significant railroad terminal from around 1910, was demolished to make room for the new building.

The arena serves as home court for the New York Knicks and hosts boxing matches, concerts, ice shows, and wrestling events throughout the year. On game nights fans from all five boroughs gather, while major concerts draw crowds that often line up hours early and turn the surrounding streets into a lively waiting area.

The building provides multiple entry points from 7th and 8th Avenues, with direct access to subway lines and rail services at Pennsylvania Station below the structure. Visitors should plan to arrive early, as security checks during major events take time and the entrance halls often become crowded.

The arena holds the record as the oldest venue in the National Basketball Association and maintains its position as a leading entertainment center. Active railroad tracks run above the ceiling of the event hall, so occasional vibrations can be felt when trains pass through the rail infrastructure overhead.

Location: Manhattan

Architects: Charles Luckman, Ellerbe Becket, Charles Luckman Associates

Official opening: February 11, 1968

Capacity: 20789

Address: 4 Pennsylvania Plaza, Manhattan, New York 10001, N.Y.

Website: https://msg.com/madison-square-garden

GPS coordinates: 40.75056,-73.99361

Latest update: December 12, 2025 18:59