A History Of New York's Belvedere Castle In 1 Minute

Located in Central Park is Belvedere Castle, which in Italian means ‘beautiful view.’ Used precisely for what the name suggests, the castle provides picturesque views of other parts of the park. Designed by Jacob Wrey Mould and Calvert Vaux, the castle has two balconies that look over some of Central Park‘s most iconic features.
Designed in 1865, Belvedere Castle was initially made to be a Victorian Folly. A folly is a structure whose main function is to be ornamental, serving no practical use. Its architectural style is both Romanesque and Gothic, adding a fantastic and dreamlike quality to the park.

Even though it was originally meant to be an open-air structure, the need for functionality eventually influenced its design, with doors and windows added as meteorology equipment was brought in. In 1919, the National Weather Service began using its high balcony as a place to measure the wind’s speed and direction – the castle’s location high on Vista Rock makes it the best place in Central Park to measure the wind. Rainfall and other weather data were recorded just south of the castle, and before long, the castle began to be regularly used by the United States Weather Bureau (today, the National Weather Service). The castle is still used for meteorology today, just as it was in 1919, with the collected data sent to the weather service’s offices on Long Island.

http://instagram.com/p/BKdm6MTjwLJ/?taken-at=215294111

Over the years, Belvedere Castle struggled with deterioration and vandalism. It underwent a full reconstruction – completed in 1983 – and today, it’s one of the park’s most popular attractions. Despite being a functional site, aesthetics are still one of the castle’s primary functions. It’s the highest point from which to view Central Park and the city, and from its balconies, you can see The Great Lawn, Turtle Pond, The Ramble, and more.

Today, the castle is one of the five visitor centers in the park, and it’s open daily to visitors from 10am to 5pm. Other visitor centers include the Merchant’s Gate Plaza, the Chess & Checkers House, the Dairy Visitor Center, and the Charles A. Dana Discovery Center. Each visitor center has its own appeal, but at Belvedere Castle, you’ll have the unbeatable views and the Henry Luce Nature Observatory – an educational site that gives information about the wildlife in the park.

http://instagram.com/p/BKjEoXxA6tJ/?taken-at=215294111

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.