Bethesda Terrace - The Heart of the Park
Photo: Julian Lupyan, CC0 (cropped)
A stop on Central Park Highlights Walk, a free self-guided tour.
At the end of the Mall, the land drops away to the Lake, and Olmsted and Vaux put their grandest architecture here. Walk down the stairs into the arcade, where the ceiling is covered with thousands of colorful Minton tiles, then out onto the lower terrace by the water. The carved stonework, full of birds, fruit and plants, was designed by Jacob Wrey Mould.
The fountain's bronze Angel of the Waters, unveiled in 1873, was made by Emma Stebbins, the first woman to receive a public commission for a major artwork in New York City. It refers to a Bible story about an angel who blessed a healing pool, and it celebrates the clean water that the Croton Aqueduct brought to the city.
In the 1970s the fountain ran dry and the terrace was covered in graffiti. Its restoration became a symbol of the park's comeback. Heads up: the fountain itself is closed for a major restoration until around 2027, but the terrace and arcade stay open.
Getting here: Continue north to the end of the Mall and take the grand staircase down through the arcade to the lower terrace.
Did you know?: The arcade's tiled ceiling was taken down, restored and put back by the Central Park Conservancy, which reinstalled it in 2007.
Photo op: From the top of the stairs, frame the angel with the Lake and the trees of the Ramble beyond; from inside the arcade, shoot straight up at the tiles.
More on Wikipedia: Bethesda Terrace and Fountain · Emma Stebbins · Jacob Wrey Mould · Croton Aqueduct
Stops on this tour
- Grand Army Plaza - A Golden General
- The Pond and Gapstow Bridge - The Classic View
- Wollman Rink - Skating Under the Skyline
- The Mall and Literary Walk - A Cathedral of Elms
- Bethesda Terrace - The Heart of the Park
- Cherry Hill - A Rest Stop for Horses
- Strawberry Fields - A Living Memorial
- Bow Bridge - The Park's Romantic Span
- The Ramble - A Wild Garden by Design
- Turtle Pond - From Reservoir to Wildlife Haven
- Delacorte Theater - Free Shakespeare Under the Stars
- Seneca Village - The Community Under the Park
- Belvedere Castle - The View From Vista Rock