Strawberry Fields - A Living Memorial

Strawberry Fields - A Living Memorial

Photo: Christian David, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)

A stop on Central Park Highlights Walk, a free self-guided tour.

This quiet, tree-shaded corner is a memorial to John Lennon of the Beatles. Lennon lived in the Dakota, the dark gabled apartment building you can see across Central Park West, and he was shot and killed outside it in December 1980. His widow, Yoko Ono, asked for a living memorial rather than a statue, and the city dedicated these 2.5 acres on October 9, 1985, what would have been his 45th birthday.

At the center is the round black-and-white mosaic with a single word, Imagine, the title of one of his best-known songs. The mosaic was a gift from the city of Naples, Italy. The landscape around it was designed by Bruce Kelly, with plants donated from countries around the world.

This is designated a quiet zone, so please keep voices low. Fans leave flowers, candles and notes on the mosaic, and musicians often gather to play Beatles songs, especially on Lennon's birthday in October and the anniversary of his death in December.

Getting here: From Cherry Hill, follow the path west toward Central Park West at 72nd Street; the mosaic is in a clearing on your right.

Did you know?: The memorial takes its name from the Beatles song Strawberry Fields Forever, which Lennon named after a children's home near where he grew up in Liverpool.

Photo op: Step back from the circle to frame the whole mosaic with the flowers left on it, then turn to catch the Dakota's gables through the trees.

More on Wikipedia: Strawberry Fields · John Lennon · The Dakota · Yoko Ono

Stops on this tour

  1. Grand Army Plaza - A Golden General
  2. The Pond and Gapstow Bridge - The Classic View
  3. Wollman Rink - Skating Under the Skyline
  4. The Mall and Literary Walk - A Cathedral of Elms
  5. Bethesda Terrace - The Heart of the Park
  6. Cherry Hill - A Rest Stop for Horses
  7. Strawberry Fields - A Living Memorial
  8. Bow Bridge - The Park's Romantic Span
  9. The Ramble - A Wild Garden by Design
  10. Turtle Pond - From Reservoir to Wildlife Haven
  11. Delacorte Theater - Free Shakespeare Under the Stars
  12. Seneca Village - The Community Under the Park
  13. Belvedere Castle - The View From Vista Rock