Manhattan, one of the five boroughs of New York City, is often considered the heart and soul of the city. It’s an island bordered by the Hudson, East, and Harlem rivers and is the most densely populated borough. Manhattan is renowned for its iconic skyline, bustling streets, cultural institutions, and as a global financial center. It is divided into Lower, Midtown, and Upper regions, each with its unique characteristics and attractions. From the financial hub of Wall Street to the bright lights of Times Square and the tranquil paths of Central Park, Manhattan offers a diverse array of experiences for residents and visitors alike.
The Heart of New York City: Exploring Manhattan
Manhattan is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of New York City’s five boroughs, coextensive with New York County. This tiny island near the southern tip of New York state is the urban core of not just New York City, but the entire Northeast megalopolis.
Home to only 22.66 square miles of land, Manhattan manages to pack in over 1.6 million residents, making it one of the most populated places on Earth. At a density of 72,918 people per square mile, it epitomizes urban density and dynamism.
Manhattan serves as New York City’s economic engine and houses key administrative infrastructure like City Hall. It has rightfully earned descriptions as the cultural, financial, media, and entertainment nucleus of New York and even the wider world.
From its early days as a Dutch trading post called New Amsterdam in the 1600s, Manhattan has steadily grown into a global metropolitan hub. It came under British rule in 1664 and was rechristened New York, eventually becoming the first capital of the United States from 1785 to 1790.
Major landmarks today reflect the island’s history as America’s largest port of entry for immigrants in the 1800s, like the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor. Various neighborhoods have also left cultural marks, like Greenwich Village’s Stonewall Inn catalyzing the modern gay rights movement.
Geographically, Manhattan is interlaced with waterways and urban infrastructure. It comprises three sections divided lengthwise – Lower, Midtown, and Upper Manhattan. The Hudson, East, and Harlem Rivers border it, along with urban islands like Roosevelt, Randall’s, and Ward’s Islands.
Anchoring its lower area is Wall Street in the Financial District. This cements Manhattan’s status as the premier global city for finance through the New York Stock Exchange, Nasdaq, and major banks/firms. It also boasts top educational institutions like Columbia and NYU and landmarks including Times Square, Central Park, and the United Nations headquarters.
In essence, Manhattan constitutes New York’s cultural soul and economic engine. Its nonstop energy and dynamic urban fabric imbue New York City with a cosmopolitan, fast-paced identity that has made the city so iconic. Exploring Manhattan offers a crash course in New York’s best attributes.
Highways in Manhattan
- FDR Drive
- West Side Highway (NY-9A)
- Harlem River Drive
- Interstate 95 (I-95)
- Interstate 78 (I-78)
Colleges in Manhattan
- Columbia University – 116th St & Broadway, 10027
- New York University (NYU) – 70 Washington Sq S, 10012
- Fordham University Lincoln Center – 113 W 60th St, 10023
- The City College of New York (CUNY) – 160 Convent Ave, 10031
- Hunter College (CUNY) – 695 Park Ave, 10065
Parks in Manhattan
- Central Park – 59th to 110th St, 10026
- Bryant Park – 6th Ave & W 41st St, 10018
- The High Line – Gansevoort St to 34th St, 10011
- Washington Square Park – 5th Ave & Waverly Pl, 10012
- Battery Park – State St & Battery Pl, 10004
Airports in Manhattan
- Note: There are no airports within Manhattan. The nearest are LaGuardia (LGA) and John F. Kennedy International (JFK) in Queens, and Newark Liberty International (EWR) in New Jersey.
Points of Interest in Manhattan
- Empire State Building – 350 5th Ave, 10118
- Statue of Liberty – Liberty Island, 10004
- Times Square – Manhattan, 10036
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art – 1000 5th Ave, 10028
- One World Trade Center – 285 Fulton St, 10007
- Broadway Theatre District – Broadway, 10036
- The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) – 11 W 53rd St, 10019
- Rockefeller Center – 45 Rockefeller Plaza, 10111
- Central Park Zoo – E 64th St, 10021
- Wall Street – Lower Manhattan, 10005
Neighborhoods in Manhattan
- Greenwich Village – Lower Manhattan, 10012
- SoHo – Lower Manhattan, 10012
- Harlem – Upper Manhattan, 10027
- Chelsea – Lower Manhattan, 10011
- Upper East Side – Upper Manhattan, 10028
- Tribeca – Lower Manhattan, 10013
- East Village – Lower Manhattan, 10009
- Gramercy Park – Lower Manhattan, 10003
- Financial District – Lower Manhattan, 10005
- Upper West Side – Upper Manhattan, 10024
- Chinatown – Lower Manhattan, 10013
Manhattan offers a blend of history, culture, architecture, and entertainment, making it one of the most famous and vibrant urban centers in the world.