Manhattan

I

Introduction

Manhattan, borough of New York, New York State, United States. The main economic hub of New York, Manhattan is one of the world's leading commercial, financial, cultural, manufacturing, medical, and tourist centres. Manhattan Island, which makes up almost all of the borough, is bounded on the north and north-east by Spuyten Duyvil Creek and the Harlem River, which separate it from the borough of the Bronx; on the east by the East River, which separates it from the boroughs of Queens and Brooklyn; on the south by Upper New York Bay; and on the west by the Hudson River, which separates it from New Jersey. The borough, about 80 sq km (31 sq mi) in area, also encompasses a small exclave (Marble Hill) on the Bronx mainland; several islands in the East River, including Franklin D. Roosevelt Island, Randalls Island, and Wards Island; and Governors Island in Upper New York Bay. Population 1,537,195 (2000).

II

Economy

Manhattan is a great financial centre, with some of the world's largest banks and brokerage houses and such institutions as the New York and American stock exchanges. In the borough are also the headquarters of many large corporations and manufacturing industries—the relative importance of the latter having declined in recent decades. The chief products are clothing, printed materials, and processed foods. Manhattan is a leading centre for international and domestic trade. The advertising and insurance industries and radio and television broadcasting are other important segments of the borough's economy.

Manhattan is the main hub of the rapid-transit system of the New York metropolitan area and is connected to national rail and road systems. The borough's mass transit facilities include extensive subway and bus lines and a ferry link to Staten Island. Major vehicular bridges are the Brooklyn, Manhattan, Williamsburg, and Queensboro, which span the East River; the Triborough Bridge, which links Manhattan with the Bronx and Queens; and the George Washington Bridge, constructed over the Hudson River to New Jersey. Major tunnels serving Manhattan are the Holland and Lincoln, built under the Hudson River to New Jersey, and the Queens-Midtown and Brooklyn-Battery, constructed under the East River.

III

Places of Interest

Manhattan Island is largely laid out in a grid pattern, with mostly numbered east and west streets intersecting with named or numbered north and south avenues. Among its famous streets are Wall Street, the centre of the financial district; Fifth Avenue, noted for its fashionable stores, residential buildings, and many fine museums; Park Avenue, with exclusive residences and big office buildings; Broadway, renowned for its theatres and one of the longest city streets in the world; and 125th Street, on which Harlem is centred.

A

Architectural Features

Among the more famous of the many buildings intersecting the celebrated skyline of Manhattan are the Empire State Building (completed 1931; 381 m/1,250 ft high), the Chrysler Building (1930), and Citicorp Center (1977). The World Trade Center (1972; 417 m/1,368 ft high) was the world's third tallest building until its 110-storey twin towers were destroyed by a terrorist attack in September 2001. Other architectural landmarks include Rockefeller Center (begun 1931), a group of more than 20 lofty buildings; Madison Square Garden Center (1968), containing a noted sports arena; United Nations headquarters (1947-1953); and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. Also of interest are the magnificent City Hall (1802-1811), a Federal-style building with French Renaissance detail; the tall Woolworth Building (1913), with Gothic-style detail; the Seagram Building (1958), an office tower clad in bronze and bronze-coloured glass; and Grant's tomb (1897), the sepulchre of President Ulysses S. Grant and his wife. In the 1980s, a number of innovative skyscrapers, such as the IBM and AT&T buildings, and the World Financial Center were constructed, as well as a large convention centre in Midtown near the Hudson River. Some of Manhattan's most notable religious structures are St Patrick's Cathedral (1879; towers, 1888), the seat of the Roman Catholic archdiocese of New York; Trinity Church (1697, rebuilt 1846); and the Cathedral of St John the Divine (begun 1892; towers under construction 1980s and 1990s), the largest Gothic-style cathedral in the world.