Who doesn’t want to see New York City? It’s the Big Apple! The melting pot of the world! In fact, with its diversity, size, and global influence, there is no place quite like it. New York City has long been considered the center of global finance, culture, and politics. But what is at the center of New York City? Manhattan, of course! This famous borough is cool for numerous reasons. First, it’s actually an island. That’s right, this plot of land with some of the world’s largest buildings is an island. Second, it has some incredible green space. In fact, Manhattan is home to Central Park, which is the world’s first and largest urban landscaping project. Surrounding Central Park is what Manhattan is famous for…buildings. Lots and lots of buildings! From the Rockefeller Center and the Freedom Tower all the way to the Empire State Building, there is no shortage of skyscrapers for you to wonder at, so get ready to wet your travel appetite. Whether you’re coming from near or far we are sure that we can tell you something interesting that will make you want to come to New York. These are 25 Awesome Reasons That You Should Visit Manhattan!
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As the largest metro system in the world, New York City has 468 subway stations. 147 of them are in Manhattan.
Source: howstuffworks.com, Image: wikipediaThe Metropolitan Museum of Art has recommended entrance fees. If you want to donate, you can pay more. If you don't have the cash, you can pay less.
Source: wikipedia, Image: wikipediaKhalid Sheikh Mohammed, the man behind 9/11, literally sent the FBI on a wild goose chase by getting them to think that there were geese in Central Park with explosives in their rectums.
Source: truth-out.org, Image: wikipediaIf the whole world were as dense as Manhattan, then the entire human race could fit into New Zealand.
Source: waitbutwhy.com, Image: wikipediaIn 1674, the Dutch traded Manhattan to the English for Run Island, an island in Indonesia that is basically uninhabited today.
Source: wikipedia, Image: wikipediaIn the United States as a whole, 88% of Americans drive to work, while only 5% say they use public transportation. In Manhattan, 72% of people use public transport and only 18% drive.
Source: wikipedia, Image: wikipediaTwice a year the sunset aligns with the street grid of Manhattan. This event has been coined "Manhattanhenge."
Source: movoto.com, Image: Alan Turkus via flickrDuring the construction of the World Trade Center in 1968, rather than getting rid of all the excavated material, it was used to expand Manhattan's shoreline creating what is today Battery Park City.
Source: newyorker.com, Image: wikipediaKeep reading to find out what other amazing construction projects have happened in this great city!
At night, Manhattan's population is roughly 1.6 million. During the day, however, as commuters pour into the borough to work, its population more than doubles to nearly 4 million.
Source: nytimes.com, Image: wikipediaWhen public transport shut down on 9/11, citizens used their personal boats to transport half a million people off the island. This has come to be known as the "9/11 Boatlift."
Source: wikipedia, Image: wikipediaIn 1934, there was a plan to dam the Hudson River and add 10 square miles to Manhattan's territory.
Source: wikipedia, Image: wikipediaIn 1776, just after the Continental Army left Manhattan for the British, nearly 1/3 of the city was destroyed in a huge fire.
Source: wikipedia, Image: wikipediaOpened in 1858, Central Park was the first landscaped park in any American city.
Source: wikipedia, Image: wikipediaIn 1626, the Dutch purchased Manhattan island from the Native Americans for just over one thousand 2014 USD.
Source: wikipedia, Image: wikipediaToday, Manhattan real estate is among the most expensive in the world. The value of the entire island exceeds $3 trillion.
Source: newnetherlandinstitute.org, Image: wikipediaThe popular BMT sandwich at Subway is named after "Brooklyn Manhattan Transit," which is actually a subway!
Source: wikipedia, Image: wikipediaVincent Gigante was a mafia boss who wandered around Greenwich Village in his pajamas while mumbling to himself. Apparently, he did this to avoid being persecuted, so people started calling him the Oddfather.
Source: wikipedia, Image: wikipediaAlthough Central Park looks natural, as we said earlier, it is almost entirely landscaped. It even contains several artificial lakes.
Source: wikipedia, Image: wikipediaThe construction of Central Park in the 1850's was one of the largest public works projects of that time period. Nearly 20,000 workers planted more than a quarter of a million trees.
Source: wikipedia, Image: wikipediaThe Empire State Building has its own zip code, 10118.
Source: wikipedia, Image: Daniel Schwen via wikimediaFor a hotdog vendor to operate a stand in Central Park, he or she must pay the city nearly a quarter of a million dollars every year.
Source: nytimes, Image: wikipedia740 Park in Manhattan has the highest concentration of billionaires in the United States.
Source: pbs.org, Image: wikipediaA man once stole a plane while he was drunk and landed it in front of the Manhattan bar that he frequented. Because people didn't believe he had actually done it, he did the same thing again 2 years later.
Source: wikipedia, Image: wikipediaMacy's Thanksgiving Day Parade originally featured animals from the zoo, but because they scared the kids, the animals were replaced by balloons.
Source: wikipedia, Image: wikipediaThe population density of Manhattan is actually lower than it was a century ago, and total population has actually gone down by nearly 25%.
Source: citymetric.com, Image: wikipediaIf you enjoyed this list, check out 25 Fascinating Facts About New York City and Why It Is Called The Big Apple.
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