Manhattan · New York County
Bethesda Terrace and Fountain
NYC Parks
- Location
- Mid-Park at 72nd Street, Central Park
- Size
- Part of Central Park acres
- Hours
- Central Park hours
- Type
- NYC Parks
Bethesda Terrace and Fountain is the architectural heart of Central Park, a monumental two-level terrace with carved sandstone panels, a grand staircase, and the iconic Angel of the Waters fountain that has become the most recognized symbol of Central Park.
The Angel of the Waters sculpture by Emma Stebbins, installed in 1873, was the first major public artwork in New York City commissioned from a woman. The bronze angel commemorates the opening of the Croton Aqueduct, which brought clean water to New York and ended devastating cholera epidemics.
The terrace's carved sandstone panels, designed by Jacob Wrey Mould, depict the four seasons through intricate botanical carvings. The ceiling of the arcade beneath the terrace road is decorated with over 15,000 encaustic tiles in geometric patterns, recently restored to their original brilliance.
Bethesda Terrace has appeared in countless films, television shows, and photographs, from 'Angels in America' to 'Home Alone 2.' The combination of the terrace, the fountain, the lake behind it, and the wooded Ramble beyond creates the most photographed composition in Central Park.
Bethesda Terrace and Fountain represent the climactic moment in Olmsted and Vaux's design for Central Park, the point where architecture and landscape merge in a space that has become the emotional center of the world's most famous park.