Manhattan · New York County
Central Park Bow Bridge
NYC Parks
- Location
- Mid-Park at 74th Street, spanning the Lake, Central Park
- Size
- Part of Central Park acres
- Hours
- Central Park hours
- Type
- NYC Parks
Bow Bridge is a cast-iron bridge spanning the Lake in Central Park, widely considered the most beautiful bridge in any public park in the world and one of the most romantic spots in New York City.
Designed by Calvert Vaux and Jacob Wrey Mould and completed in 1862, the bridge's graceful arc connects Cherry Hill to the Ramble across the narrowest section of the Lake. The cast-iron railings feature intricate floral patterns that are architectural masterpieces in miniature.
Bow Bridge has appeared in more films than perhaps any other bridge in the world, featured in movies from 'Manhattan' to 'Spider-Man 3' to 'Enchanted.' The bridge's silhouette against the Lake and the San Remo towers on Central Park West is the defining romantic image of the park.
The bridge takes its name from its shape, which resembles a bow tied across the Lake. The single-span cast-iron arch, 87 feet long, was one of the longest cast-iron bridges in the world when it was built.
Bow Bridge is the emotional heart of Central Park, a place where marriage proposals, film scenes, and quiet moments of contemplation unfold against a backdrop of water, trees, and a skyline that is visible and yet feels impossibly far away.