New York City Hall, New York City, Guía del visitante y qué hacer cerca

New York City Hall is the seat of New York City's government, set in City Hall Park in Lower Manhattan. Finished in the early 1810s, it is one of the oldest city halls in the United States still used for its original purpose, and it houses the mayor's office and the City Council. It is a small, elegant building surrounded by towers, and it holds two centuries of the city's public life.

The story behind it

When the building went up, this spot was on the northern edge of the built-up city. The design called for white marble, but to save money the city used the costly stone only on the front and sides. The north side, which faced open land, was finished in cheaper sandstone, on the assumption that hardly anyone would ever see it. The city soon grew far past it, and today that location is the heart of Lower Manhattan. Over time the exterior was restored, and all four sides are now clad in stone.

City Hall has long been the place where New York receives its guests and says goodbye to its heroes. Visitors welcomed here over the years include the Marquis de Lafayette and Albert Einstein. Abraham Lincoln came as president-elect in 1861. After his assassination in 1865, his coffin was brought to City Hall so that mourning New Yorkers could file past and pay their respects.

What to look for

• The symmetrical front, with its columned central portico and the small cupola on top, is a good example of the Federal style with French-influenced details.
• The pale stone cladding on every side of the building tells the story of the old sandstone back wall that was once left plain.
• The leafy City Hall Park in front gives you a clear view of the facade, with the tall buildings of Lower Manhattan rising behind it.
• The surrounding area is full of older civic architecture, so look around you for other grand government buildings nearby.

Tips for your visit

• Allow 15 to 20 minutes to walk around the outside and the park, longer if you combine it with the neighbouring sights.
• City Hall is a working government building, so access inside is controlled. Check current opening hours and tour arrangements before you plan to go in.
• Morning light is good for photographs of the front, and the park is quieter earlier in the day.
• The Brooklyn Bridge is a short walk away, and so are the courthouses and civic buildings of the Foley Square area, so it fits easily into a longer walk downtown.

See it on a quest

City Hall is a stop on Lower East Side Murder Mystery, New York, a self-guided walk with a murder mystery theme. You reach the building on foot as one stop on a longer route through the area, the app tells you about each place as you arrive, and you solve a puzzle based on what is in front of you. One ticket covers the whole group, and you can start whenever you like, with no guide and no set departure time.