Charging Bull, New York City, Guida per visitatori e cosa fare nei dintorni

The Charging Bull is a bronze sculpture at Bowling Green, at the foot of Broadway in Lower Manhattan, New York City. Made by the artist Arturo Di Modica, it has become the best-known symbol of Wall Street and of a rising market. It is also one of the most photographed public artworks in the city.

The story behind it

Di Modica conceived the bull after the stock market crash of October 1987, known as Black Monday. He wanted a figure that stood for strength, resilience and hope in a gloomy moment. He paid for the work himself and never asked the city for permission to show it.

In late 1989 his team brought the sculpture by flatbed truck to the front of the New York Stock Exchange at night and left it there in secret. New Yorkers found it the next morning, and it was an instant crowd pleaser. The police impounded it, but public reaction was strong enough that the city allowed it to return to public view. It was then set up at Bowling Green, where it stands today.

What to look for

• The shine on the bull's nose, horns and other parts of its body, polished bright by the many people who rub it for good luck.
• The lowered head, flared nostrils and muscular, tensed body, which give the bronze a sense of movement even though it stands still.
• The setting at Bowling Green, a small park at the southern tip of Broadway, with the streets of the Financial District rising around it.
• The crowds of photographers around the animal, which show how much the sculpture has become a landmark of the neighbourhood.

Tips for your visit

• The bull stands in the open on a public street, so you can see it at any time without a ticket or a queue.
• Go early in the morning if you want a photo without a crowd, as it is very popular with visitors later in the day.
• Allow ten to fifteen minutes for the bull itself, and more if you want to explore Bowling Green and the nearby streets.
• Wall Street and the Stock Exchange building are a short walk away, so it is easy to combine them in one outing.

See it on a quest

The bull works well as one stop on a longer walk through Lower Manhattan. The Ghost of Wall Street, Historic Downtown New York passes it on foot as part of a route through the historic downtown. The app tells you about each place as you arrive and sets a puzzle based on what is in front of you, so you look at the streets more closely instead of just taking a photo. One ticket covers the whole group, and you can start whenever you like, with no guide and no set departure time.