Grand Army Plaza (Manhattan) facts for kids
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W T Sherman, northern side of plaza
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Pomona, atop the Pulitzer memorial fountain
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1869 map of Grand Army Plaza
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The Plaza Hotel, seen from corner of 5th Ave and 59th St
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Grand Army Plaza is a famous public space in Manhattan, New York City. It is located at 59th Street and Fifth Avenue. You can find it right in front of the well-known Plaza Hotel. It sits across the street from the southeast corner of Central Park.
A talented artist named Karl Bitter, who made sculptures, first thought of creating this plaza in 1898. The plaza gets its name from the Grand Army of the Potomac. This was a very important army from American history. An architecture company called Carrère and Hastings designed the plaza. Its construction was completed in 1916.
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What Grand Army Plaza Looks Like
The plaza has an oval shape. 59th Street runs through the middle, dividing it into two main sections.
The Northern Part
The northern part of Grand Army Plaza features a golden statue of William Tecumseh Sherman. He was a famous general. This statue was created by Augustus Saint-Gaudens. It shows General Sherman riding a horse. In front of him is a figure representing "Victory," a goddess. Sometimes, you can see other temporary art sculptures displayed in this northern area.
The Southern Part
The southern part of the plaza is home to the Pulitzer Fountain of Abundance. This beautiful fountain was designed by Karl Bitter. It was paid for by Joseph Pulitzer, a famous newspaper publisher. At the very top of the fountain, there is a bronze statue of the Roman goddess Pomona. This statue of Pomona was the last one that Karl Bitter ever designed.
The Plaza Hotel Connection
The famous Plaza Hotel is named after Grand Army Plaza. It stands right at the southwest corner of the plaza. The plaza was updated in 1990 to make it even better.
Related Places
Images for kids
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Pomona, atop the Pulitzer Fountain
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The Plaza Hotel at the plaza's western side
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An 1863 design showing a proposed fountain for the area.
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An 1868 map of Central Park showing the expanded plaza.
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An 1869 map of the plaza, showing where the Pulitzer Fountain would later be built.
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Thomas Hasting's 1913 plan for the plaza.
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An aerial view of Grand Army Plaza around 1920.
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The goddess Nike on the Sherman Monument, August 2020.
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See also
In Spanish: Grand Army Plaza (Manhattan) para niños
