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Union Square, Flatiron District & Gramercy

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Tibet House.

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Overview

The bustling, throbbing, frenzied heart of this trio of neighborhoods is Union Square, where you'll find a mix of Hare Krishnas, skateboarders, streetwise chess champs and New Yorkers of all stripes meeting on the long rows of park benches to catch up over lunch. The triangular Flatiron Building and the verdant respite of Madison Square Park mark the boundary with Midtown just to the north. Gramercy Park, a romantic private oasis, offers a more subdued, stately residential area to roam.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • Union Square

    Union Square

    Union Square, Flatiron District & Gramercy

    Union Square is like the Noah’s Ark of New York, rescuing at least two of every kind from the curling seas of concrete. In fact, one would be hard pressed…

  • New York From Above

    Flatiron Building

    Union Square, Flatiron District & Gramercy

    Designed by Daniel Burnham and built in 1902, the 20-story Flatiron Building has a narrow triangular footprint that resembles the prow of a massive ship…

  • The Parlor of the Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace historic site at 28 E 20th Street in New York City.

    Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace

    Union Square, Flatiron District & Gramercy

    This National Historic Site is a bit of a cheat, since the physical house where the 26th president was actually born was demolished in his own lifetime…

  • Tibet House.

    Tibet House

    Union Square, Flatiron District & Gramercy

    With the Dalai Lama as the patron of its board, this nonprofit cultural space is dedicated to presenting Tibet’s ancient traditions through art exhibits,…

  • 500px Photo ID: 77809353 -

    Gramercy Park

    Union Square, Flatiron District & Gramercy

    Romantic Gramercy Park was created by Samuel Ruggles in 1831 after he drained the area’s swamp and laid out streets in an English style. You can’t enter…

  • Madison Square Park

    Madison Square Park

    Union Square, Flatiron District & Gramercy

    This park defined the northern reaches of Manhattan until the island’s population exploded after the Civil War. These days it’s a much-welcome oasis from…

  • National Arts Club

    National Arts Club

    Union Square, Flatiron District & Gramercy

    Founded in 1898 to promote public interest in the arts, the National Arts Club holds art exhibitions, with free admission to the public during weekdays;…

  • Metropolitan Life Tower

    Metropolitan Life Tower

    Union Square, Flatiron District & Gramercy

    Completed in 1909, this 700ft-high clock tower soaring above Madison Square Park’s southeastern corner is the work of Napoleon LeBrun, a Philadelphia-born…

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