Also known as the St Nicholas Historic District, these streets were the darling of Harlem’s elite in the 1920s. The graceful row houses and apartments, many of which date back to the 1890s, were designed by three of the era’s most celebrated architects: James Brown Lord, Bruce Price and Stanford White.

White’s row of elegant Italianate creations along the northern side of W 139th St are arguably the most beautiful. Keep your eyes peeled for alleyway signs advising visitors to ‘walk your horses.’


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Abyssinian Baptist Church

0.13 MILES

A raucous, soulful affair, the superb Sunday gospel services here are the city’s most famous. You’ll need to arrive at least an hour before the service to…

2. Hamilton Grange

0.29 MILES

This Federal-style retreat belonged to Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, who owned a 32-acre country estate here in the early 1800s. Unfortunately,…

4. Hamilton Heights Historic District

0.37 MILES

Two parallel streets in Hamilton Heights – Convent Ave and Hamilton Tce – contain a landmark stretch of historic limestone and brownstone town houses from…

5. Convent Avenue Baptist Church

0.46 MILES

A lovely Gothic-style church offering traditional Baptist services since the 1940s. Morning congregations are fairly dressy.

6. National Jazz Museum

0.55 MILES

This small, Smithsonian-affiliated museum is a passionate love letter to the golden era of jazz in Harlem. From the 1930s to 1960s, the neighborhood was a…

7. Apollo Theater

0.66 MILES

The Apollo is an intrinsic part of Harlem history and culture. A leading space for concerts and political rallies since 1914, its venerable stage hosted…

8. Studio Museum in Harlem

0.7 MILES

This small cultural gem has been exhibiting the works of African American artists for more than four decades. While its rotating exhibition program is…