Turtle Pond, at the base of Belvedere Castle, is a perfect watery complement to the Great Lawn

Although Turtle Pond was not part of Olmsted and Vaux's original design for Central Park, it seems perfectly suited to its location at the base of Belvedere Castle and is a perfect watery complement to the Great Lawn. The Great Lawn was also not original to the Park; it began life as the Croton Reservoir and was filled in with City building rubble in the 1930s. The southern end was turned into Belvedere Lake, a shallow pond with a nondescript shape. Over the years Belvedere Lake developed a following: fish, frogs, turtles, dragonflies, and aquatic birds — provided freely by nature. In 1987 it was renamed Turtle Pond in honor of its most conspicuous residents.

In 1997, Turtle Pond was part of the Great Lawn renovation. Landscape architects gave the shoreline a more irregular shape to maximize its length and follow more closely configurations of original Park lakes. They added shoreline plants such as lizard's tail, bullrush, turtlehead, and blueflag iris, which provide a habitat for birds, insects, amphibians, and reptiles. All these plantings may look natural, but they rest on concrete shelves set at different depths under the surface of the Pond that both support and contain the plants.

As part of the renovation, the aptly named Turtle Island was added to the Pond. It serves as a wildlife habitat, providing sandy spots for turtles to lay their eggs and nesting as well as foraging sites for birds. A dock and nature blind now extend into the Pond, allowing visitors to see the dead tree trunks deliberately placed as sunning sites for turtles; frogs, and herons, and other waterfowl are also claiming a perch. Fierce-looking dragonflies and damselflies have returned and are increasing in number; they are most active on the sunny north shore.

Visitors in the area on a Saturday afternoon may see the informal folk-dancing group that gathers under the statue of King Jagiello during the warmer months. The new plaza with an image of a turtle in the bluestone pavement was constructed to accommodate this traditional international activity and to provide an outdoor classroom for nature studies.

Location & Designation

• Mid-Park between 79th and 80th Streets
• Quiet Zone (dogs must be leashed and kept on pathways at all times; no running, rollerblading, or bike riding; no organized, active recreation or sports allowed; musical instruments not allowed; headphones required for radios)
  

In 1997, Turtle Pond was redesigned and reconstructed as part of the two-year, $18.2 million project to restore the Great Lawn.

Turtle Pond before and after its restoration.