Things to See

German-American citizens wished to honor their country's cultural heroes, Beethoven and Schiller, with monuments in the Park. The bust of Schiller, dramatist, poet, and philosopher, was the first sculpture to be placed in the Park.

This granite and bronze monument is known well to runners and walkers who enter its terrace stairway to the Reservoir. The story of its namesake, however, is probably less familiar.

The monument is a smaller-scale replica cast from the original, erected in the Plaza de San Martin in Buenos Aires in 1862. It was a gift from the City of Buenos Aires to the City of New York.

Martí, a Cuban patriot, journalist and poet, fought for the liberation of Cuba from Spanish rule. The statue shows the moment when Martí was mortally wounded in battle.

The copper-roofed boathouse stands east of Conservatory Water, Central Park’s famous model boat pond. It houses row upon row of model ships, and features a café with light refreshments.

The statue was originally featured at the entrance to the Polish pavilion at the 1939 World’s Fair of Flushing Meadows, Queens. Later that year, the Nazis invaded Poland, preventing the sculpture's return to its homeland. In 1945, it was placed in Central Park by the Polish government as a symbol of the proud and courageous Polish people.

With its gray slate roof and charming cast-iron details, Ladies Pavilion is an important example of 19th century American decorative arts.

The 20-acre Lake is the second largest of Central Park's man-made water bodies.

Lasker Rink and Pool was built in the 1960s and occupies a magnificent upper Park site at the end of the Loch and overlooking the Harlem Meer.

Le Pain Quotidien breathes new life into the area near Sheep Meadow, serving bakery fare, handmade breads and organic drinks.