With a picturesque setting, spectacular architecture and fascinating local history, the Financial District is much more than a workplace. The original Wall Street settlement was named for a Dutch wall built in 1653, but the character of the area has since changed dynamically. Visit the Financial District to walk the streets of southernmost Manhattan and admire the striking constructions of the world’s financial capital.
Start at City Hall Park, a popular green oasis ringed by impressive historical structures including New York’s City Hall and the elegant Woolworth Building. You’re likely to see high-powered investment bankers taking welcome midday breaks here.
Walk south toward America’s longstanding financial capital, Wall Street. Spot the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, a palatial Italian Renaissance building that holds one of the world’s largest depositories of monetary gold. Photograph the New York Stock Exchange, where billions of dollars of stocks change hands daily. The Italian artist Arturo di Modica originally installed his Charging Bull statue here. Find it now in nearby Bowling Green.
Stroll through Battery Park at Manhattan’s scenic southern tip. Join locals and visitors jogging, socializing and savoring views of the Statue of Liberty across the water. Relax on a bench, stroll in the shade or visit the SeaGlass Carousel before catching a round-trip ferry over New York Harbor.
Continue on to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, a space for reflection where the Twin Towers once stood. Honor New York’s brave firefighters at the adjacent FDNY Memorial Wall. Visit the lovely St. Paul’s Chapel, Manhattan’s oldest surviving church building, which hosted memorials and homages as local communities recovered from the 9/11 tragedies.
The Financial District is located at the southern end of Manhattan, easily accessible by a number of subway lines and commuter trains. Visitors from Staten Island or New Jersey can travel by ferry to arrive at Battery Park. The area is best navigated on foot. Afterward head to the South Street Seaport to shop, eat and drink amid historic surroundings.
