Battery Park City/The Battery

New Yorkers could effectively call Battery Park the very first settlement of New York. Decades before immigrants sought Ellis Island for refuge, millions of newcomers arrived at Battery Park from Europe and elsewhere; in 1855, Castle Garden, situated inside the Park, became the world’s first immigrant depot. And for more than 200 years – Battery Park and its surroundings have been an invaluable part of New York City’s history, some of which is still on display from the time of the Revolutionary War. 

The beautiful waterfront and flower gardens make Battery Park a lovely place to wander for tourists and residents of the nearby Financial District or Battery Park City. Although its role has dramatically changed, people from around the world still visit Battery Park to catch a ferry to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, or to glimpse the activity of New York City harbor. All summer long concerts play on the grounds of Battery Park.