Walking the Brooklyn Bridge, New York
Seeing New York is all about travel by foot if you really want to delve in the city's beauty. I will suggest avoid uber since it is very pricey and leave your car behind to avoid parking hassles. The best commute is to take subway or Big bus tour.
It was our second day in New York and walking the Brooklyn Bridge was the first thing in our next day itinerary.
People usually suggest walking from the Brooklyn side to enjoy both the sunset point and Manhattan skyline. We start from the Manhattan side instead, for two reasons because I had plans for us to visit DUMBO later and second the Big bus dropped us at Park row and Centre street giving us a lovely view of New York city hall and Manhattan municipal building.
It was our second day in New York and walking the Brooklyn Bridge was the first thing in our next day itinerary.
People usually suggest walking from the Brooklyn side to enjoy both the sunset point and Manhattan skyline. We start from the Manhattan side instead, for two reasons because I had plans for us to visit DUMBO later and second the Big bus dropped us at Park row and Centre street giving us a lovely view of New York city hall and Manhattan municipal building.
From Manhattan, the entrance begins just across the Centre street by City Hall Park. The nearest subway stop is 4/5/6 to Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall. On Brooklyn side the closet subway is 2/3/4/5- Borough Hall. (The Clark Street stop is also nearby for the 2/3 trains.)
Coming back to Manhatten side with so many lines taking to the bridge it might become confusing for first timer. To make it easy look across the road crowded with street dancers and food carts. And when you have spot it follow that line and Bingo you are almost there.
Coming back to Manhatten side with so many lines taking to the bridge it might become confusing for first timer. To make it easy look across the road crowded with street dancers and food carts. And when you have spot it follow that line and Bingo you are almost there.
The fiesta as we embarked on the journey.
As we start crossing the East river with piers below giving us a pleasing view of row boats and ships being loaded and unloaded, we were utterly dismayed to discover the pedestrian walkway awkwardly narrow with the other half reserved for bikes. People walking both ways it was hard to follow the walkway as the annoyed bikers ran past us. I surely missed a breathe trying to keep a hold on myself and the baby stroller. For once i felt i am in Rajiv Chowk station in New Delhi squeezing my way through the mad crowd. While the bikers wont stop dinging the bell we grown up could not let go of our selfies fever too. I will suggest saunter along the rail for your best opportunity to stop for a look and take photos.
We finally reached the Manhattan Tower you taking note of the tablets, dedicated to John A Roebling who designed this neo-gothic bridge between 1869 and 1883.
The two towers are constructed of limestone, granite, and concrete, and each tower features two Gothic arches which resemble cathedral windows. 5,989 feet long from end to end with the river spanning 1,595.5 feet and rising 276.5 ft above New York City’s East River, the bridge has been designated as a National Historic Landmark, a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark, and a New York City Landmark!
One of the oldest of NYC’s three suspension bridges, the other two being the Williamsburg Bridge and the Manhattan Bridge, it was the longest steel-cable suspension bridge in the world until Scotland’s Firth of Forth cantilever bridge.
There is a tragedy story behind the building of the bridge. When Roebling died in an accident while surveying land for the bridge, his son Washington took over. But in 1872 he suffered from crippling decompression sickness and was confined to his apartment. After the accident, Washington’s wife Emily supervised the work and played in integral part in the bridge’s construction. She was the first person to cross the bridge upon its completion, and you’ll find a plaque dedicated to her on the Brooklyn Tower.
The idea of construction came when crossing the East river to reach Manhattan became hard by ferry boats due to rough winter. The citizens of Brooklyn decided for the replacement of ferry boats with a bridge. As first the bridge originally carried horse-drawn carriages and rail transportation … no cars! Today, there are six lanes of traffic, and the upper span is open for pedestrians and bicyclists 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
No one is less pretty than the other. Look to your other side and you see the brother of Brooklyn bridge, Manhattan bridge. This pretty blue color neo-gothic styled bridge connects the lower Manhatten with downtown Brooklyn and is the last of the three suspension bridge build after Brooklyn and Williamsburg bridges.
The two towers are constructed of limestone, granite, and concrete, and each tower features two Gothic arches which resemble cathedral windows. 5,989 feet long from end to end with the river spanning 1,595.5 feet and rising 276.5 ft above New York City’s East River, the bridge has been designated as a National Historic Landmark, a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark, and a New York City Landmark!
There is a tragedy story behind the building of the bridge. When Roebling died in an accident while surveying land for the bridge, his son Washington took over. But in 1872 he suffered from crippling decompression sickness and was confined to his apartment. After the accident, Washington’s wife Emily supervised the work and played in integral part in the bridge’s construction. She was the first person to cross the bridge upon its completion, and you’ll find a plaque dedicated to her on the Brooklyn Tower.
The idea of construction came when crossing the East river to reach Manhattan became hard by ferry boats due to rough winter. The citizens of Brooklyn decided for the replacement of ferry boats with a bridge. As first the bridge originally carried horse-drawn carriages and rail transportation … no cars! Today, there are six lanes of traffic, and the upper span is open for pedestrians and bicyclists 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
No one is less pretty than the other. Look to your other side and you see the brother of Brooklyn bridge, Manhattan bridge. This pretty blue color neo-gothic styled bridge connects the lower Manhatten with downtown Brooklyn and is the last of the three suspension bridge build after Brooklyn and Williamsburg bridges.
Have you told your loved one lately how much you love them? Well here is the chance to leave padlocks on the bridge and throw the keys into the river showing your everlasting love.
Bring your own food as there’s nowhere to buy food on the bridge. Go to bathroom before you start the walk. There is washroom before the start of the bridge on both side else be ready to hold it throughout the walk.
BROOKLYN BRIDGE
Hours: 24 hrs
The best time to walk is during sunrise and sunset. Night time being the best to witness the sparkling light of Manhattan skyline.
During summer wear sunscreen and make sure you are in light comfortable dress wearing flat shoes. Be ready to sweat as there’s very little shade on the bridge. In winter, of course dress appropriately to avoid chilly wind blowing on your face since there is no place to warm up.
BROOKLYN BRIDGE
Hours: 24 hrs
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