Among the many beautiful conversancies within Manhattan, Battery Park lies on the Southern tip of the island and holds the most history. Named after artillery batteries that once stood in the park’s current location, The Battery Conservancy is the original home to the world’s first immigration depot – even before Ellis Island. Initially serving as the island’s main defense system, the Battery of Manhattan become a popular location for celebration once the last British troops in America finally left land after the American Revolutionary War.

Within Battery Park lies Hope Garden – a memorial to victims of the AIDS virus, and the East Coast Memorial – commemorating U.S. Servicemen passed along in Coastal waters during World War II, Castle Clinton – named after Mayor Dewitt Clinton, and location of a previous American fort, and The Sphere –the iconic sculpted sphere by Fritz Koenig to symbolize world peace in 1971 that was sadly destroyed during the September 11 attacks of 2001. These are just a few memorials that are within Battery Park that stand along with many others. When walking through the park, you can actually see more permanent installments such as; Jerusalem Grove, New York Korean War Veterans Memorial, Walloon Settlers Memorial, “The Immigrants” memorial, the Emma Lazarus Memorial, the Netherlands Memorial, the Fort George Memorial, and many more!

As you find yourself visiting Battery Park, you’ll come to find that this is also the location to depart on many cruises throughout the Hudson that can take you to Ellis and Liberty Islands. Although Liberty Island is closed off to the public temporarily, tourists can still catch themselves on a Water Taxi outside of the island which is convenient for taking photographs, especially when the statue is lit at night! Even though the Battery Park you’ll find today is beautiful and broad with elegant landscaping and numerous walk ways, it took a lot of work and planning to get to the park you see today. In fact, the park was closed for 12 years from 1940-1952 for construction of the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel Underpass. Though this construction was delayed by World War II, the park did expand by two acres, and received the addition of the Minuit Plaza.

On an OnBoard Sightseeing Tour in New York City, guests can find themselves walking through and past Battery Park as they board a Water Taxi to cruise through The Hudson. Guests will always be accompanied by a Licensed Tour Guide, and Battery Park is located in the Financial District across from the U.S. Custom House. See Battery Park and all of its historical glory on a NYC See It All! Tour, NYC See It All! Premium Tour, NYC See The Lights tour, and our NYC Freedom Tour this upcoming season!