Why travel to Europe to tour castles when you can just hop on the train to see New York City’s very own? MEIER Agent Patrick Hogan hosts this month’s segment of MEIER Live Parties to showcase Belvedere Castle located in Central Park.
Designed in 1869 by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, the castle provides the highest and most breathtaking views of Central Park with the cityscape resting adjacently. Exhibiting a hybrid mix of Gothic and Romanesque styles, the iconic landmark is situated peacefully atop Vista Rock.
“The name Belvedere is actually Italian for beautiful view.” – Patrick Hogan
Besides being a busy local attraction serving as the beacon of Central Park, the Belvedere Castle also houses New York City’s Central Park weather station with the help of weather-specific scientific instruments that measure wind speed and direction. Interesting enough, more weather information like rainfall is collected just south of the castle.
The castle was not always in its best shape however, when it was closed to the public during the 1960s — becoming a target for vandalism and graffiti. Seeing a 15-month, $12 million dollar restoration project by the Central Park Conservancy and funded by the Thompson Family Foundation, Belvedere Castle began to enjoy newly updated and modernized drainage and tasteful lighting systems. Having last been restored in 1995, the castle’s newest renovations were unveiled on June 28 of this year with more plans for renovation in the future. Talks for an accessible route from Belvedere Castle to East Drive are underway.
Tune in now to watch the full episode of MEIER Live Parties!
Have you visited the Belvedere Castle lately since its restoration? What else do you think needs to be done for its future plans? Let us know in the comments below!