Washington Square - Must See at New York, US
What to do and what to see:
Washington Square historically has been closely connected to the City's life for the almost two centuries.
The plot in the Greenwich Village had been used as everything from a burial ground to a public-execution space prior to becoming a park in 1827. For the Centennial of Washington's inauguration as President of the United States a wooden Memorial Arch was constructed on the Square. Then the Arch was rebuilt in marble in 1895 and completed with two figures of Washington as general and president around 1919. Since then the Arch has been standing without change for almost a century for now. The Square itself has become a famous place for the public recreation. Since World War II the place was known as a hot spot for artists, folksingers, students and all kinds of bohemian people.
In the 1961 it was the very place of so called "Beatnik Riot", when nearly 500 musicians and supporters marched against the city government’s restrictions on using public facilities for performing. The march was ended by police force, but the era of beatniks had begun. In the 80's the place got a bad name for the drug dealers, but the situation was dramatically improved in 90's. Today, the square continues to be an important part of modern city life.
After two major renovations of the park and fountain, Washington Square is a nice place to spend a couple of hours in the afternoon watching the bohemian style of life, playing chess with fellow chess lovers, watching street performances and enjoying amateur music groups.
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