Belvedere Castle- Stuart Jacome


Belvedere Castle

Belvedere Castle is located in Central Park, NYC. Belvedere means “beautiful view” in Italian; the castle sits on Vista Rock and is the second highest elevation in Central Park, providing great views of other parts in the park.  Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux in 1865, the castle was completed in 1869. Belvedere Castle was meant to be a Victorian Folly. A folly is a structure whose main function is to be ornamental, a place of “playfulness a fantasy building” that serves no practical use. It’s architectural style is Romanesque and Gothic. Romanesque architecture comes from a combination of Roman and Gothic styles which can be characterized by round arches, vaults, and large columns. Gothic architecture style contains stone structures, clustered columns, pointed spires, complex sculptures, vaults, and flying buttresses. One of their main characteristics is the pointed arch. Belvedere Castle struggled with deterioration and vandalism. It went through a full reconstruction that was completed in 1983. The structure was meant to be an open-air structure. Years later,  there was a need for functuallity; doors and windows added. In 1919, the National Weather Service began using its high balcony as a place to measure the wind’s speed and direction. the castle’s location high on Vista Rock makes it the best place in Central Park to measure the wind. Rainfall and other weather data were recorded just south of the castle. The castle is no longer used for meteorology today. Additionally, the castle is visitor center with a gift shop that holds many community programs and educational events.

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