Attractions and Attractions in Albany, New York
According to toppharmacyschools, Albany is not such a baby as it might seem in the shadow of its eminent New York neighbor. In the center there are Manhattan-type skyscrapers, the main street is quite busy both during the day and in the evening. But at the same time, it is only a few steps away from the central highways – and you are already in a provincial town with characteristic silence and a half-dead atmosphere, for example, on a weekday afternoon. Albany is a green, beautiful city with well-preserved buildings in a variety of European architectural styles dating back to the 16th century. There are cobbled streets, and neoclassical colonial mansions, between which skyscrapers of glass and concrete are stuck without a twinge of conscience.
3 things to do in Albany:
- Go on a river cruise on a boat.
- Visit the Hove Caves, which is 45 minutes west of the city, the second most visited attraction in the state (after Niagara Falls).
- Take a look at the distillery, the first licensed post-prohibition in the state.
You should start exploring the city from the historic Quackenbush Square, where the tourist center is located. Worth seeing is the City Hall on Eagle Street, a beautiful example of Romanesque architecture with some interesting murals and carvings in the interior. It will also be interesting to look at the first church in the city (North Pearl Street), built in 1642.
The Imperial State Square quarter is distinguished by a somewhat socialist realist building, reminiscent of the 70s. last century. The quarter is occupied by an architectural ensemble of this particular period, consisting of government buildings. The most recognizable buildings of the city are located here: these are four narrow and thin skyscrapers, reminiscent of external flash drives placed “on the butt”. In the center is a structure that most closely resembles the flying saucer of the Martians, although the townspeople themselves call it The Egg – “egg”. This is an opera house, where concerts of contemporary performers and other art events are held.
As is often the case in American cities, the cost of housing in the heart of Albany is the lowest. Citizens do not want to live and work in one place, so where some work, others live – emigrants, the poor and the homeless.
Directly opposite the “egg” in Capitol Park stands the Albany Capitol. This should be in every state capital, but it does not have to look like Washington. In particular, the Albany Capitol was built in 1899 specifically as a government building and is now classified as a historical monument. As many as five architects supervised the construction, and, perhaps, because of this, the Capitol was built in total for almost 32 years. This beautiful and recognizable stone building today can be called one of the main attractions of the city, and tourists can visit it with an organized tour.
The construction of the Capitol cost $25,000, making it the most expensive government building in the United States at the time.
There are plenty of old mansions in Albany that may not look too stunning, but have quite a long history. This, for example, the estate of Knickerbockers (1780), restored almost from ruins, which today lead tours with stories about the colonial past of the state. Also of interest is Prune House (one of the oldest Dutch families in the state, who arrived here in the 1660s), built in an eclectic Federal and Greek Revival style. And in the house of Crailo State in the upper part of Hudson Valley, there is a Museum of New Colonial History of the Netherlands. Here you can get acquainted with the life of the colonialists of the 17th century.
Another house of interest is Cherry Hill, built in 1787 for the Van Rensselaer family. Catherine Putman, who lived here, was a well-known person in the city, and under her there were collected impressive collections of books, photographs, textiles and other things – more than 20,000 items. Another interesting building, the Broek mansion, was built in the late 18th century in the traditional colonial style for General Abraham Ten Broek. From the building there was a beautiful view of the Hudson River and the barges passing through it. Also worth seeing is the Schüler mansion, built in the 18th century in Georgian style, reflecting the tastes of the owner, a revolutionary general and US senator.
Albany city center (downtown) is not the best place to spend time after dark, when the forces of evil reign supreme. Robberies, including armed ones, are by no means uncommon here.
Albany’s main museum is the New York State Museum in Empire State Plaza. In addition, the city has the Museum of Italian Culture (Central Avenue), the Children’s Museum of Science and Technology (Jordan Road), the Fire Department Museum (Harry Howard Avenue), the Irish American Museum (Broadway), the Museum of the Iroquois Indians (Caverns Road). Road) and the Henry Hudson Planetarium. In the surroundings, you can visit the Stillwater Blockhouse Museum (about half an hour by car from the city). It contains many photographs and documents related to the history of Stillwater. Another interesting place near Albany is the Mabey farm, west of the city, founded as early as 1670 to trade furs with the Indians. Various exhibitions and presentations are held here.
