Manhattan

Manhattan is the beating heart of the nearly 9 million metropolitan New York. Manhattan is one of the 5 administrative regions of New York City and County in the very state of New York. This modern and full of life, neighborhood-Dream in New York, occupies a vast territory, surrounded by ocean, it is connected to the mainland and Long Island, which in turn is another large island, part of the make- up of the metropolis of New York.

Between Manhattan and the mainland there are many bridges and tunnels, through which run both cars and rail. Among them there are numerous bridges and tunnels with several metro lines. Manhattan is the third most populous region in New York, and by total area it’s ranked fifth. Slightly less than two million people now live on the island of Manhattan, which has a total area of 87.46 sq. km.

The expansion of New York started from the lands of present-day Manhattan, where the first European settlers in the New York area laid the foundations of a Dutch settlement in the southern part of Manhattan. They named their settlement with the name New Amsterdam. According to popular legend the whole island was subsequently purchased from local tribes against a handful of trinkets. Later, the colony passed into the hands of England and was named New York, in honor of the new King James, who was the Duke of York. After the American Revolution, New York was briefly the capital of the United States.

In the 19th century, huge waves immigrants flooded New York and contributed to the significant expansion of the city. In 1898 Manhattan was joined by four other areas - Queens, Bronx, Brooklyn and Staten Island, which finally formed the image of the future metropolis.

Many people believe that New York is Manhattan as the popular song of Ella Fitzgerald goes. Here is where life goes at "fast turnover" among the many taxis, high skyscrapers and beautiful night bars with live music.

Situated in Manhattan is the largest commercial, cultural and financial center in America and it is considered one of the most advanced in the world. Here are concentrated most of the sights and much of the commercial streets, and some of the tallest buildings in the world, including the Empire State Building and the twin towers of the World Trade Center which were victims of a brutal attack on 11 September 2001. Today, this sad place in Manhattan is surrounded and deserted, it is named Ground Zero.

In 1883 was completed the famous Brooklyn Bridge, which connects Manhattan to Brooklyn, then an independent city. The northern part of Manhattan Island is primarily a financial center. To the south lies the vast and colorful Chinatown, which offers virtually any goods on the cheap, a chance to eat for very little money and whatnot. Everything what we saw in the films "Manhattan, " "Breakfast at Tiffany’s", "When Harry Met Sally" or "Taxi Driver" is located in Manhattan. Here are some of the most famous places in the world, like Fifth Avenue, Central Park, Times Square and Broadway.

At one intersection of Fifth Avenue towers the giant Empire State Building. After the twin towers were destroyed by the attack of September 11, the Empire State Building holds championship as the highest building in Manhattan. This enormous building was built in Art Deco style, and everyone has the opportunity to climb the 85th floor and enjoy it (if, of course, you have the courage) with all the breathtaking views of Manhattan and New York.