New York City Landmarks & Icons

Discussion 39 posts |  Only members can post. Join?

About New York City Landmarks & Icons

There are the three, universally acknowledged, classic NYC landmark buildings: The Empire State, Chrysler and Flatiron Buildings. WOW! And then there is the magnificent Statue of Liberty... but New York is a city filled with many, many, many other magnificent buildings, bridges, structures, fountains, statues, arches, stadiums, arenas, concert halls, plazas, interiors. public clocks, museums, zoos, botanical gardens, entertainment venues, places of worship, universities, libraries, graveyards, transportation hubs, modes of transportation, movie and TV locations and yes... even hot-dog stands!

This group is home to these New York City landmarks and icons... as defined by the group's membership.

Take heart: while some people may disagree with YOUR choices of landmarks and icons (critics can be such snobs)... if it is famously, gloriously, pungently, identifiably New York -- from the Subway, to the Yellow Taxi to the Washington Square Arch to the Old Pan AM Building -- then it belongs here!

Lets agree to post ONLY GOOD- TO HIGH-QUALITY PHOTOGRAPHS HERE (not from an artistic sense, since that is so objective, but from a technical sense: PLEASE, no blurry, ultra-low resolution, lifeless, dusty-lens, blurry finger in edge, camera phone photos, for example) and let's agree to try to adhere to the following:

IMAGES FOR INCLUSION:

Photographs magnificent landmark and iconic buildings, bridges, structures, fountains, statues, arches, stadiums, arenas, concert halls, plazas, interiors. public clocks, museums, zoos, botanical gardens, entertainment venues, places of worship, universities, libraries, graveyards, transportation hubs, modes of transportation (such as subways and taxis), movie and TV locations and yes... even hot-dog stands! .

The fact that something is a brand new or a relatively new structure (or icon) should NOT deter you! If you are the first to identify something as a true, future landmark -- then so be it. But be serious here. Lets not cheapen the group with mundane buildings, structures and objects. Only the magnificent and consummately New York!

The fact that something may be a controversial, under-appreciated or a little-known classic should NOT deter you! You are an innovator, a prophet, a seer and everyone else can go kiss your ass!

The fact that something is not considered to be a classic at all, by "experts" or "those in the know," should NOT deter you! Fooey on them!

Things that may exist in many other cities, but which are "owned" by New York should be included. Thus, the Yellow Taxi and Subway qualify.

EXCLUDED IMAGES:

Photos in this group should NOT feature people, animals or your personal belongings, etc. as THE subjects. This includes uniformed workers: after all, EVERY city has cops, firemen, doctors and bike messenger dudes. There's nothing uniquely and iconically New York about that! Of course, people may be -- and often should be -- a part of an overall scene which features landmark or iconic things.

Things that are a "dime-a-dozen," no matter how nice, should not be included in this group. For example, most of the thousands of great statues and public works that grace our city should not be featured in this group. They may be great, but the vast majority are in no way iconic. On the other hand, a truly iconic work, such as the statue of Columbus at Columbus Circle does belong here.

Unidentifiable fragments of well known landmarks and icons do not belong in this group. However, clearly identifiable fragments do. Thus, the garage entrance to the Time-Warner or Empire State Buildings should not be here. However, the Empire State Building's antennae, Statue of Liberty's torch or even a taxi's meter or roof light should.

Broad views of well-known areas should not be included here, though specific, iconic things within those areas should. Thus, a generic view of Chinatown (after all, just about every major city has a Chinatown) or Central Park should GENERALLY not be included here (unless the photo is truly spectacular). However, a photo featuring Chinatown's Confucius Plaza or the clock at the Childrens' Zoo in Central Park should be.

Things that may be iconic to us New Yorkers, though perhaps not to the rest of the world, should not be a part of this group. Thus, the ubiquitous "Union Rat" is out (as much as we may love him).

Things that might be iconic objects (in a parallel universe) but which have been previously and famously claimed by some other city should not be here. Thus, the ever present (and, in my opinion, lovely) double-decker tourist buses are out. London owns that icon, folks.

Finally, lets not forget that Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx and Staten Island are part of the city and all have genuine landmarks and icons to contribute!

While suburbanites and their iconic NYC images are welcome here, images of suburbia need not apply. :)