Central Park Bethesda Terrace, New York: How to Visit

Bethesda Fountain is the heart of Central Park and a great place to start exploring the park.

You'll recognize the queen of Central Park's sculptures right away, since she shows up in hundreds of movies and shows filmed in Central Park.

She's so famous that along with the Trevi Fountain in Rome, these are said to be the most filmed and photographed fountains in the world.

Bethesda Terrace

The fountain sits on Bethesda Terrace (just north of 72nd Street), one of the most visited spots in Central Park.

The best photos are from the upper level of the terrace.

Don't skip the lower arcade, decorated with dozens of arches and beautiful tilework.

There's always a street musician down there, someone proposing, or a couple taking wedding photos.

The Angel of the Waters

The statue on top of the fountain is called the Angel of the Waters, an 1893 sculpture by Emma Stebbins, the first woman in New York's history to receive a major public art commission.

The neoclassical sculptural group stands almost 8 meters tall and 5 wide, and it was the first sculpture installed in the park.

It was designed to commemorate the Croton Aqueduct, which brought clean drinking water to the city for the first time.

Hence the angel's pose: she is blessing the purified waters that made the city's growth possible.

At her feet you'll see four cherubs, allegories of health, purity, temperance, and peace.

Bethesda Fountain in pop culture

One of its most recent appearances is in the charming Disney movie Enchanted: the Princess sings and dances past Bethesda during her romp through the park.

Gossip Girl fans will recognize it as the spot Serena van der Woodsen comes to whenever something's on her mind.

Scenes from The Angels Take Manhattan, an episode of Doctor Who, were shot on the terrace.

Anyone who watched the HBO miniseries Angels in America will get that strange déjà vu feeling at the fountain too, the same feeling you get on every corner of NYC, a city we've all visited so many times on screen.

Follow the link for more Central Park spots immortalized on film.

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Address

North of 72nd Street

How to get to Bethesda Fountain

Nearby subway lines A, B, C. 72 St station.

You'll find more information about Bethesda Fountain on the official Central Park website.