Washington Square Park: What You’ll Find in the Village

Perched on top of the arch in Washington Square Park, Marcel Duchamp and his friends proclaimed in 1917 the founding of «The Independent Republic of Greenwich Village», a utopian republic devoted only to art, aesthetics, love and cigarettes.

The echoes of the Beat Generation still ring out in this iconic Manhattan park. But that is just one story out of hundreds. This square is a lively university neighborhood, and there is plenty of death in its history too (and under the ground!). Let's dig into the story of this famous square in the Village.

What to see in Washington Square Park

Washington Square Park is a New York landmark for several reasons. For starters, it is the heart of Greenwich Village and the symbolic center of the New York University campus. But did you know the square was built on top of an old cemetery? Keep reading if you like the macabre details.

This corner of Manhattan has also played a key political and social role. Over the decades it has hosted demonstrations and protests of all kinds.

But what is there to see in Washington Square today?

The Washington Square Park arch

The famous Washington Square Arch is the standout feature of this small but important Manhattan park. It is the monument Marcel Duchamp, Jackson Pollock, Bob Dylan and Allen Ginsberg all loved, which is why today it is a symbol of Greenwich Village's bohemian culture.

The arch was built in 1892 to mark the centennial of George Washington's presidency, the first president of the United States. One fascinating detail: the design of the Washington Square Park arch was inspired by the Arch of Titus in Rome.

By the way, did you know George Washington was sworn in as president at Federal Hall on Wall Street?

That Financial District building houses one of the free museums in New York, so stop by when you explore Lower Manhattan. It is a beautiful building, full of history, with spotless public restrooms (a key detail for travelers 😜).

A gathering place in Manhattan

There is always something going on in Washington Square Park, whether it is a scheduled or spontaneous cultural event, or a civic or student protest (this square is practically the heart of New York University).

That makes it a great place to sit and watch the real life of the city play out in front of you.

It is also a favorite spot for musicians and street performers. You will find craft stalls, outdoor theater performances and cultural events like the Washington Square Park Jazz Festival, among others.

You can check the schedule of cultural events on the park's official website.

Ghosts in Washington Square Park

There is a lot of history in Washington Square, and not all of it pretty. Before it became a park in 1897, public executions were carried out here, which earned it the nickname Hangman's Square. It was also a cemetery.

Plenty of New Yorkers claim to have seen apparitions in Washington Square, and several swear they have felt hands brushing their backs as they walked through the Washington Arch.

Others say that on certain nights you can see bodies hanging from the park's old trees. Remember that public executions took place here during the colonial era, and most of them were hangings.

There is one tree in particular I would recommend steering clear of if you scare easily: the Hangman's Elm in the northwest corner of the park. According to city chronicles, dozens of criminals were executed there.

And if that grim history is not enough, an estimated 20,000 victims of the yellow fever epidemic that hit New York in the early 19th century are buried here.

Still want to visit Washington Square Park? 😱

The New York University (NYU) campus

Washington Square is the anchor of the NYU campus, and it is the students who have kept alive that rebellious aura of the Village in the sixties.

Where is Washington Square Park?

Washington Square Park is in Greenwich Village, Manhattan. It is very easy to reach by subway, with 2 stations nearby:

1. West 4th Street station, lines A, B, C, D, E, F and M
2. Washington Square station, lines A, B, C, D, E, F and M