Visit Belvedere Castle

Belvedere Castle in Central Park

Climb to the top of Belvedere Castle for some great views of Central Park and the surrounding city.

Belvedere Castle isn’t really a castle, but rather a small ornate structure built to add to the Central Park scenery.

The castle was constructed in 1865 and is an example of what was known in the Victorian era as a “folly”, meaning a structure intended to provide views and a picturesque backdrop but without any use as a building. These days the castle has another purpose in addition to sitting up on the hillside and looking great; Belvedere now serves as a Central Park visitor center and gift shop. It’s one of the places where you can pick up a free copy of the official Central Park map.

Belvedere Castle is open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily, except Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.

 

Location

Belvedere Castle is located in Central Park, mid-park, near the 79th Street Transverse.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art and American Museum of Natural History are nearby on the east the west sides of the park, so if you’re visiting either of those, a visit to Belvedere Castle is a fairly short walk.