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Week 8 [28.11-04.12] 14 interesting facts about NYC

New York City is one of the greatest and most visited cities in the world. In 2014, according to Euromonitor, New York was visited by 12.23 million people! It is definitely one of the most interesting places worldwide.



Here are some interesting facts about the Big Apple and their citizens!
  1. First pizzeria in New York  - Lombardi’s  - was founded in 1905 and it is still in business.
  2. One of the most popular film festivals that takes place in New York – “Tribeca Film Festival” – was founded by Robert De Niro.
  3. NYC was a capital of the United States for a short period of time (from 1785 to 1790).
  4. After the opening of the Brooklyn Bridge people were afraid that it was going to collapse. Phineas Barnum – a businessman and a founder of “Barnum & Bailey Circus” – helped to calm down the citizens by leading a parade of 21 elephants over the Bridge.
  5. There are so many restaurants in NY that you could eat in a different restaurant every day for 12 years and you still wouldn’t visit all of them.
  6. In many New York apartments you are not allowed to have a washing machine.
  7. There is a windowless skyscraper in Manhattan.

                             
  8. Subway in Manhattan is such a well-developed system that the most distant apartment from the subway station is only 1.2 km away.
  9. Times Square was named after the New York Times when it moved  its headquarters to the Times Building in 1904.
  10. New York-style pizza is usually sold by the slice to go. It is thin and very wide so New Yorkers fold it in a half.
  11. The Pizza Connection – for 50 years now the price of a pizza slice is nearly equal to the cost of a single subway ride.
  12. At Grand Central Station all of the listed train departures are wrong. Trains leave one minute later.
  13. The largest marathon in the world takes place in New York City. This year it had 51,388 of finishers.
  14. If you want to have a hot dog stand in Central Park, you may even have to pay 289,000 $ for one year.
New York seems to be very interesting and totally different from other cities that I have been to. I think that is why I would like to visit it so much. Many people complain about the noise and the stench in NY but I think that they don’t notice more important things – interesting history and definitely… a soul.



  1. Do you know any more interesting facts about New York?
  2. Which fact surprises you the most?
  3. Which city would you like to visit the most?

    Sources:



Comments

Unknown said…
Thanks for extremaly interesting article!
That's strange, why people were afraid Brooklyn Bridge could collapse...? It looks so solidly. Was it the first bridge in NY or was there some other reason?
I had no idea there is a windowless skyscrapper. I wonder why they decided to build such a thing.
Do you know why washing machines are not permitted? That's really odd.
Trains leaving one minute later than in the timetable is a funny news for me. Are the NY people so slammed with a work and in the constant rush that they need 1 minute for being late...? ;)
Unknown said…
Personally I was never intersted in facts about New York. I haven't been to th USA and I hope that one day I will go there. It's amazing what American people have in their heads that they stared useing the Broklyn Bridge after 21 elephants went through it. I would like to visit Tokio the most. I don't know other facts about New York city
Sylwia Pechcin said…
I agree with you that's very interesting city. Unfourtunately I don't know any interesting facts about it. The most suprising for me was ban possessing a washing mashine. I don't understand why? Is it about the noice? I have no idea to be honest.
If I were to choose one city from all over the world to visit, I would definitely choose any Arabic city like Abu Dhabi or Dubaj. I would like to see this entire wealth of country and all theese skyscrapers.
Unknown said…
I have been to New York and Shanghai few months apart. I have to say that Shaghai was much more impresive for me. The buildings in Shanghai are taller an nicer and NY is a very dirty city with a lot of trash and old, worn out infrastructure. Especially the subway is in terrible condition (Shanghai has new and shiny one). People in New York are very weird for me (I've been only to NY in US). And everything is so expensive. In Shanghai I could live like a king for a fraction of what I've spent in NY. The thing that I enjoyed the most in NY was a helicopter fly over Manhattan (the city looks best from high above dirty streets).

Having been to NY, London, Paris, Tokyo, Berlin, Beijing, Shaghai and Rome, I don't belive there are anymore cities on my must visit list. I prefer some rural destinations. Most of my favourite cities are in southren Germany (Munich ofcourse for its Oktoberfest, but mostly beatiful, little, quiet bavarian towns).
Unknown said…
The fact 'In many New York apartments you are not allowed to have a washing machine' is very surprising for me. I can't imagine not having a washing machine... Anyway when it comes to some other interesting aspects of it I have read that NY is truly the melting pot of the world. Over 30 percent of its residents are foreign born. It is believed that the city has the greatest linguistic diversity in the entire planet with over 800!! different languages divided between its people. Many are exceedingly rare, such as Garifuna, a hybrid of African, West Indian, and indigenous South American dialects. As some of these languages are on the brink of extinction NY come up with a special project designed to preserve rare languages like Bukhari, Vhlaski, and Ormuri.
When it comes to dreams I'd like to visti Vegas and party with motto - 'what happens in vegas stays in vegas'.
Unknown said…
I know that there is some really interesting places in NY - mostly from movies :D I would like to go there, because when I listen or read about it, almost all of the people who have been there liked it and they want to come back.
The most surprising is windowless skyscraper - it is ugly and it have to be tough to work there - isn't there some law that workers have to have windows in their workplace?
I really like the fact, that there is real Central Perk and I'm really looking forward to visit this place and drink some coffee sitting on orange couch :)
I'd like to visit Kioto and Tokushima prefecture in Japan. i have read many articles, I have seen many photos and I really want to see it.
Unknown said…
I would like to visit New York. The most surprised me about washing machine. Why in many New York apartments you are not allowed to have a washing machine?? THis is stupid haha :)
Unknown said…
This is really interesting. I went to New York, I spent there a lot of time, but I didn't know all of this facts about it. It was surprising about the Brooklyn Bridge, that the elephants had to go through it to convince people that it is safe for them :D Amazing. I would love to visit Tokyo...Also Chicago...there is a lot of places I wish I could go. I need to start thinking about it, the summertime is coming! :)
Unknown said…
I know that Americans love fast food, but to have yourself hotdog stand in Central Park you have to pay so much money is hilarious. I have never been in USA so New York is on of the cities I would have visit.
Nice article! For me the most interesting fact is the fifth one, it's really cool that there is always a chance to try something new. I've never been to New York, but I hope some day I will visit it.
Unknown said…
I would like to see America and New York too of course. I hope that New York is a little less crowded than Hong Kong. I was in HK in this year and I had enough after two days. Such large cities are fascinating but very tiring for me. I prefer the size of the city such as the European capitals. I love the food and the fact that in New York there are so many restaurants very encouraged to visit it. This windowless skyscraper is really interesting building and looks very mysterious. It reminds me of a crypt or prison. I don't know when I'll go to the USA because now I want more visit Asia.
Unknown said…
It's easy to imagine not having a washing machine - people go to laundry. Funny :D

However, Robert, are you sure it is still actual?

Some time ago, a man told me one thing - How to get to know you live in luxury? You have washing machine at home ;)
Unknown said…
Very interesting fact is number 5 :D "There are so many restaurants in NY that you could eat in a different restaurant every day for 12 years and you still wouldn’t visit all of them."

What do you mean writing "restaruants"? Pizzerias, Wendy's, McDonald's and so on? If so, I could believe.

Despite that, when I was in NY, it was very hard to eat something acceptable for me. There is a lot of places with pizzas, burgers and so on, but I didn't want to eat fast food all the time. Of course, it's possible to find a place with "normal" food, but prices are much bigger.
Now, when I know fact no. 5, I wonder if I am right (that it's very hard to find good place) or just I was very fussy ;)
Dajana Kubica said…
I've never been to America, but I hope that I will be able to visit New York once. I watched a lot of videos on YouTube about this city and in each learned something new. It is surprising that the subway is so complex. Perhaps for me, an inhabitant of Warsaw, this may seem unusual but I'm used to our two lines. The second fact is the number of restaurants in NY. But having to choose only one place on the map where I could go on a trip, it is a Bangkok. I love Asia and I hope that this summer will go on a monthly trip to Thailand.
kondrat said…
I love the 8th point. I hate public transport, and especially walking to station/ bus stop. I can imagine, that living in Manhattan is great in terms of commuting.
Added to my "to-do-in-life list": Visit Manhattan. :)
Michał Pycek said…
Personally I have visited the United States and I have also visited New York. I went there as a tourist together with my family, so we have been sightseeing all of the most popular places, buildings and museums, but to be honest, even though I think NY has a very special vibe which cannot compare to any other city I have been to, I felt a lot better for example in Miami. In NY it seemed as if everybody rushed somewhere without thinking and stopping for a second. To me it was a bit overwhelming and incomparable to the rush I know from big cities in Poland.
Piotr Basiński said…
I like USA, in my opinion cities they have there are awesome. "In many New York apartments you are not allowed to have a washing machine." it's very interesting, why they can't have washing machines at apartaments? It's a little strange. It's caused by what? They care about locat business like laundry or neighbors do not like the sound of the washing machine?
Kacper Zaremba said…
As far as I know it's about old buildings. Some of the apartments in New York are really old and not really suitable to modern technology. Plumbing in those buildings is not prepared for washing machines.
People sometimes buy them and sneak them to their apartments inside TV-boxes.
You can read about it here: http://nymag.com/realestate/realestatecolumn/38921/
Unknown said…
Thank you for the article! I really like when the interesting facts are put under the list. New York is definitely magnificent place almost everyone wants to visit.
The most interesting fact for me was under the number 6 about the washing machines. I always knew that in USA laundry places are popular, but I never thought why, think this is the reason.
One more is the fact about windowless building (how horrible is it to spend a time in the room without windows!)
If talking about the US, I would like to visit Chicago and Boston, but if choosing in the world - I would choose Amsterdam.
Unknown said…
New York Marathon is also one of the most advanced technologically. You can track participants on marathon's website thanks to devices they are given at start ;)

I find the fact about Train Station interesting. Why departures are always minute later? Is it a tradition? Or simply they are giving a minute more for the passengers that are late ?
I was most surprised with the fact about washing machines. Now the laundromats make much more sense :D I was wondering for so many years why people in the moves go to the laundromats and have to wait while their clothes are getting washed instead buying washing machine.
For me the strangest of them all is 6) In many New York apartments you are not allowed to have a washing machine. Do you know why ? It's completely illogical for me ? Is it because of power usage ? I cannot think of anything else.

And another fact looks also crazy 14) If you want to have a hot dog stand in Central Park, you may even have to pay 289,000 $ for one year. Hot-dog costs about 5$ so that makes about 60 000 of them sold just to make even (and I don't count the cost of the food and employee cost). That is crazy.
Moode said…
Here is something that maybe not all of you now, NYC used to maybe called New Amsterdam. This was a small village just up Manhattan. It also used to be one of the most dangerous cities in United States but thanks to Rudolph Giuliani it is now much safer.

I would like to go to New York one day. It sounds like a very multicultural place.

Answering your question on which city I would like to visit the most, I have to say: Berlin.
Unknown said…
As for the bridge, I don't really know why they were afraid.

And if it comes to the windowless skyscraper no one really knows why it is built that way.

New Yorkers don't have washing machines because supposedly it causes some damage to rental buildings. Besides, most of the apratments are very small so people need as much space as they can get.
Unknown said…
Washing machines are supposed to cause damage to the old buildings. And the apratments are very small so sometimes it just doesn't make any sense to have one, esepecially because there is a laundry service on every corner in NY and it is pretty cheap.
Unknown said…
I have heard that NYC is a quite expensive place to leave. But for me it is one of not so many downsides of this city :)

Unknown said…
The windowless skyscraper is quite mysterious. I assume that perhaps some top secret things are going on there. Or maybe companies that need a lot of discretion have offices in this building.
Unknown said…
It is very well developed. However, subway is still very crowded, just like in Warsaw.
Unknown said…
It is true that NY is always in a rush. But in my opinion it is not only about that fact that the people are just like that. I think that it is necessary to rush in Manhattan because it is a tiny island with 1.5 mln people living there. Plus tourists.
Unknown said…
I've never been to USA, but I definitely should. I think it's a very interesting multicultural country. Everybody, who has been there loves NY. I would like to visit it, but not to live in such a city. I would rather live somewhere near the ocean shore - it's a dream. Maybe because of all the American films, where they show that small houses at the sandy beach, where there is only you and your happy dog :) But maybe it is just until the moment I will see the amazing NY)

This facts are really interesting - I want to visit subway and the Central Park to try the hot-dog. Also now I see why people spend so much time in the public laundries.

I want to visit many places, but I will get to America when I will finish with all the European countries)
Thanks for those interesting facts, some are very fun to read. Personally that windowless skyscraper got me - it must feel awful for people working/living inside, as lack of window and being able to see outside world can really hurt in long-run, human feels like being trapped, there are windows even in prisons for a reason... :).

NYC is definitely interesting and I'd want to visit it at some point, although my top priority for now is visiting Tokyo once again.
Wojtek Kania said…
I've never been in USA, but I really want to. In NYC I want to see Statue of Liberty, memorial of old World Trade Center and I would to jog in Central Park. I dream about a traveling east and west coast. Chicago, NYC, Washington DC, Miami, Los Angeles and Las Vegas. These are my points in my plan of trip to USA.
Adam Nowak said…
I would want to visit a New York City, but i don't think that i would like to live there. I would feel overwhelmed by the city's size - NYC has nearly 8 millions habitats, it could be considered as a separate country. At least NY has a proper subway...
I was in the New York and it was amazing. It is the city that never sleeps and has a lot of amazing places to visit.
What's more NYC is not only the Manhattan (like most people think :P) it is a lot bigger than the central part (Google it ;)).
I recommend for everybody to visit this amazing place as it is very different from any place I have been in! :D
Unknown said…
They can buy SMEG's washing machine and basin in one, so they would save some space in tidy apartaments. ;)
Did you know there's something like this?
Here you can see the picture:
http://www.vieffetrade.eu/shop/77735-1.jpg
Unknown said…
I never been to New York, but obviously I'd love to go there one day.
I never researched the place in depth because I don't have plays visiting USA in the foreseeable future, so most of the trivia mentioned in this article was new and interesting to me.
I think the metro is one of the best things - it lets you get anywhere and fast.
I'd love to visit New York, because I don't really sleep that much, so I'd probably fit right in :D It also seems that you can meet many quite eccentric people there, which is always interesting.
New York is amazing and breath-taking. One of my biggest dreams is to go to there and even live there. Thanks to my girlfriend(but not only thanks to her) I know that many TV shows take place in the New York, for example : Orange Is The New Black, Sex and The City, Law&Order, Elementary, Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Gossip Girl, Girls and many many more of them. The interesting fact is that for example TV show Suits is filmed in Toronto, Canada but they want us to belive it is in New York. I have already known a few of this strange facts. Most of them is about pizza, so I've got a feeling that it is really important for this city. My biggest dream is to take a trip across USA and see as much as possible. Top 5 destinations are: New York, LA, Las Vegas, Washington and Hollywood.

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