Cloisters & Fort Tyron Park, New York City

A walk through Fort Tryon Park in the middle of a March snowstorm - it really feels as as you are long way in both time and place from the rest of Manhattan.

Originally this area was a private estate. It was purchased by John D. Rockefeller in 1917, and then donated to the city. Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. (son of the landscape architect for Central Park) was responsible for plotting out the paths and roads. There are flower gardens and open meadows and a number of picnic pavilions. Really, Mother Nature herself also deserves a great deal of credit here as well.

The Park is home to the Cloisters, which houses the Medieval art and architecture collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I came across the Cloisters after wandering through the parks hills and valleys just north of the MTA station at 190th Street. I actually got lost for a while, which added to my sense of being a pilgrim walking through the woods. It was a snowy day, and the whiteness probably covered several signs or guideposts that would have helped point the way.

In the north part f the island is the museum that houses 5,000 pieces of art from mostly Medieval period of 12th-15th centuries. John D. Rockefeller Jr. assembled these pieces-where did he get the time and still make money? If there was an internet, he could have searched on line instead of taking those trips to Europe all the time.

This collection of medieval art totals 5,000 pieces of sculptures, artworks, and other treasures. It is located in Washington Park in Manhattan on four acres and a fair sized museem. It is controlled by Metropolitan Museum of Art. John D. Rockefeller Jr. Assembled the artworks, and completed the collection in 1938.

Every year there is a medieval festival where people dress up in various costumes from the medieval period, speak as if they are from that age, sell items that one would wear or eat during that time, and a joust tournament. Its ok if you are into that sort of thing.

The park itself is beautiful to visit any time. It is located somewhere between 181 to 200th in Manhattan and is connected to Inwood Hill Park. There are views of the Hudson River and Palisades of New Jersey. Inside the park there is the Cloisters museum which is is part of the MOMA.

Please wear comfortable shoes because some paths of the park are cobblestone

Where do you think the picture was taken? Italy? Spain? France? Actually the picture was taken in Manhattan. At the northern tip of Manhattan island is a museum called the Cloisters, which is part of the Metropolitan museum of art. The Cloisters is dedicated to medieval art, including tapestries and furniture and religious icons. But the museum takes its name from the 3 cloisters (gardens) inside the complex which in Spring and Summer are full of flowers and vegetation. The Cloisters was the idea of the very powerful and very rich John D Rockefeller, who bought various buildings in Europe to save them from ruin, had them disassembled, shipped, and re-assembled in Manhattan, and then donated the whole lot to the Metropolitan museum. John D even bought a huge area of land across the Hudson River from the Cloisters, called the Palisades, so the view from the Cloisters would never be compromised by over-development. To this day the view from the Cloisters is an unspoiled and expansive scene of the Hudson river and thousands of trees.

Not many visitors are aware of another part of the famous Metropolitan Museum of Art (5th Ave @ 82nd Street). The Cloisters is a wonderful example of preserved medieval architecture of Europe. It is located in Fort Tyron Park on the west side of Manhattan (not to be mistaken with the "Upper West Side".) It'll take a bit to get there, but will only take 1 to 2 hours to go through it depending on how meticulous you are about art and museums. The most breathtaking parts are the Unicorn Tapestries and the story that accompanies them, and the view out from the balcony that looks over the Hudson River to New Jersey. On a clear spring or fall day, you could stand there for hours. An FYI, since the Cloisters are part of the Metropolitan, your admission to either one is good at the other on the same day. So if you want to do both, make sure it's on the same day.

Fort Tryon Park
New York, New York 10040

The Cloisters Museum in Fort Tyron Park and is the branch of the Metropolitan Museum devoted to the art and architecture of medieval Europe. Located on four acres overlooking the Hudson River, the building incorporates elements from five medieval French cloisters—quadrangles enclosed by a roofed or vaulted passageway, or arcade—and from other monastic sites in southern France.

Three of the cloisters reconstructed at the branch museum feature gardens planted according to horticultural information found in medieval treatises and poetry, garden documents and herbals, and medieval works of art, such as tapestries, stained-glass windows, and column capitals. Approximately five thousand works of art from medieval Europe, dating from about A.D. 800 -- with particular emphasis on the twelfth through fifteenth century -- are exhibited here!

This is one of New York's hidden treasure. It is a part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, located on the Northwest side of Manhattan, close to the George Washington Bridge. The museum is devoted entirely to the medieval arts and the building helps created the feeling of being transported back in time. The museum is surrounded by beautiful Fort Tyron Park and to get there, you have to walk from the nearest subway station, about 10-15 minutes ... and trust me, it doesn't feel that long because the walk itself is a pleasure. It's highly recommended to go there in the summertime, since all the flowers are blooming and the weather is nice. Some people sometimes just go to the park and have picnics or just walk around with their families and friends. Unfortunately, most tourists miss this, because of its isolated location, but it's really worth checking out .. especially if you want to experience the more relaxing side of New York City.
The way to go there is to take the A train to 190th Street and walk towards the Margaret Corbin Drive. Or if you prefer to take the bus, take the M4 uptown to the last stop (Fort Tyron Park).

Once you've seen all NYC has to offer, check out this place. You'll take in a calm and tranquil location in upper Manhattan. It is a castle perched on top of a hill with a museum in it, five medevial cloisters imported from France filled with Art and other artifacts. The biuildings themsleves are a tourist attraction as well as the gardens. There are many weddings that are held here, it is a very romantic spot.

Hours
Tue-Sun, 9:30am-4:45pm (5:15pm Mar-Oct); Mon, closed

Directions
Take the "A" train to 190th' street station.

Admission
Suggested $12 for adults and $7 for students and seniors.

An oasis of peace in the middle of Manhattan. It is a romanic european monastery built up with parts of other 'real' monasteries.

Take the subway to Fort Tryon, in the very north of Manhattan. If you go first to the Metropolitan Museum, you can use the same ticket for both.

Javits Park -- in Washington Heights, just across from Mother Cabrini High School and the entrance to Ft. Tryon Park and the Cloisters Museum. This looks like it would be a terrific neighborhood to live in. People were friendly and the streets are lined with big trees.

The Cloisters is a short drive outside of the center of Manhattan, but is owned and operated by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Cloisters is made up of several authentic medieval architectural elements to recreate a French cloister. Besides utilizing the architectue, it also houses the entire European Architecture collection of the met. The pieces were bought from European cities, at the time between the world wars, when many European cities were broke. Besides the impressive medieval architecture, the cloisters showcases tapestries, stained-glass, and sculpture. Really a beautiful place with a fantastic collection. The cloisters also have medieval gardens with medicinal herbs of the period. Great gift shop! The Cloisters is very impressive, and should not be missed!

For Directions visit:
http://www.metmuseum.org/visitor/index.asp#DirectionsCloisters

A FASCINATING GLIMPSE OF THE MIDDLE AGES.....

These CLOISTERS are a branch of the Metropolitan MUSEUM of ART devoted to art of the MIDDLE AGES !

Again it was John D. Rockefeller jr, whose generous gifts provided the building, its imposing hilltop setting and the acquisition of the impressive George Grey BARNARD collection of MEDIEVAL ART and ARCHITECTURE to form the nucleus of THE CLOISTERS COLLECTION.

The cloisters opened to the public in 1938. Over 55 years later the collection continues to grow, both in diversity and in scope.

The museum own its name to the fact that portions of the arcades of FIVE MEDIEVAL CLOISTERS have been integrated into the modern structure !

The museum is organized in a roughly chronological manner. It begins with art from the Romanesque period, dating from about AD 1000 to the period between 1150 - 1200 and continues through the GOTHIC eat beginning about 1150 and ending with the last flowering of medieval art around 1520 .

The collections has most wonderful illuminated manuscripts, stained glass, wrought-iron work, enamels, ivory and paintings.

THIS COMPLEX IS ABSOLUTE UNIQUE IN THE USA.

CLOSED: all Mondays
FREE PARKING available.
DAILY TOURS AND LECTURES AND
A NICE GIFT SHOP WITH HIGH QUALITY GIFTS....

The Cloisters is a branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It is devoted to the art and architecture of Medieval Europe. It is located in Fort Tryon Park, high above the Hudson River at about 190th Street.

The Cloisters is the Metropolitan Museum's medieval department, located in the far north of Manhattan. The area is called Washington Heights, and you get there easily by subway, making a short walk through the nice park. The collection is set in a medieval cloister, transported from Europe, and the quiet surroundings add to the mystical charm of the place: it gives a very unreal feeling because it's surrounded by bustling New York City!