Four Freedoms Park: the must-see park on Roosevelt Island
Four Freedoms Park sits at the southern tip of Roosevelt Island, an island in the East River between Manhattan and Queens. The park honors President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
What You Need to Know About Four Freedoms Park
- Four Freedoms Park sits at the southern tip of Roosevelt Island, surrounded by the waters of the East River.
- The park was conceived over 40 years ago as a tribute to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who led the United States during World War II. Roosevelt stood up to Stalin at the Yalta Conference.
- Architect Louis Kahn designed the park before his death in 1973, but construction didn’t begin until March 2010. It opened on October 19, 2012, with then-New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and former U.S. President Bill Clinton in attendance.
- The park’s name comes directly from President Roosevelt’s State of the Union address delivered on January 6, 1941. The United States had not yet entered the war against Japan and Germany.
- Note: Four Freedoms Park is closed on Tuesdays.
What to See at Four Freedoms Park
- Four Freedoms Park has a triangular layout centered around two rows of trees facing each other across a white granite esplanade. This leads to an imposing bust of the former president, created by sculptor Joe Davinson.
- At the back, engraved on one of the stone blocks, you can read the speech President Roosevelt delivered to Congress.
- Don’t miss the views: the park offers sweeping vistas of Midtown buildings, including the United Nations headquarters and the Chrysler Building. You’ll also see tugboats and vessels moving along the East River.
Four Freedoms Park in Photos
