New City Hall in early spring



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City Mayors reports news from towns and cities around the world. Worldwide | Elections | North America | Latin America | Europe | Asia | Africa |


City Mayors ranks the world’s largest, best as well as richest cities and urban areas. It also ranks the cities in individual countries, and provides a list of the capital cities of some 200 sovereign countries. More


City Mayors profiles city leaders from around the world. More


City Mayors describes the history, architecture and politics of the greatest city halls in the world. More


Mayors from The Americas, Europe. Asia, Australia and Africa compete for the World Mayor Award. More


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In your opinion: Praise Criticise. Write


City Mayors reports political events, analyses the issues and depicts the main players. More


City Mayors describes and explains the structures and workings of local government in Europe, The Americas, Asia, Australia and Africa. More


City Mayors deals with economic and investment issues affecting towns and cities. More


City Mayors describes and explains financial issues affecting local government. More


City Mayors reports urban environmental developments and examines the challenges faced by cities worldwide. More


City Mayors reports on and discusses urban development issues in developed and developing countries. More


City Mayors reports on developments in urban society and behaviour and reviews relevant research. More


City Mayors invites readers to write about the people in their cities. More


City Mayors examines city brands and marketing. More


City Mayors lists and features urban events, conferences and conventions aimed at urban decision makers and those with an interst in cities worldwide. More



City Mayors deals with urban transport issues in developed and developing countries and features the world’s greatest metro systems. More


City Mayors examines education issues and policies affecting children and adults in urban areas. More


City Mayors investigates health issues affecting urban areas with an emphasis on health in cities in developing countries. More


City Mayors reports on how business developments impact on cities and examines cooperation between cities and the private sector. More


City Mayors examines the contributions history and culture make to urban society and environment. More


City Mayors examines the importance of urban tourism to city economies. More


City Mayors questions those who govern the world’s cities and talks to men and women who contribute to urban society and environment. More


City Mayors profiles national and international organisations representing cities as well as those dealing with urban issues. More


City Mayors reports on major national and international sporting events and their impact on cities. More


City Mayors lists cities and city organisations, profiles individual mayors and provides information on hundreds of urban events. More


City Mayors reports news from towns and cities around the world. Worldwide | Elections | North America | Latin America | Europe | Asia | Africa |


City Mayors ranks the world’s largest, best as well as richest cities and urban areas. It also ranks the cities in individual countries, and provides a list of the capital cities of some 200 sovereign countries. More


City Mayors profiles city leaders from around the world. More


City Mayors describes the history, architecture and politics of the greatest city halls in the world. More


Mayors from The Americas, Europe. Asia, Australia and Africa compete for the World Mayor Award. More


Use
Mayor Monitor to rate the performance of mayors from across the world More


In your opinion: Praise Criticise. Write


City Mayors reports political events, analyses the issues and depicts the main players. More


City Mayors describes and explains the structures and workings of local government in Europe, The Americas, Asia, Australia and Africa. More


City Mayors deals with economic and investment issues affecting towns and cities. More


City Mayors describes and explains financial issues affecting local government. More


City Mayors reports urban environmental developments and examines the challenges faced by cities worldwide. More


City Mayors reports on and discusses urban development issues in developed and developing countries. More


City Mayors reports on developments in urban society and behaviour and reviews relevant research. More


City Mayors invites readers to write about the people in their cities. More


City Mayors examines city brands and marketing. More


City Mayors lists and features urban events, conferences and conventions aimed at urban decision makers and those with an interst in cities worldwide. More



City Mayors deals with urban transport issues in developed and developing countries and features the world’s greatest metro systems. More


City Mayors examines education issues and policies affecting children and adults in urban areas. More


City Mayors investigates health issues affecting urban areas with an emphasis on health in cities in developing countries. More


City Mayors reports on how business developments impact on cities and examines cooperation between cities and the private sector. More


City Mayors examines the contributions history and culture make to urban society and environment. More


City Mayors examines the importance of urban tourism to city economies. More


City Mayors questions those who govern the world’s cities and talks to men and women who contribute to urban society and environment. More


City Mayors profiles national and international organisations representing cities as well as those dealing with urban issues. More


City Mayors reports on major national and international sporting events and their impact on cities. More


City Mayors lists cities and city organisations, profiles individual mayors and provides information on hundreds of urban events. More


New York City Hall
By Gregor Gosciniak

17 April 2005: New York City is one of the few metropolises in the world that does not require an introduction. Its many attractions, including Brooklyn Bridge, the Statue of Liberty, Central Park, the Empire State Building and the Museum of Modern Art, are featured every day in journals across the world. However, New York’s beautiful City Hall is largely ignored by travel writers, even though is it one of the most treasured buildings the city has to offer.

Built between 1803 and 1811 by Joseph Francois Mangin and John McComb Junior, New York City Hall was officially opened in 1812. Since then it has been the official seat of the New York City government and the Mayor of the City. The building is located in the small City Hall Park overshadowed to the much better known Municipal Building.

New York’s first City Hall was build by the Dutch in the 17th century on Pearl Street. The city’s second City Hall, built in 1700, stood on Wall and Nassau Streets. After New York became the official capital of the US, the name of the City Hall was changed to Federal Hall. Plans for building a new, representative City Hall were discussed by New York City Council as early as 1776, but the financial strains of the War of Independence put a stop to it.

However, in 1802 a competition was held for a new City Hall and the first prize of $350 was awarded to John McComb Junior and Joseph Francois Mangin. John McComb Junior, who’s father had already worked on the old City Hall, was a New Yorker while Joseph Mangin studied architecture in  his native France. Joseph Mangin was City Surveyor in 1795 and published an official map of New York in 1803. He also designed the landmark Old St. Patrick's Church on Mott Street.

McComb designed the James Watson House on State Street, Hamilton Grange on Convent Avenue as well as Castle Clinton in famous Battery Park. City Hall is the only known project where the two architects worked on together. The start of construction was delayed because the City Council considered the design of the building as too extravagant. The two architects had to reduce the size of the building. They also had to do with cheaper materials to keep the costs as low as possible. Furthermore, disputes with the workers and a bad outbreak of yellow fever slowed the work down so much that the building could not be dedicated before 1811 and not be opened before 1812.

The design of New York City Hall combines two popular historical architectural elements. The exterior facade reflects the French Renaissance while the interior of the building reflects American-Georgian style. The building consists of a central pavilion with two wings. City Hall is entered via a sweeping staircase, which has figured prominently in civic events for more than a century and a half and leads up to the one-story portico, fronting the building. The portico’s roof is surrounded by a balustrade which forms a balcony outside the Governor’s Room’s five large, arched windows. The domed tower in the centre of City Hall was rebuilt in 1917 after the last of two major fires.

Inside City Hall, the rotunda is a soaring space with a grand marble stairway rising up to the second floor where ten Corinthian columns support the dome, recalling the Pantheon in Rome. The rotunda has been the site of many famous municipal and national events. Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant were laid in state here, attracting enormous crowds from all over the country to pay their last respects.


World Mayor Nominations