Bow Bridge (Central Park)

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}

{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}

{{Infobox bridge

|bridge_name = Bow Bridge

|image = Bow Bridge in Central Park on Thanksgiving 2010.jpg

|image_size = 300px

|locale = The Ramble and Lake, Central Park

|designer = Calvert Vaux and Jacob Wrey Mould

|design = Classical Greek

|complete = 1862

|material = Cast iron

|spans = 1

|mainspan = {{convert|60|ft}}

|length = {{convert|87|ft}}

|traffic = Pedestrian

|coordinates = {{Coord|40|46|33|N|73|58|18.6|W|type:landmark_region:US-NY|display=inline,title}}

}}

The Bow Bridge{{IPAc-en|ˈ|b|oʊ}} is a cast iron bridge located in Central Park, New York City, crossing over the Lake and used as a pedestrian walkway.{{Cite web|url=http://www.centralparknyc.org/assets/pdfs/maps/CPC_Map_2014_V2.pdf|title=Central Park Map|date=2014|website=centralparknyc.org|publisher=Central Park Conservancy|access-date=April 1, 2019|archive-date=October 5, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191005170140/http://www.centralparknyc.org/assets/pdfs/maps/CPC_Map_2014_V2.pdf|url-status=dead}}

It is decorated with an interlocking circles banister, with eight planting urns on top of decorative bas-relief panels. Intricate arabesque elements and volutes can be seen underneath the span arch. Its {{convert|87|ft|m|-long|adj=mid}} span is the longest of the park's bridges, though the balustrade is {{convert|142|ft|m}} long.{{cite web|url=http://www.centralparknyc.org/things-to-see-and-do/attractions/bow-bridge.html|title=Bow Bridge|publisher=Central Park Conservancy|access-date=April 7, 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.echonyc.com/~parks/books/bridges19.html|title=19. Bow Bridge|website=Greensward Foundation|access-date=April 7, 2019}}{{cite book | last=Spiegler | first=J.C. | last2=Gaykowski | first2=P.M. | title=The Bridges of Central Park | publisher=Arcadia | series=Then & Now | year=2006 | isbn=978-0-7385-3861-7 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=J3ZWCdWfKykC |pages=64–66}} While other bridges in Central Park are inconspicuous, the Bow Bridge is made to stand out from its surroundings.{{cite web |author-link1=Henry Hope Reed Jr. |first1=Henry Hope |last1=Reed |first2=Robert M. |last2=McGee |first3=Esther |last3=Mipaas |url=https://www.echonyc.com/~parks/books/bridges.html |title=The Bridges of Central Park |publisher=Greensward Foundation |year=1990}} The Bow Bridge is also the only one of Central Park's seven ornamental iron bridges that does not traverse a bridle path.{{Cite book|last=Heckscher|first=Morrison H.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Dx_GNFFLSXsC&pg=PA17|title=Creating Central Park|date=2008|publisher=Metropolitan Museum of Art|isbn=978-0-30013-669-2|language=en|page=46}}

The bridge was designed by Calvert Vaux and Jacob Wrey Mould, and completed in 1862. It was built by the Bronx-based iron foundry Janes, Kirtland & Co., the same company that constructed the dome of U.S. Capitol Building.{{Cite web|title=Bow Bridge|url=https://centralpark.org/bow-bridge/|access-date=2021-09-06|website=Central Park|language=en-US}} The bridge was restored in 1974.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1974/09/24/archives/restored-bow-bridge-reopens-to-pedestrians.html|title=Restored Bow Bridge Reopens to Pedestrians|date=1974-09-24|work=The New York Times|access-date=2020-01-20|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}} The bridge was closed again in November 2023 for a two-month renovation.{{cite web | title=Popular Central Park photo spot closed for repairs: What to know | website=NBC New York | date=November 27, 2023 | url=https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/popular-central-park-photo-spot-closed-for-repairs-what-to-know/4897346/ | access-date=November 28, 2023}}{{cite web | last=Rahmanan | first=Anna | title=The iconic Central Park Bow Bridge is officially closed for two months | website=Time Out New York | date=November 27, 2023 | url=https://www.timeout.com/newyork/news/the-iconic-central-park-brow-bridge-is-officially-closed-for-two-months-112723 | access-date=November 28, 2023}}