New York City

The 46 m high Statue of Liberty on its giant throne base greets visitors to the metropolis from far away.... Between 1892 and 1924 in particular, she welcomed millions of immigrants arriving in New York by ship. The statue itself, a present from France, embarked on its own long sea journey across the Atlantic to America in 1884, dismantled into small sections and packed in 200 boxes, as a symbol of friendship to the people and love of freedom. A year later on 28 October 1886 she was unveiled in all pomp. The internal framework of the statue was designed by Gustave Eiffel, father of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, and the Alsace sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi completed the rest. Since the renovation, you can now venture inside the statue once more. However, if you want to walk round the lady's crown, you may need to book some time in advance. Only the base, the museum and the visitors' platform are freely accessible. The crowds are nevertheless still huge and visitors require patience, particularly in the afternoons, as the waiting times for the ticket booths for the ferry, on the ferry itself and then again at the statue are massive. more

More than 40 exhibition halls and 30 million specimens of one of the largest Museum of Natural History... will delight especially the kids. One day will hardly be enough for a tour. The museum was built between 1874-1877. The Rose Center for Earth and Space shows and explains the history of the universe. It is the newest attraction and opened in 2000. Be sure to visit the Space Show at the Hayden Planetarium. Further highlights are the dinosaur department, the "Hall of Ocean Life" with a Blue Whale model, the "Hall of Biodiversty with an artificial rain forrest, the mammal exhibition, an IMAX movie theater, as well as the legendary 563-karat saphir "Star of India." more

The two 411-meter (1348-ft) tall towers of the World Trade Center had been the highest buildings in New... York and a symbol of the economic power of the city for more than 30 years. But then, after the horrible 9/11 attacks, the proud Twin Towers collapsed. Now a deep hole can be seen where the towers once stood - Grund Zero. This will also be the sight of the new World Trade Center with several skyscrapers. Among others, Norman Foster an David Childs designed the plans. A memorial sight for the 2,749 victims is planned to be the heart of the complex. But until then the victims are honored at the Tribute World Trade Center (120 Liberty Street, Mon, Wed-Sat 10am-6 pm, Tue noon-6 pm, Sun noon-5 pm, http://www.tributewtc.org.) Tours are also offered. more