Albany offers something for
everyone. The lively capital city of New York State is full of surprises. For
the sports enthusiast, there are hockey, football, and basketball at the Pepsi
Arena. For those who prefer something quieter, there are many museums and
historic buildings to tour. Visitors have several options. Guided tours by
trolley, on foot, and even by horse drawn-carriage travel through Albany's
neighborhoods, providing information about attractions and historic sites.
Explorer Henry Hudson
discovered Albany in 1609 while he was seeking a shorter route to the Far East.
Soon after, in 1624, Dutch merchants settled there to bring furs from the north
and ship them to Europe. Albany still serves under its original charter, which
dates back to July 22, 1686. In 1797 it became the Capital of the State of New
York.
Albany’s vast Empire State
Plaza covers 98 acres. This state office complex took 13 years to build. The
Plaza features striking architecture and the world’s largest collection of
modern art not housed in a museum. At the end of the super sleek structure is
the Capitol building, which was 30 years in the making. The State Capitol sits
atop one of the seven hills that fashion the city's landscape. Begun in 1867,
construction continued until 1897 when Governor Frank S. Black declared the
building finished, ending one of the longest running public works projects up to
that time.
Albany’s downtown is
thriving, due in large part to the more than $30 million renovation that was
undertaken to make the city more appealing. Power lines were replaced and
buried underground beneath the 300-year-old streets; new trees were planted;
period lampposts replaced with modern illumination; and vintage cobbled
sidewalks were built.
A pedestrian bridge
spanning the interstate and dubbed the Hudson River Way, allows visitors to
enjoy the scenic Hudson River banks once more. Paintings on 30 lampposts along
the bridge depict memorable aspects of Albany’s past. The paintings have
passersby doing double takes. Trompe l’oeil, a 16th-century painting technique
that means, “tricks the eye,” does just that. The paintings appear to be the
actual objects depicted, not just artistically rendered images.
Albany is the home of the
New York State Museum, the largest state museum in the country.
With three and a half acres
of exhibits and no admission charge, the museum is an inexpensive and
fascinating way to spend an afternoon.
Albany offers days and
nights filled with a wide variety of attractions for people of all ages to
experience and enjoy.
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