Central Park

=== Plazas and entrances ===
[[File:USS Maine (ACR-1) Monument Columbus Circle NYC.JPG|thumb|upright=1|alt=The USS ''Maine'' National Monument| The [[USS Maine National Monument|USS ''Maine'' National Monument]] at Merchants' Gate in the park]]
Central Park is surrounded by a {{convert|29025|ft|m|adj=mid|-long}}, {{convert|3|ft|10|in|cm|adj=mid|-high}} stone wall. It initially contained 18 unnamed gates.{{sfn|Heckscher|2008|p=49}} In April 1862, the Central Park commissioners adopted a proposal to name each gate with "the vocations to which this city owes its metropolitan character", such as miners, scholars, artists, or hunters.{{sfn|Heckscher|2008|p=49}}<ref>{{cite news |last=Pollak |first=Michael|title=What Is Jamaica, Queens, Named After?|work=The New York Times |date=July 6, 2014|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/06/nyregion/what-is-jamaica-queens-named-after.html |access-date=April 21, 2019 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190330032410/https://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/06/nyregion/what-is-jamaica-queens-named-after.html|archive-date=March 30, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> The park grew to contain 20 named gates by the late 20th century,<ref name="Conservancy Gates"/>{{sfn|Landmarks Preservation Commission|1974|p=6 (PDF p. 7)}} four of which are accessed from plazas at each corner of the park.<ref name="central-park-map"/><ref name="Conservancy Gates">{{cite web |url=http://www.centralparknyc.org/things-to-see-and-do/attractions/named-gates.html |title=Named Gates|publisher=Central Park Conservancy|access-date=April 2, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402033704/http://www.centralparknyc.org/things-to-see-and-do/attractions/named-gates.html|archive-date=April 2, 2019}}</ref> No named gates were added between 1862 and 2022,<ref name="Small 2022 x115">{{cite web | last=Small | first=Zachary | title=Decades After the Central Park Jogger Attack, a City Marks Its Mistake | website=The New York Times | date=December 12, 2022 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/12/arts/design/central-park-five-gate.html | access-date=January 19, 2024 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> when the Gate of the Exonerated at Lenox Avenue and Central Park North was dedicated in honor of the [[Central Park Five]].<ref name="Kristina Sgueglia 2022 i926">{{cite web | last=Kristina Sgueglia | first=Nicki Brown | title=A Central Park entrance named for the exonerated 'Central Park Five' is unveiled | website=CNN | date=December 19, 2022 | url=https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/19/us/central-park-five-gate-exonerated/index.html | access-date=January 19, 2024}}</ref>

Columbus Circle is a circular plaza at the southwestern corner, at the junction of Central Park West/Eighth Avenue, [[Broadway (Manhattan)|Broadway]], and 59th&nbsp;Street (Central Park South).<ref name="central-park-map"/><ref name=":14a">{{cite web|url=https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/central-park/highlights/7738 |work=Central Park Highlights|title=Columbus Circle|publisher=New York City Department of Parks and Recreation |access-date=April 2, 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190402033705/https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/central-park/highlights/7738 |archive-date=April 2, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> Built in the 1860s,<ref name=":14a"/> it contains the Merchant's Gate entrance to the park.,<ref name="Conservancy Gates"/> and its largest feature is the 1892 [[Columbus Monument (New York City)|Columbus Monument]]<ref name=":14a"/><ref>{{Cite news|title=The Voyager In Marble |date=October 13, 1892 |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1892/10/13/104148386.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1892/10/13/104148386.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |url-status=live |access-date=October 13, 2017|work=The New York Times|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> and was the subject of controversies in the 2010s.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Rosenberg|first=Zoe|date=August 23, 2017 |publisher=Curbed NY |url=https://ny.curbed.com/2017/8/23/16189330/chirstopher-columbus-circle-statue-removal |title=Elected officials call for removal of Christopher Columbus statue near Central Park|access-date=October 15, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171015150312/https://ny.curbed.com/2017/8/23/16189330/chirstopher-columbus-circle-statue-removal|archive-date=October 15, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2017/08/30/columbus-statue-controversy/|title=Columbus Day Parade Organizers Fight To Keep Statue In Columbus Circle |date=August 30, 2017 |publisher=WCBS-TV |access-date=October 15, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171015095151/http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2017/08/30/columbus-statue-controversy/|archive-date=October 15, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> The 1913 USS ''Maine'' National Monument is just outside the park entrance.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Monument To Maine Heroes Ready For Unveiling |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1913/05/25/100267546.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1913/05/25/100267546.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |url-status=live |date=May 25, 1913|work=The New York Times|access-date=October 14, 2017|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

The square Grand Army Plaza is on the southeastern corner, at the junction with Fifth Avenue and 59th&nbsp;Street.<ref name="central-park-map"/> Its largest feature is the ''[[Pulitzer Fountain]]'', which was completed in 1916 along with the plaza itself.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/grand-army-plaza-m062/monuments/1291|title=Pulitzer Fountain|publisher=New York City Department of Parks and Recreation|access-date=April 2, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402033726/https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/grand-army-plaza-m062/monuments/1291|archive-date=April 2, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> The plaza contains the ''[[William Tecumseh Sherman (Saint-Gaudens)|William Tecumseh Sherman]]'' statue, dedicated in 1903.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/grand-army-plaza-m062/monuments/1442|title=William Tecumseh Sherman|publisher=New York City Department of Parks and Recreation|access-date=April 2, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402033810/https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/grand-army-plaza-m062/monuments/1442|archive-date=April 2, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

Duke Ellington Circle, at the northeastern corner, forms the junction between Fifth Avenue and Central Park North/110th&nbsp;Street.<ref name="central-park-map"/> It contains the [[Duke Ellington]] Memorial, dedicated in 1997.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/central-park/monuments/1781|title=Duke Ellington Memorial|publisher=New York City Department of Parks and Recreation|access-date=April 2, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402033704/https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/central-park/monuments/1781|archive-date=April 2, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> Duke Ellington Circle is adjacent to the Pioneers' Gate.<ref name="Conservancy Gates"/>

Frederick Douglass Circle is on the northwestern corner, at the junction with Central Park West/Eighth Avenue and Central Park North/110th&nbsp;Street.<ref name="central-park-map"/> It was named for Douglass in 1950.<ref>{{Cite news|date=September 18, 1950|title=City Circle Named in Negro's Honor; 9 Descendants of Frederick Douglass Attend Ceremony at Central Park Corner|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1950/09/18/89746989.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1950/09/18/89746989.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |url-status=live|access-date=March 26, 2021|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> The center of the circle contains a memorial to [[Frederick Douglass]], dedicated in 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/central-park/monuments/2098|title=Frederick Douglass Memorial|publisher=New York City Department of Parks and Recreation|access-date=April 2, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402033724/https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/central-park/monuments/2098|archive-date=April 2, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>