Columbus Circle Monument

Address: Columbus Circle, Manhattan (W 59th St & Broadway), New York, NY 10023, USA

Hours: Open 24/7 (outdoor public space)

Admission: Free (outdoor public space)

Columbus Circle is a major traffic circle and public plaza at the southwest corner of Central Park in Manhattan, New York City, marking the intersection of Broadway, Eighth Avenue, and 59th Street. It combines a monumental statue, busy vehicular traffic, and a large transit station, making it a prominent urban node.

At the circle’s center stands a tall column topped by a statue of Christopher Columbus; the landscaped ring around it offers pedestrian access and sightlines into Central Park. Immediately adjacent are large mixed-use buildings with retail, cultural venues, hotels, and offices, so the area serves both tourists and commuters.

The site dates to the late 19th century when the monument was erected; the modern traffic configuration and surrounding commercial buildings developed through the 20th century. The circle also functions as a major subway transfer point with underground station entrances clustered around the plaza.

Geographically Columbus Circle sits at the boundary of Midtown and the Upper West Side, on the southern edge of Central Park in Manhattan, a short walk from Fifth Avenue and major Midtown landmarks.

• Location role: Located at the southwest corner of Central Park, it functions both as a vehicular roundabout and a major pedestrian and transit hub connecting Midtown and the Upper West Side.
• Viewing tip: The pedestrian areas around the monument provide good views into the southern edge of Central Park and of nearby high-rise facades at sunset.

What to See#

• Columbus Monument: A late 19th-century columned monument topped by a statue of Christopher Columbus, occupying the small landscaped island at the center of the traffic circle.
• 59th Street-Columbus Circle station: Major subway and transfer point located under the circle with entrances to the 59th Street-Columbus Circle station serving several subway lines and providing direct access to the surrounding shopping and cultural venues.

Columbus Circle is at the southwest corner of Central Park at 59th Street and Eighth Avenue in Manhattan. Take the New York City Subway to 59th-Columbus Circle (served by the 1, A, B, C and D trains) and you emerge at the circle itself. By car it’s in midtown Manhattan at the corner of Central Park West and Broadway/8th Avenue-short drives from other midtown locations depending on traffic.

• Use the 59th Street-Columbus Circle subway station (A/B/C/D/1 lines) for the most direct access and to avoid surface traffic and complicated crossings around the circle.
• Visit at sunrise or early morning for clearer views into the southwest corner of Central Park and to avoid the heavy commuter and tourist flows that build later in the day.
• Stand on the pedestrian island (where the statue is) to get a sense of the monument's scale and to orient yourself toward nearby landmarks such as the Time Warner/Columbus Circle complex and Broadway - many visitors only pass through without noticing the park-side viewpoint.