Bethesda Fountain

A truly picturesque fountain in Central Park 🤍 • I’m so glad I got to see it during quiet winter mornings: no crowds, just peaceful views. • Seeing it with snow-capped grounds after the snowstorm made it even more magical and beautiful. • The surrounding areas are clean and clearly well-maintained by the park staff. • Definitely a lovely spot for photos and shoots when in NYC! Winter mornings here just feel extra cinematic ❄️✨

6 Sep 25- Visited for a family picnic. Very colorful and happening place. People in large number in colorful attires. A few marriages being solemized, Some engagement proposals , coming of age photo shoots and people enjoying boating in the lakes. Very refreshing sites. Thoroughly enjoyed our time spent here.

It’s a good spot for photos. Lots of tourists also love this spot too and will be busy regardless often weather conditions.

Really calm and beautiful for a stop. From wiki "Bethesda Terrace and Fountain are two architectural features overlooking the southern shore of the Lake in New York City's Central Park. The fountain, with its Angel of the Waters statue, is located in the center of the terrace. Bethesda Terrace's two levels are united by two grand staircases and a lesser one that passes under Terrace Drive. They provide passage southward to the Central Park Mall and Naumburg Bandshell at the center of the park. The upper terrace flanks the 72nd Street Cross Drive and the lower terrace provides a podium for viewing the Lake. The mustard-olive colored carved stone is New Brunswick sandstone, with a harder stone for cappings, with granite steps and landings, and herringbone pattern paving of Roman brick laid on edge."

I visited Bethesda Fountain in Central Park, and it was absolutely breathtaking. The Angel of the Waters sculpture is beautifully detailed, and the surrounding terrace adds an elegant, historic atmosphere. It’s a perfect spot for photos, leisurely walks, or just to sit and enjoy the view of the park. Even though it can get crowded during peak hours, the charm and serenity of the fountain make it well worth the visit. Highly recommended for anyone exploring Central Park!

We stumbled upon a wedding at Bethesda Fountain in Central Park and it honestly felt like a movie scene. The bride and groom were walking down the brick terrace with the fall leaves behind them and the skyline peeking through the trees. People all around naturally paused to watch and smile. It was one of those unexpected NYC moments where the whole city softens for a second. The music, the laughter, the photos happening on the steps—everything felt warm and joyfully effortless. It was a reminder that New York is chaotic and grand and loud, but also full of these quiet pockets of magic where strangers become witnesses to something beautiful. A really lovely moment in the middle of a normal day. ✨

Popular place in the center of the park. Good walk from the south entrance. Some entertainment around, and seating overlooking the water.

Amazingly beautiful. Clean, tourist haggling to a minimum. And beautiful live performances. Must see

So much is happening here all the time. From people playing live music, wedding proposals, quinceaneras, you name it! There's even turtle watching, if you'd like. A very neutral place to visit. Also, the fountain itself is wonderful. Great architecture.

The Bethesda Fountain is one of the largest fountains in New York, and also one of the most well-known fountains in the world. I think it's fascinating to find out that the statue at its center was the only sculpture to have been commissioned as the park's original design. I like how nice the view is from all angles, either facing the terrace or in front of the water.

What a beauty! We came in the winter so the water was off but MAN!!! If it's this beautiful with it off, I can't imagine when it's on. The fountain is big. They had an old school photographer that took your photo and printed it like an old school newspaper. They had a beautiful walkthrough behind it which an amazing ceiling. The acoustics were nice and had a lady singing Ave Maria.

Very beautiful fountain and courtyard area located in the heart of Central Park. The fountain is located together with the Bethesda Terrace. When my wife and I visited on a weekday afternoon the fountain was not turned on (water was not flowing and the bottom pool was empty). However, it was still pretty. There were a lot of people sitting along the edge of the fountain and its surrounding benches. There were even two live musicians playing for tips.

You'll be sure to have a unique experience anytime you visit! I love walking to Bethesda Fountain anytime I visit Central Park. It's a perfect walking distance from the park entrance, so if you aren't planning on staying the entire day in the park, I highly recommend walking to Bethesda Fountain and back. It is typically more exciting-- and busier-- on the weekends, but even during the week, there are always things going on. The fountain itself is beautiful, but the entire Bethesda Terrace (where the fountain sits) is such a neat place. There are always artists, dancers, musicians, poets, and street entertainers in the area. The fountain is absolutely stunning and a great Central Park photo-op. It's not typically operating in the late fall/winter, so keep that in mind when you visit. Either way, the statue in the center of fountain is a must-see. According to the Central Park Conversancy website, "At the top of the Fountain is the sculpture Angel of the Waters, a bronze figure of a robed angel with raised wings. She delicately steps on a stone which spouts forth water. The water cascades down from the sculpture into two basins and fills a large circular pool." This is such a beautiful, romantic, peaceful place in the park, and I will always recommend it to your NYC trip!

I remembered the Bethesda Fountain from my 2016 visit to New York, in which I sat and relaxed, listening to a "pleasant, non-irritating busker" (I find most buskers annoying because their music is so loud), enjoying the beauty of the fountain and area. Unfortunately when I went during the summer in 2022, the area around the fountain was fenced off and there were trucks and tents in the area, setting up for a fundraising event, which prevented the ability to take photos or enjoy the fountain. Regardless, the fountain is beautiful, and when not closed, it's a lovely spot to sit and relax. [Yelp collections: East Coast 2022; NY Summer 2022; NY Central Park]

Bethesda Fountain has been a piece of Central Park since 1873! Whoa! The centerpiece of the Fountain is the 8-foot tall "Angel of the Waters" statue perched atop the fountain. The sculpture has its origins in the Gospel of John about an angel blessing the Pools of Bethesda and thereby giving it healing powers! If you go up the staircase you have a spectacular view of the Fountain and the entire Bethesda Terrace. People were traipsing about the area and enjoying the whole scene. It's a fantastic spot in the park to take a rest and just take in the beauty of the whole scene! If you happen to be in Central Park, you owe it to yourself to check out the Bethesda Terrace and Fountain! 5 stars.

It wasn't the most memorable fountain but you can people watch and there are random performers.

While on a short trip to Manhattan, we were finding movie sites that we haven't found yet. I was slightly disappointed that Winston wasn't there but we did get to watch NYPD argue with some street performers. They were deemed excommunicado from the fountain...

A trip to New York calls for a walk in Central Park, to the Bethesda Fountain of course. This fountain is known for many things. It was designed by sculptor Emma Stebbins in 1873. Stebbins was the first woman to receive a public art commission in New York City. At the center of the fountain, there is a statue called the "Angel of the Waters." It commemorates the 1842 opening of the Croton Aqueduct, which brought fresh water to New York City.

I came here in April 2022. The Bethesda Fountain is located inside Central Park in the Bethesda Terrace. The Bethesda Terrace is a very open area/terrace for people to just relax and even sit and enjoy the fresh air. The Bethesda Fountain is quite deep inside the park. The Bethesda Terrace was built in 1864 and the fountain was completed in 1863. The Bethesda Terrace and the fountain is definitely a must visit. It is beautiful and great for photo taking or a place to pose for a photo.

Bethesda Fountain is our favorite spot in Central Park. From here we can sit down and rest. There is always some music performer which makes the experience more mesmerizing. Such beauty cannot describe in so many words.

Tuesday, May 24th, 2022, our last day in NYC, out of the entire Central Park, we chose Bethesda Fountain. The walk to it from 5th & 72nd was quick (don't take those bike carriage drivers for any amount), the park was stunning, people were on john boats paddling around and it was simply picturesque, people playing cards, photo shoot of a bride & groom, graduates everywhere, all kinds of people were enjoying themselves, so many beautiful places to sit and take it all in and we chose a bench under giant trees with a prime view of it all, the weather was in the 60s, there was music, flowers, trees, benches, water, turtles, birds, it felt like something out of a movie, I couldn't have asked for a more stunning way to wrap up our trip on our last day in NYC, there was simply no time nor reason to go anywhere else in the park aside from this fountain in my opinion. We just wish we had more time to enjoy a john boat paddle.