Many people walk up and down 5th Ave. past Rockefeller Center. They look in the windows. They at the garden and at the Prometheus statue. I am not sure how many people look up at the buildings to see the decorative work built there. Originally the building and even the entrances were given different themes, and were decorated accordingly.
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With several days to spend in Porto, Jonathan L explores several aspects of local culture
This iconic tree along The 17 Mile Drive is always a beautiful picture.
Jonathan L visits the Lower East Side and the International Center of Photography, in NYC
Several of the original 14 Rockefeller Center buildings, mainly the ones facing Fifth Avenue, were to be the ‘international buildings,’ each named for a European country, and each intended to attract commercial and government tenants from that country, and decorated with matching art.
The British Empire Building is across a promenade called Channel Gardens from La Maison Francaise; the next building up is the Palazzo d’Italia. The next two, International Building and International Building North, weren’t claimed, although there were negotiations for one to be Deutsches Haus. The rise of Hitler put an end to that idea. 10 Rockefeller Plaza was to be Holland House, but the war came before the building.
Ironically, space in the building that would have been Deutsches Haus became the home of British Security Coordination and its U.S. partners during the war.
No word on whether there will be a Brexit from Rockefeller Center…
Thanks Paul – very interesting. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if those magnificent buildings had a brief description of their history on the outside. Like the American Eagle with the Stars and Stripes carved into the sand stone facia in Church St in Liverpool !
Everywhere I go I look up to see the real architecture of a building.
But why is The Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom displayed on 5th Avenue ?
Great piece! For years I’ve heard the advice don’t look up or you’ll look like a tourist. They just don’t realize what they are missing!