This is a place I have wanted to visit since I was a college student hitchhiking my way up the East Coast. I stopped to visit relatives in NYC and the first night I was there, one of my distant cousins, Karen, invited me to the ballet. I had a single ticket and struck up a conversation with the nice young man next to me, who invited me to meet him the next evening for dinner. He was a grad student, and this was rather flattering to me, so we met after class and proceeded to walk through Central Park. I think we walked the entire length of it, then he showed me several galleries and most of NYC, or so it seemed. He cooked a terrible dinner, but the conversation was good, and he suggested that I might like to see the Cloisters the next day. However, that involved me staying overnight, since his apartment was not far from there. For various reasons, I declined, and that was the last I ever heard from him. So it has taken me over 35 years to get there, but we finally went to the Cloisters, but it was worth the wait!
It is a long bus ride from where we started near the Metropolitan Museum, but that is a good first stop, as the Cloisters are free with a Met admission ticket, otherwise $20. The bus is interesting, though, if you have the time, as it travels up through Harlem, then Spanish Harlem, and you get a chance to observe the neighborhoods, and the people who live in them.Fort Tryon Park is the last stop on the line, which is where the Cloisters are located.
It is a beautiful location, overlooking the river and in the Spring there were lots of blooming trees.
It is also possible to drive there, or take the subway to the end of the line. The primary gems of the amazing collection of medieval art are the Unicorn Tapestries which take up an entire room. I believe that they have recently been restored, so they are in their full glory. No photos, though. You'll just have to go and see them yourself. And it is worth the effort of getting there. This was probably my favorite place we visited in NYC, and definitely the most tranquil and lovely.
Of all the art at the Cloisters, these three women were my favorite. They each have such a lovley demeanor. So I recommend that the next time you are in NYC that you put visiting The Cloisters at the top of your list!
Gosh Cynthia did you take a mold of the faces great for a santos.
ReplyDeleteAs soon as I looked at the first picture I knew it was The Cloisters...
ReplyDeleteRemind me to tell you about the time I went by bus alone not knowing where I was going and what I was going through. Yes I was very young... late 20's... Lenall
This is one place that I want to visit in NYC. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThe Cloisters is one of Tom's favorite places in NYC and it is always an interesting trip getting there. We have been several times but not since the tapestries were restored - a good reason to go back.
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