You can always find a spot from any borough in New York City to look across the horizon at the sloping frame of the Verrazano Bridge. The Verrazano Bridge is the famous bridge that connects the NYC boroughs of Brooklyn and Staten Island. It is also sometimes called the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.
When the construction of the bridge was completed in 1964, it measured 4,260 feet and was the longest suspension bridge in the world. It retained the title till 1981 when it was taken by the Humber Bridge in the UK. The Verrazano Bridge is still the longest suspension bridge in the United States, though it may look small from the Empire State Building. Today, the Verrazano Bridge is strongly embedded, both functionally and visually, in the New York City life with New Yorkers calling it simply “The Verrazano”.
In order to understand the history of the Verrazano Bridge, it must be explored within the context of the history of its namesake explorer. Giovanni de Verrazzano was the first known European explorer to explore the New York Harbor and the Hudson River. He actually explored the area about 85 years before Henry Hudson. Now Henry Hudson already had a river in his name, but in the mid-twentieth century, there existed no major landmark in New York which was named after the original explorer. And here starts the history of the Verrazano Bridge.
When the construction of the bridge was near completion, the American President John F. Kennedy was assassinated and the public was in mourning. There was a strong public urge to change the name of the bridge after the deceased president. This was a significant part in the history of the Verrazano Bridge in which the people in support of finally giving recognition to the explorer appealed to Robert Kennedy, who ensured that the bridge would be named after Giovanni de Verrazzano. And so, we have the Verrazano Bridge today.
One thing that you should definitely see at the Verrazano Bridge, or participate in if you have the proper training, is the start of the New York City Marathon. However, don’t be tricked into thinking that you can cross the bridge on foot. This is the only time when pedestrians are allowed on the bridge. Other than that, there are no New York City tours that include a tour of the Verrazano Bridge on foot.
If you want to visit Staten Island as a tourist, the best way to do so is by the famous Staten Island Ferry. You will get breathtaking views of both the Verrazano Bridge and the Statue of Liberty without wasting money on hiring a car to take you by the bridge.
Although you can’t do much at the Verrazano Bridge as a tourist, it is a crucial part of New York City’s visual history. So when you look towards the southeast and see the rising frame of the immense Verrazano Bridge, know that you are looking at one of the defining sights of New York City – impressive, big and connecting people.
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