Destinations / New York City / Top Things to Do in New York City for Architecture Fans in Little Italy
Top Things to Do in New York City for Architecture Fans in Little Italy
1. Basilica of St. Patrick's Old Cathedral
New York’s first cathedral (1809–1815) anchors Mulberry Street with austere Federal-Gothic lines, a stout brick perimeter wall, and serene courtyards that reveal the neighborhood’s 19th‑century fabric.
✓ Why Go:
For its early American ecclesiastical design, vaulted interior, timber trusses, and atmospheric churchyard that frames classic Little Italy sightlines.
✓ Best Time to Visit:
Early morning light between 8–10 am for quiet facades; late afternoon golden hour for brick textures.
✓ Insider Tip:
Walk the perimeter wall along Mott and Prince to spot original ironwork and the historic gatehouses often missed by passersby.
✓ What Visitors Say:
Visitors describe a moving, old‑world calm in the heart of downtown and praise the craftsmanship that predates the city’s skyscraper age.
2. Italian American Museum
A contemporary museum rebuilt on Mulberry Street that integrates a historic corner structure with a modern facade, offering a case study in contextual infill.
✓ Why Go:
To see how new construction can echo tenement proportions and storefront rhythms while telling the story of Italian American life on these blocks.
✓ Best Time to Visit:
Weekdays late morning for fewer crowds and unobstructed exterior photography.
✓ Insider Tip:
Stand at the Grand and Mulberry intersection to frame the building against period cornices across the street for a then‑and‑now contrast.
✓ What Visitors Say:
Guests appreciate the respectful blend of new and old and the neighborhood context that enriches exhibits.
3. Church of the Most Precious Blood
A richly ornamented early‑20th‑century parish church tied to the Feast of San Gennaro, featuring barrel vaults, marble altars, and devotional statuary.
✓ Why Go:
For interior detailing that showcases immigrant craftsmanship and the shrine of San Gennaro within classic basilican proportions.
✓ Best Time to Visit:
Afternoons when stained glass glows; in September during the feast for decorated street views outside.
✓ Insider Tip:
Check the side aisles for intricate stations and coffered ceilings; exterior photos are best from Hester Street looking west.
✓ What Visitors Say:
Visitors call it a peaceful, ornate refuge steps from busy Mulberry, with a strong sense of neighborhood heritage.
4. The Police Building
The former NYPD headquarters (1909) is a grand Beaux‑Arts palace crowned by domes and statuary, now converted to residences.
✓ Why Go:
To admire opulent civic architecture—colonnades, cartouches, and a monumental drum dome—at the edge of Little Italy.
✓ Best Time to Visit:
Late afternoon for dramatic shadows on the Corinthian columns.
✓ Insider Tip:
Photograph from the median on Centre Street to capture the full facade symmetry without traffic clutter.
✓ What Visitors Say:
Architecture fans rave about the grandeur and impeccable stonework, calling it a surprise ‘European’ moment downtown.
5. Ferrara Bakery & Cafe
Founded in 1892, Ferrara’s corner building preserves classic tin ceilings, woodwork, and a storefront that recalls turn‑of‑the‑century Little Italy.
✓ Why Go:
To study period storefront design and interior detailing while sampling a slice of living architectural history.
✓ Best Time to Visit:
Morning openings for interior shots before it fills with patrons.
✓ Insider Tip:
Look for original molding profiles above the display cases and the arched windows that frame Grand Street scenes.
✓ What Visitors Say:
Guests love the time‑capsule feel and say the ambiance pairs perfectly with espresso and cannoli.
6. Engine Company 55 Firehouse
An 1881 firehouse with Romanesque and Italianate touches—arched bays, rusticated stone, and decorative brickwork—tucked on Broome Street.
✓ Why Go:
It’s a compact, textbook facade that shows how civic utility was once paired with ornamental pride.
✓ Best Time to Visit:
Weekends early morning to photograph the apparatus bays without street congestion.
✓ Insider Tip:
Step back to the northwest corner of Broome and Mulberry for the best angle on the arched doors and cornice.
✓ What Visitors Say:
Visitors admire the handsome scale and call it a quintessential ‘small jewel’ of downtown architecture.
7. Centre Market Place Rowhouses
A short lane lined with narrow late‑19th‑century rowhouses, once part of a gunsmiths’ row, showcasing stoops, pressed‑metal cornices, and bay windows.
✓ Why Go:
For intimate, human‑scale streetscape photography and a glimpse of how side streets evolved off Mulberry and Centre.
✓ Best Time to Visit:
Golden hour for warm tones on brick and cornices.
✓ Insider Tip:
Stand mid‑block facing north to compress the facades into a painterly perspective; look for house numbers with historic typography.
✓ What Visitors Say:
Strollers call it unexpectedly charming and a favorite detour from the busier festival blocks.
8. Old Bowery Savings Bank
A monumental landmark with temple‑front grandeur, soaring banking hall proportions, and lavish classical ornament at Bowery and Grand.
✓ Why Go:
To experience the scale of Gilded Age finance and its influence on the neighborhood’s architectural ambition.
✓ Best Time to Visit:
Late afternoon when the pediment and columns are dramatically raked by sunlight.
✓ Insider Tip:
Frame the facade with the corner streetlight for scale; step across Grand Street for a full‑height view without distortion.
✓ What Visitors Say:
Architecture buffs call it awe‑inspiring and a highlight for lovers of classical revival design.
9. St. Patrick's Old Cathedral School
A mid‑19th‑century parochial school building with simple brick ornament, tall sash windows, and ironwork that ties it to the basilica campus.
✓ Why Go:
To understand the full ecclesiastical complex—church, wall, rectory, and school—shaping the area’s historic urban ensemble.
✓ Best Time to Visit:
Weekdays mid‑morning for quiet sidewalks along Prince Street.
✓ Insider Tip:
Look for original lintels and the subtle patterning in the brick pilasters between windows.
✓ What Visitors Say:
Visitors find the block evocative and appreciate how the school completes the cathedral setting.
10. Mulberry Street Bar
A 1908 tavern interior with tin ceilings, etched glass, and a long marble bar—an atmospheric relic of the old neighborhood.
✓ Why Go:
For intact early‑20th‑century barroom architecture and period details rarely preserved so completely.
✓ Best Time to Visit:
Weekdays mid‑afternoon for interior photos without crowds.
✓ Insider Tip:
Check the back room for vintage wall tiles and framed neighborhood photos that double as historic reference points.
✓ What Visitors Say:
Patrons praise its cinematic look and sense of authenticity, calling it a living museum of Little Italy design.
