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Photo: David Shankbone, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The park and its famous triumphal arch celebrating the country's first president (in the middle of the park's north side) are in the heart of the Village. Though in the middle of an affluent neighborhood, the park attracts a hodgepodge of people. During the warmer months of the school term, the park is a favorite hangout for students from nearby NYU. Part of the charm of the park is the view of the buildings across the street. All these buildings are now owned by NYU, and though there was some controversial construction in the early 2010s, most of the stately 19th-century dwellings pictured in the classic movie The Heiress (based on Henry James' novel, Washington Square) are still there for you to enjoy looking at. Also notable is the fountain, which is a focus of activity, especially in hotter months.
Washington Square Park is a 9.75-acre (3.95 ha) public park in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Lower Manhattan, New York City. It is an icon as well as a meeting place and center for cultural activity. The park is operated by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation.
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Even if you haven't heard of these basketball courts, you've probably seen them in TV commercials and movies, as "The Cage" (referring to the small, chain-link fence enclosed court) is the site of many intense, very physical pick-up games and informal "streetball" tournament matches. It's not a place to play unless you really know what you're getting into, but it's worth watching if you're interested in a more intense, physical form of basketball.
Also has a lineup of famous jazz and blues performers. It feels a little more like a bar (with people talking during the show) and a little less like a venue that's only about the music.
An art house theater showing independent films and documentaries. It is owned by the IFC network (an extension of AMC), so a lot of premiers and television broadcasts take place here.
Cinema Village specializes in showing documentaries, independent and foreign films. Often the films there will not be playing anywhere else in the country and Q&As with directors are common at opening weekends.
A new national park unit located in Christopher Park across the street from The Stonewall Inn with a visitor center next door.