City of the day: New York City

If there's one city that is on my must-see list, it's got to be New York City. As a symbol for the United States, there's really something for everyone. So, naturally, it was difficult picking only three highlights, but here we go anyway:

1) The Empire State Building is a 102-story landmark Art Deco skyscraper. Its name is derived from the nickname for the state of New York, The Empire State. It stood as the world's tallest building for more than forty years, from its completion in 1931 until construction of the World Trade Center's North Tower was completed in 1972. Following the destruction of the World Trade Center in 2001, the Empire State Building once again became the tallest building in New York City and New York State. The Empire State Building has been named by the American Society of Civil Engineers as one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World.

2) Central Park is an urban park that occupies about 341 hectares in the heart of Manhattan in New York City. It is host to approximately twenty-five million visitors each year. Central Park was opened in 1859, completed in 1873 and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1963. It contains several natural-looking lakes and ponds, extensive walking tracks, two ice-skating rinks (one of which is a swimming pool in July and August), the Central Park Zoo, the Central Park Conservatory Garden, a wildlife sanctuary, a large area of natural woods, a reservoir with an encircling running track, and the outdoor Delacorte Theater which hosts the "Shakespeare in the Park" summer festivals.

3) The Statue of Liberty, officially titled Liberty Enlightening the World, dedicated on October 28, 1886, is a monument commemorating the centennial of the signing of the United States Declaration of Independence, given to the United States by the people of France to represent the friendship between the two countries established during the American Revolution.

This is part 27 out of a series of 50. Next city tomorrow: Antwerp.