Central Park has been the lush, green centerpiece of New York City for over 150 years and since its inception, the park has captivated New Yorkers and visitors alike with its picturesque beauty and ability to transport you from the hustle and bustle of the city streets to a natural oasis. The magic of Central Park comes from the ingenuity of its construction, which required a massive amount of gunpowder, its curvy, fairytale-like design, which contains only one straight path, and the many hidden stories it contains.

Untapped Central Park Walking Tour

Bethesda Fountain in Central Park

Even though Central Park is one of the most photographed, filmed, and recognized places on the planet, there are still tidbits of information about the park that may surprise you. Welcome to our new series about the fun facts of New York City’s most iconic places (featuring, well, more “fun” tidbits than our “Secrets of NYC” column). Without further ado, check 10 fun facts about New York City’s most famous park:

1. It is Bigger than the Country of Monaco

Measuring 843 acres, Central Park is larger in land mass than the principality of Monaco which is just under 500 acres large. Despite the large scale of the park in relation to the tiny nation, there are actually parks in New York City that are even bigger including Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens (898 acres) and the Staten Island Greenbelt which comprises a 2,800 acre network of connected parks and trails.

Central Park is on a rectangular plot bounded by Fifth and Eighth Avenues on the west and east, and 59th and 110th streets on the north and south. The perimeter of the park stretches six miles and contains within it twenty-six baseball fields, seven bodies of water, and fifty-eight miles of pathways.