Central Park creators Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux had envisioned the focal point of the park as a sweeping promenade leading to a terrace overlooking the Lake. This vision was realized in Bethesda Terrace, featuring its iconic Bethesda Fountain, where The Angel bestows a blessing upon the life-giving force of the water.
The Healing Power of Water
At the heart of the terrace stands a bronze female figure with outstretched wings. This is the Angel of the Waters. She extends one hand in blessing, while the other holds a lily, symbolizing purity. Surrounding her are four cherubs representing Peace, Health, Purity, and Temperance.
The statue celebrates the 1842 opening of the Croton Aqueduct, a monumental engineering achievement that brought fresh water from upstate into New York City for the first time. This clean water source transformed life in the city, helping to curb deadly epidemics and providing something almost miraculous: safe, abundant drinking water.
The idea for the statue originated from the Gospel of John, which recounts the Pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem. According to scripture, an angel would stir the waters, and whoever entered the pool afterward was healed. The Fountain’s dedication pamphlet quoted John 5:2–4:
“Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called… Bethesda… Whoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.”
The healing powers of the biblical pool were likened to that of the pure Croton water that cascades from the Fountain. They were seen as restorative, vital, and pure—offering healing not just to individuals but to the entire growing metropolis.
A Woman’s Work in Bronze
The Fountain’s Angel was designed by Emma Stebbins, who made history as the first woman awarded a public art commission in New York City. Working in Rome, she completed the sculpture in 1868—a remarkable achievement in an era when women couldn’t even vote.
Angel of the Waters was the only sculpture commissioned as part of Central Park’s original design, making her not just a spiritual symbol but also a cornerstone of the park’s artistic vision.
Bethesda Fountain in Movies
One of the most picturesque locations in New York, Bethesda Fountain has appeared on the silver screen many times. One might recognize the Fountain from scenes in these movies and shows:
- Angels in America (2003 – HBO Miniseries)
- Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)
- The Avengers (2012)
- Enchanted (2007)
- One Fine Day (1996)
- Ransom (1996)
- Elf (2003)
- It Could Happen to You (1994)
- The Producers (2005)
- When in Rome (2010)
- Gossip Girl
- Law & Order (various episodes)
- Sex and the City
The Eternal Blessing
Bethesda Fountain stands as the spiritual heart of Central Park, with an angel quietly giving a blessing to the waters – the main life force of the bustling metropolis.
Audio Tour of Central Park
Central Park Walk: The Mall, Bethesda Fountain, Strawberry Fields
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