Financial District

Overview

The Financial District (FiDi) is the historic core of New York City at Manhattan's southern tip, home to Wall Street, the 9/11 Memorial, and some of the city's oldest and most dramatic architecture.

Highlights

• Wall Street: The narrow, photo-friendly street flanked by the New York Stock Exchange's neoclassical colonnade and Federal Hall, where George Washington was inaugurated.
• 9/11 Memorial & One WTC: The deeply moving reflecting pools and the soaring Freedom Tower that have redefined the neighborhood's identity.
• Trinity Church: A beautiful Gothic Revival church (1846) sitting in the shadow of glass skyscrapers, with a historic graveyard containing Alexander Hamilton's tomb.

History

FiDi was literally where New York began — the Dutch settlement of New Amsterdam was established here in 1626. Wall Street takes its name from a defensive wall built by the Dutch in 1653.

Visitor Tips

• Weekdays: The area is electric during business hours when suited traders flood the narrow streets. Weekends are ghost-town quiet.
• Stone Street: A tiny, restored cobblestone alley with popular outdoor restaurants and bars — Manhattan's oldest paved street.
• Duration: 2–3 hours.