Madison Square Garden (New York)

Known affectionately by New Yorkers as simply 'the Garden' the Madison Square Garden has been an important part of American popular culture since its inception in 1968. Its heyday was in the 1970s and 1980s when it was the iconic venue for many celebrated bouts of world championship boxing, featuring greats such as Muhammad Ali, George Foreman and Roberto Duran, and it still hosts professional ice hockey and basketball matches. Tourists on New York City breaks can soak up its colourful and glamorous history where everything from Beatles reunion concerts and the Grammy awards to professional wrestling extravaganzas have captivated its 20,000 strong crowds.

 

The Garden has made many memorable appearances on film and TV over the years and a guided tour of the complex can be a nostalgic and familiar journey through decades of cinematic experiences. It is crammed full of memorabilia from previous star names who have topped the bill and you will hear colourful tales of off-stage antics. Sports fans will relish the intensity of a New York Knicks NBA basketball game which really shows off the fervour of sports mad New Yorkers and is argued by many to be an unmissable experience.

 

Located in the heart of Manhattan at 8th Avenue and directly above Pennsylvania rail station, Madison Square Garden is much more than just a vast indoor arena. It includes the self-contained 'Theater at the Garden' which hosts live shows, concerts and live televised productions. Anyone on a Christmas weekend break in New York should definitely catch one of the Garden’s celebrated live festive extravaganzas which are fabulous entertainment for all the family, but book well in advance to avoid disappointment. There is also an Expo Centre, used for corporate events, trade shows and conferences.