Standing at the southwest corner of Central Park at Merchant's Gate, the park's main entrance, is the massive Maine Monument. Standing at over 44 feet (13.4 meters) tall, the monument honors the 260 American sailors who died in the explosion of the battleship Maine. The bronze figure atop the towering limestone pylon depicts Columbia Triumphant riding a chariot of three hippocampi (mythological Greek sea-horses). At the bottom of the pylon is the prow of a ship surrounded by four figures representing Fortitude & Justice, Victory, Peace, and Courage.
The Century Building, built in 1880, was the headquarters of the Century Publishing Company that got famous for publishing popular magazines for adults and children like The Century Magazine and the St. Nicholas Magazine. The well-built Century Building is a commercial space that features splendid balconies, turrets and small windows. In 1995, Barnes & Noble retail bookstore moved in to this building. Designated as a New York City Landmark in 1993, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1997. It also won the 1996 Preservation Award for Restoration by the Municipal Art Society.
The Harry de Jur Playhouse was built in 1915 and its renovated state-of-the-art acoustics and intimate space (seats 350) has made it a designated national landmark. The Playhouse is home to the Gotham Chamber Opera and has seen performances by many legendary actors including Ethel Barrymore, James Cagney, George Burns and Fred Astaire. Currently, the Harry de Jur hosts a variety of both amateur and professional productions.
