Mention the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the first thing that comes to mind is the grand old Met building buttressing Central Park on Manhattan’s museum mile, in the Upper East Side. New Yorkers think of the hordes of tourists packed on the steps along 80th street during the hot summer months, and of the shameless street performers who make a living performing before the jovial crowds. Rarely though is the Cloisters Museum associated with the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Located in Uptown Manhattan and within the confines of Fort Tryon Park , the Cloisters often gets overlooked by its big brother to the south. While the Cloisters may not have the vast collection of the 80th street Met, it possesses the charm of a small European monastery. New York Habitat has several Uptown apartments that will accommodate the art lover in all of us.
The Cloisters Museum features an impressive collection of medieval art, including a selection of huge tapestries dating back to the 15th century as well as countless religious-themed pieces. The main draw of the Cloisters museum though is the building itself. Visitors must pinch themselves while walking through the building–you would be hard pressed to find a more serene space on the island of Manhattan. The museum is home to five medieval cloisters, or open courtyards that were imported, literally and stylistically, from France. Spending a day at the Cloisters marveling at the serenity of the courtyards is as close as one can get to medieval Europe in New York City.
The best way to see the Cloisters is to pair it with a visit at the Met. For those willing to take their time we suggest arriving early at the Met to avoid the crowds–doors open at 9:30 am–and then hopping on the Madison Avenue M4 bus for an afternoon at the Cloisters. The ride is long –1 hour or so– but offers an interesting bus tour of the Upper East Side, Harlem and Washington Heights. Listed below are a few New York Habitat apartments in New York that will get you started in the right place:
– A Studio apartment on the Upper East Side (NY-14666) less than a two blocks away from the Met.
– A 1 bedroom apartment on the Upper East Side(NY-12551)thatoffers incredible viewsover the East River from its private balcony.
Already visited the Cloisters? Let us know what you thought about it below.
The Cloisters is small and perfect. You can spend the day in the shade of a cool court or a sunny green one while really taking your time with the pieces on exhibition. Too bad I live so far away, I would gladly go meditate there.
When I moved here to New York City, I thought it was going to be difficult to live “far” from the city, but when I found out about Fort Tryon Park and the Cloisters, it made me love it. I think this park is better than Central Park in many aspects, and the neighborhood is just great!
This was one of the highlights of my recent trip to NYC. Love this place and complete agree that forme anyway, it was more enjoyable and a better visit than the MET due to the lack of tourists and the beauty of the building is amazing. A great part of New York!!