Did you know that that there are close to 31 bridges and arches at Central Park (not counting the 14 bridges that carry traffic over the traverse roads or the rustic wood bridges). And each one is 100% unique. I did not, despite having walked over and under them probably hundreds of times over the last 15 years. The difference between bridges and arches? A bridge is a steel bridge while an arch is a stone arch bridge.

This particular arch is the Trefoil Arch and can be found on the East Side at 73rd Street between Bethesda Fountain and the Loeb Boathouse. According to the official Central Park Conservancy website:

“This ornamental archway is unique in that its east and west side walls have distinctly different looks. Named for its signature feature, the east side three-lobe patterned arch, known as a trefoil, it’s also decorated with quatrefoils in round frames and bordered by four small circles. Its west side, by contrast, features a round archway and curved, rustic voussoirs, or wedge-shaped stones. Completed in 1862 carries the East Drive above and links pedestrians from Conservatory Water to the Lake and Bethesda Terrace.”

After all these years, I still learn something new about this amazing city every single day.