The cornerstone of the new St. Patrick’s Cathedral was laid in 1858, five years after architect James Renwick was engaged to design the cathedral at a cost of $850,000. The Cathedral was formally opened in 1879. As the heart of the Catholic diocese in New York City, St. Patrick’s Cathedral receives 5.5 million visitors annually.

Opened upon a former orphanage in 1921, the Dublin House’s iconic neon harp was erected with the repeal of Prohibition in 1933. The sign served as a beacon for sailors docking at the 79th street boat basin. Today, the Dublin House still offers cheap beer, a friendly staff and atmosphere. Lots of atmosphere!

The MTA Arts for Transit and Urban Design has released a free app that will help you navigate the works of art in New York’s largest free museum — the subway. There are 236 permanent pieces of art on display throughout the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), from lobbies to benches to tiled works. With the app you can learn about New York’s subway art and the artists — like Jane Dickson — that created the art.

With an expected cost of $90 million the last frontier of the High Line — the Hudson Yards — is expected to be completed by the end of 2013 with a public unveiling in 2014. On the drawing board is an “interim walkway” to provide New Yorkers with access to the entire length of the elevated park during construction. The final phase of the High Line Park extends from W30th Street to W34th Street.

The Hanging Tree is at the northwest corner of Washington Square.

At more than 300 years-old the English Elm known as the Hanging Tree is the oldest living tree in Manhattan. Curiously, no one was ever hanged from the Hanging Tree in Washington Square though there are a reported 20,000 bodies under the park as it was once the site of a potters field in the 18th and early 19th centuries.

The West End Bar was a popular meeting place for Columbia University students and a hangout for Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg and Lucien Carr’s Beat Generation. It was at the West End Bar that Carr met up with his stalker David Kammerer before killing him on a summer’s night in 1944 and dumping his body in the Hudson River. Kerouac and William S. Burroughs were arrested as material witnesses. Kerouac’s bail was paid after agreeing to marry Edie Parker.

Commissioned to celebrate the dawn of the space age, the Unisphere is the world’s largest global structure. Designed by landscape architect Gilmore D. Clarke, the Unisphere is 140 feet tall and weighs 700,000 pounds. The Unisphere is built on the foundation of the Perisphere from the 1939–1940 World’s Fair. Both the Perishere and the grounds of the New York World’s Fair were also designed by the New York born Clarke.

Contrary to popular belief double parking for passenger vehicles is not permissible in New York City. Commercial vehicles on the other hand get a free pass under certain circumstances. In total, there are close to 100 parking offenses in New York City that result in fines.

The Hudson River was originally called the North River by Dutch settlers. In 1807 Robert Fulton constructed the first commercially successful steam-powered ship that sailed the Hudson — The North River Steam Boat.  Today, the 324 foot North River sludge vessel rides the Hudson on behalf of New York City’s Department of Environmental Protection. The North River is capable of carrying more than 100,000 cubic feet of sludge.

"I'll have what she's having," at 205 E Houston St.

Long before Harry met Sally, Katz’s has been serving orgasmic delights in the Bowery since 1888. The pictures of its famous customers on its walls will attest to the food quality and popularity of Katz’s Delicatessen. Katz’s World War II slogan of “send a salami to your boy in the army” is still applicable today as Katz’s still ships to APO’s around the world.