Family Travelogue: New York City: St Patrick's Cathedral, Rockefeller Center and A Walk Along Fifth avenue/ Family Travelogue 27 Nov 2016, Sunday

St Patrick's Cathedral on Fifth Avenue, Manhattan, New York City

Our second day in New York City, we attended the Sunday Mass at St Patrick's Cathedral on Fifth Avenue. The Gothic-style Catholic Parish Church is located in Midtown Manhattan, along the prominent stretch of NYC landmarks on Fifth Avenue between 50th and 51st Streets. The night before, we checked out most of the Christmas Window Displays of the popular stores at the Big Apple.

Queens Plaza Station, Queensborough NYC USA

At the Queens Plaza Station waiting for the Metro train.
New York City has a very good public transportation. We did not find it necessary to rent a car to get to the popular attractions.

Queens Plaza Station, Queensborough NYC USA

Railways at Queens Plaza Station, Queensborough, NYC USA

We had stayed at Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott at Queens. About .2 mi or 5 minutes walk to Queens Plaza subway station.

Trunk Club- New York Clubhouse

We alighted at E 53rd St and walked along Madison Ave to E 51st St. to get to St Patrick's Cathedral to attend Sunday Mass.

St Patrick's Cathedral view from E 51st St side, Manhattan, NYC USA

St Patrick's Cathedral in Manhattan NYC USA (side entrance)

St Patrick's Cathedral's side entrance along E 51st St Manhattan NYC, USA

St Patrick's Cathedral Manhattan NYC USA (interior)

St Patrick's Cathedral in Manhattan New York City is the largest Catholic Church in USA.

The Cathedral was one of the film site's of the 1990 movie, Godfather III.

St Patrick's Cathedral along 5th Ave in Manhattan NYC, USA

St Patrick's Cathedral Manhattan occupies a whole city block between E 51st and E 50 Streets, Madison and 5th Ave. Next to the cathedral (on its left, going South) is the SAKS Fifth Avenue, one of the biggest department store in the city,

St Patrick's Cathedral (Main Entrance) along 5th Ave in Manhattan, NYC USA

Security is visible as hundreds gather for mass at St Patrick's Cathedral

Opposite St Patrick's Cathedral is the courtyard of Rockefeller Center with the statue of the Atlas. On its left side is one of the biggest department store in the city, SAKS Fifth Ave.

1937 Bronze Sculpture, Atlas by Lawrie Lee Oskar (1877~1963)

The sculpture, Atlas, is situated between the Palazzo d Italia building, Banana Republic is one of the tenants and the International building north. Opposite the statue is the west door of St Patrick's Cathedral. The two mentioned buildings are located along 5th ave and between W 51st and W 50th Streets at the International complex of the Rockefeller Center

St Patrick Cathedral in New York's spires rise 330 feet or 100 meters from street level.

View of St Patrick's Cathedral from E 51st St side

Facade detail of St Patrick's Cathedral in Manhattan, NYC USA

St Patrick's Cathedral in New York represents the epitome of the Gothic Revival in New York City as per the city's Landmarks Preservation Commission. Built with white marbles and with two towers rise 330 feet or 100 meters into the air.

Facade detail of St Patrick's Cathedral Manhattan NYC, USA November 2016

The massive bronze front door is designed with the sculptures of the six saints who played a significant role in the history of the church :
St Joseph (upper left), & St Patrick (upper right), both Patron of the Cburch; ,
St Isaac Jogues Martyr (middle left), first priest in New York; St Frances X Cabrini (middle right),
Mother of the Immigrant; Ven Kateri Tekakwitha (lower left), Lily of Mohawks; Mother Elizabeth Seton (lower right), Daughter of New York.
Above the figures is the sculpture of Christ the Redeemer with the 12 apostles, the Virgin Mary, St John the Baptist and two angels with scrolls.

St Patrick's Cathedral Manhattan with the 100 meter spires

Main Entry Bronze door of St Patrick's Cathedral Manhattan, NYC USA

View of St Patrick's Cathedral from E 50 St side

The Cathedral is built with white marble quarried in New York and Massachusetts.

E 50th Ave Manhattan NYC USA

Family selfie after we attended the Sunday Mass at St Patrick's Cathedral.

St Patrick's Cathedral and SAKS Fifth Ave along 5th Ave, Manhattan New York City USA

Palazzo d Italia building at Rockefeller Center NYC USA

Palazzo d Italia building houses the Banana Republic shop situated along 5th Ave cr W 50th St. The building is part of the International complex at Rockefeller Center.

5th Ave Manhattan, NYC USA

The view of SAKS Fifth Ave in Manhattan from 5th Ave is facing the twin buildings of the British and Paris that are separated by the Channel promenade/garden at the International complex of the Rockefeller Center. Michael Korrs houses the ground floor of the Paris building, La Maison Francaise.

SAKS Fifth Ave along 5th Ave Manhattan, NYC USA

SAKS Fifth Ave is situated along 5th Ave between E 50th St and E 49th St.

View of 5th Ave from E 51st Street, Manhattan NYC USA

St Patrick's Cathedral main entry door is opposite the two protruding wings of the International building at the Rockefeller Center: Palazzo d Italia and the International building north (original intended to be rented to the German government).

Banana Republic is the shopfront of the Palazzo d Italia, one of the four limestone facade buildings at the International complex of Rockefeller Center between 49th and 51st Streets

View of 5th Ave from E 50th Street in Manhattan NYC USA

SAKS Fifth Ave is opposite of the two themed buildings at the International complex of Rockefeller Center: The British Empire building (cr 50th St) and the La Maison Francaise (cr 49th ave).

View of 5th Ave from W 50th Street in Manhattan, NYC USA

The British Empire Building and the La Maison Francaise are twin buildings separated by the Channel pedestrian esplanade. The 1934 six story buildings are part of the Rockefeller center. The British Empire Building houses Cole Haan at its first floor. La Maison Francaise houses Michael Korrs at its first floor.

Industries of the British Empire by Carl Paul Jennewein

Installed above the main entrance to the British Empire building at 620 5th Ave is the 1933 Industries of the British Empire by an american sculptor, Carl Paul Jennewein (1890~1978). This large bronze panel is engraved with the nine glided allegorical figures each representing the industries that were once major sources of income of the British. Coal, Fish, Salt, Tobacco , Sugar, Wool, Wheat and Cotton.

Above the Industries of the British Empire is a replica of the Royal Coat of Arms of Arms of the United Kingdom

Cole Haan (left/South side) and Banana Republic (right. North side) along 50th Ave at New York City, USA

Friendship between America and France by Alfred Janniot (French, 1889~1969)

Engraved above the main entrance to La Maison Francaise at 610 Fifth Avenue is the 1934 Alfred Janniot's sculpture, Friendship Between America and France. The two females holding hand at the top represents the alliance between Paris (on the left) and New York (on the right). The three females below represent the three graces, from left: Poetry, Beauty and Elegance.

1934 Gallic Freedom by a french artist, Alfred Janniot (1889~1969)

Above the sculpture's Friendship between Paris and New York is the 1934 Gallic Freedom, also by Alfred Janniot. with LIBERTE, EGALITE , FRATERNITE scripted. The female figure symbolizes the French freedom as she proclaims to the world: Liberty, Equality and Fraternity.

30 Rockefeller Plaza/Comcast Building, New York USA

Top of the Rock is an observatory on top of the 30 Rockefeller Plaza or Comcast Building. The entrance is on the 50th st between 5th and 6th ave, to be transported by the lift to the 68th floor. From the top, the Empire Estate Building and the Central Park can be seen

Channel Garden at Rockefeller Center New York USA

The Channel Garden is in between the British and French Buildings

Channel pedestrian promenade at Rockefeller Center, NYC USA

Fountain at the Channel Garden, Rockefeller Center NYC USA

Channel pedestrian promenade at Rockefeller Center, NYC USA

Micheal Korrs along 5th Ave Manhattan NYC USA

The building next to La Maison Francaise along 5th Ave and at the corner of W 49th Street is the 11 story Swiss Center built in 1932. The first four floors are currently rented to the British retail shop, Topshop.

View of 5th Ave from SAKS Fifth Ave Manhattan NYC USA

Apparently, the Empire State Building is really tall. ESB is 15 blocks away, between 34th and 33rd Streets.
Topshop (left side) along 5th Ave cr W 49th Street rents the first four floor of the building.

SAKS Fifth Ave, Manhattan New York City, USA (view from W 50th Street)

St Patrick's Cathedral Manhattan, New York City, USA
(view from W 50th Street)

International Building and its two retail wings at the Rockefeller Center

The International building north (one of the retail wing) is one of the four shopfront buildings built for European market. The International building north and the Palazzo d Italia is separated by the Atlas statue at the building's courtyard. The other two buildings are the British Empire Building ( cr 50th st) and the La Maison Francoise (cr 49th st). All four buildings were built in art deco style with similar limestone facade, roof gardens and stores at the ground floor but differs in the decorations as each artworks represent their country.

1937 Bronze Sculpture, Atlas by Lawrie Lee Oskar (1877~1963)

The Atlas statue is situated opposite St Patick's Cathedral

International Building (protruding wing) , Rockefeller Center, NYC USA

One of the protruding wings of the International building at the Rockefeller Center with address 636 5th ave was ntended to be leased to the Germany. It was during the World War II when the building was completed, the German interest was cancelled. Thereafter, rebranded to International building. Currently, All Saints is one of the tenants

North Side of 5th Ave, view from St Patrick's Cathedral

5th Ave going North

Victoria Secret (left/west side) and the Armani Exchange (right/ East side) shops along 5th Ave in Manhattan NYC, USA
(view from St Patrick's Cathedral)

Victoria Secret retail shop at 5th Ave is next to the International Building North cr 51st St. Not only once we went inside this store. It was still Black Friday sale. I even forgot my credit card and just realized a day after it was missing when I was paying the souvenirs I bought at the Liberty Island. It took hours when I finally remembered the last time I used the card. After we visited the One World Trade Center, we called the store and checked if it was in the store I left the card. Fortunately they keep the lost and found items.

5th Ave going North

The Stretch of 5th Ave going North all the way to the Central Park.

Branded Shop along 5th Ave

Trump Tower at 5th Avenue in Manhattan, New York City USA

Trump Tower at 5th Avenue, New York City

Fifth Avenue, New York City USA

Apple Fifth Ave in New York City, USA

Apple Fifth Ave in New York is the flagship store of Apple. The place is known for its iconic glass apple cube door. At present, this door has vanished and would not be seen either for few months or forever. The store is under renovation and expected to be completed in October 2018.