Conservatory Water

Conservatory Water
Conservatory Water, facing south
Conservatory Water Show map of Manhattan Conservatory Water Show map of New York City Conservatory Water Show map of New York Conservatory Water Show map of the United States
Location	Central Park, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
Coordinates	40°46′27″N 73°58′03″W / 40.77418°N 73.96747°W / 40.77418; -73.96747
Type	pond
Website	centralpark.com/conservatory-water

Notable buildings and structures of Central Park. Click on the map and then on the points for details.

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Conservatory Water is a pond located in a natural hollow within Central Park in Manhattan, New York City. It is located west of Fifth Avenue, centered opposite East 74th Street. The pond is surrounded by several landscaped hills, including Pilgrim Hill dotted by groves of Yoshino cherry trees and Pug Hill. These plantings were intended to match the flora around the mansions that once lined the adjacent stretch of Fifth Avenue.

Conservatory Water is named for a glass-house for tropical plants and was intended to be entered from Fifth Avenue by a grand stair. The shore of Conservatory Water contains the Kerbs Memorial Boathouse, where patrons can rent and navigate radio-controlled model boats, as well as bronze sculptures.

The water was supplied from the Ramble and Lake, the site of the historic Sawkill stream, which once flowed through here on its way to the East River. When Central Park was built in the mid-19th century, hardy water lilies were naturalized in the bottom mud and tender ones were wintered over in the park's conservatory. Later, the naturalistic water lily pond was reshaped as a model boat pond.