I have a lot of favorite places in New York. Some of them I go to all of the time and others I don’t get to visit nearly enough. The Cloisters in Ft. Tryon Park falls into the second category — I can’t remember the last time I was there! In case you haven’t heard of The Cloisters, it’s an offshoot of the Metropolitan Museum of Art which features art and architecture (including the building itself, which was assembled from time-appropriate elements) from the medieval period. The Cloisters is a gorgeous space — I wrote a few years ago about visiting a musical installation that was there for a while — and the artwork is stunning. If it’s been on your list for a while and you haven’t gone, may I recommend Sunday, October 4? Because if you happen to go that day, you’ll also get to experience the annual Medieval Festival in Ft. Tryon Park. I’m hoping to be there, too! And speaking of things that are coming up, don’t forget about square dancing this weekend in Bryant Park!
I’ve written about the Medieval Festival before, but in case you missed it, let me give you a preview. If you’ve ever been to a Renaissance Fair — something I did several times as a child — you may be picturing something like that. And you wouldn’t be wrong, you’d just be a little… off.
Ren Fairs, or at least the one I went to growing up, have permanent stalls and structures to sell you things from. The Medieval Festival is all about tents, like any other street festival you might go to in the city or elsewhere. Everything is a little less formal and a little more temporary. But what makes it a medieval festival — besides a visit to The Cloisters — is the fact that you can watch people on horses (a.k.a. knights) fight each other with swords. The years I’ve been, there’s also been a battle between the Sheriff of Nottingham and his men and Robin Hood and his band, and acrobats, and all kinds of food. There might have even been some medieval craft demonstrations, and there were definitely places to buy princess hats and swords and shields.
The festival is free, though donations are accepted, and The Cloisters, like the Met, is pay-what-you-wish. The first time I visited The Cloisters I was thrilled to see a piece of art I remembered from high school history class: a tapestry of a unicorn surrounded by a circular fence. It’s not the only unicorn tapestry there, and I walked around to look at all of them and read about the history behind them. If you go to The Cloisters, make sure you don’t miss the unicorns.
If I haven’t convinced you to make the Medieval Festival — or just The Cloisters — a destination, let me add one thing. Fort Tryon Park, where the festival is held and The Cloisters is located, is a gorgeous place. It overlooks the Hudson River and offers views of the George Washington bridge, as well as some lovely views back toward the rest of Manhattan.
Fort Tryon Park is located in the Inwood neighborhood of Manhattan, at the very top, which makes it a little difficult to get to — but definitely worth the visit. Have you been to The Cloisters recently?
The Medieval Festival is on Sunday, October 4, 2015 from 11:30 AM to 6 p.m. at Fort Tryon Park in Manhattan. Admission is free but donations are welcome.
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