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Rockefeller Center
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Rockefeller Center, the world's biggest business and entertainment center owned by a private proprietor, is situated in the very heart of New York City. It is also America's largest public art collection. The national monument, made up of as many as 19 commercial buildings, boasts more than a hundred masterpieces of art. Each of the edifices, most of which were built in the Art Deco style, features large murals, commissioned by as many as 30 greatest artists of the day.
Rockefeller Centre is named after its well-off founder, the legendary multimillionaire and philanhtropist John D. Rockefeller Jr. The whole complex, frequently referred to as ''city within a city'', is so huge that it spreads along Fifth Avenue, starting from 48th Street to 51st Street. Upon its construction, the 22-acre Rockefeller Center was the first project which comprised restaurants, gardens, offices, entertainment hubs and shops.
Of all the sights within Rockefeller Center, the following ones cannot be missed:
- ''Top of the Rock'', the newly reopened observation deck where one can enjoy breathtaking views of New York City, - the Sunken Garden, one of the best-known features of Rockefeller Center, which as winter comes turns from a summer garden cafe into an ice-skating rink. It is also famous for the annual lighting of a huge Christmas tree during the week following the Thanksgiving which attracts thousands of visitors. Skating under the watchful eye of the 5.5-metre-tall Prometheus and the gigantic Christmas tree is a memorable experience! - the General Electric Building, the centerpiece of Rockefeller Center, is the 70-story skyscraper. It is mainly renowned as the NBC TV network seat, where all ''Today'' live show enthusiasts can go on a 70-minute tour of the studio, - Radio City Music Hall, a prime 6000-seat movie center, which is famous for its Art Deco architectural details and annual Christmas shows.
To learn more on the history and architecture of Rockefeller Center, there are guided tours held on every hour, from 9 till 5 p.m., on Sundays from 10 a.m. till 4 p.m. (Adults - $10, kids - $8).
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