At the heart of New York City's Central Park, the Bethesda Fountain is one of the most famous fountains in the world.  Designed as a symbol of love, it's a popular gathering place in the city.

The Bethesda Fountain is the centerpiece of the grand Bethesda Terrace, a two-level Italian-style outdoor space.  Standing 26 feet tall, the fountain is one of the largest in New York City and was the only sculpture commissioned as part of the park's original design.  Its iconic statue was designed in 1868 by Emma Stebbins, the first woman to receive a commission for a major work of art in the city.

Stebbins' statue is known as Angel of the Waters.  It is an eight-foot-tall bronze angel holding a lily in one hand and blessing the waters with the other.  Below the angel, four small cherubs represent health, purity, peace, and temperance.  The statue's symbolism is a reference to a gospel story of an angel blessing the Pool of Bethesda with healing abilities.  The statue relates that tale to the opening of the Croton Aqueduct in 1842, which provided the city with clean water for the first time.

The Bethesday Fountain is one of New York City's most recognizable spots.  As the "social and spiritual center of Central Park," it is a place where people come together to escape busy life, relax, adn enjoy nature's beauty, human creativity, and ingenuity.