Castle Clinton

The facility was constructed in 1811, approximately ninety meters off Manhattan's then-coastline, to militarily protect New York's strategically important waterways and the city itself. Together with the fortifications on Governors Island, Fort Jay and Castle Williams, it formed a crucial line of defense. In 1824, it was converted into a theater called Castle Garden, whose courtyard was roofed over in 1840, and where in 1850 the famous singer Jenny Lind made her US debut. From 1855 to 1890, the former fortress served as a central reception point for approximately seven million immigrants before the facilities on Ellis Island were opened. A database on Ellis Island also contains data for ten million immigrants from the Castle Garden era. Between 1896 and 1941, the building housed a public aquarium. In 1946, Castle Clinton was designated a National Monument, thus saving it from demolition. It was restored to its original fortress condition.

Castle Clinton is located in New York City, in the state of New York, USA, at an elevation of approximately 16 meters above sea level. The fortress is now situated within Battery Park at the southern tip of Manhattan.

Visitors can explore the restored fortress today. It serves as a museum and also houses the ticket sales for ferry services to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

• Castle Williams (fortress), approx. 1.2 km away
• Fort Ticonderoga (fortress), approx. 352.5 km away
• Fort Constitution (fortress), approx. 380.1 km away
• Fort Moultrie (Charleston) (fortress), approx. 1023.8 km away