In the southwest of Manhattan we find one of the most artistic neighborhoods and the shopping paradise of New York: SoHo. Around Houston Street, Lafayette/Center Street or Canal Street and West Broadway, you will find the most popular area of New York and one of the fashionable neighborhoods among the wealthy and the city's celebrities. It is a beautiful neighborhood, full of atmosphere that is undoubtedly an essential stop on your trip to New York.
In this post I tell you about its history, its architecture, its art galleries, where to go shopping, where to stay, and what you can see and do in Soho.
WHAT TO SEE IN SOHO, NEW YORK
The SoHo neighborhood should be on every New York itinerary.
The first time you arrive in the neighborhood you cannot stop looking up, at those impressive buildings known as Cast-Iron Buildings. In this area are some of the oldest buildings in the city and the skyscrapers of Midtown are barely visible, making SoHo an oasis in the middle of modern New York and giving it a very special charm.
Unlike in the rest of New York where the streets are numbered, in Soho the streets have names so they are much easier to remember. On your visit to the neighborhood, do not miss Spring Street, Prince Street or the famous Broadway.
Cast-Iron architecture of SoHo in Manhattan
Cast-Iron architecture owes its name to the buildings made of cast iron that were built in this part of the city during the industrial revolution. This material, as an architectural novelty, was what allowed the construction of taller and more stable buildings. Being an inexpensive building material, it quickly spread throughout the city.
Many of the Cast Iron style buildings that remain today are in SoHO and their colorful facades with their fire escape stairs have made it one of the most appreciated places for photographers.
Soho has been featured in numerous television series and movies, and you will have seen it in thousands of photographs. But nothing compares to walking its streets and marveling at its good atmosphere.
From working-class neighborhood to fashionable neighborhood
In the 1960s, many of the factories located in Soho began to suffer from the problems of modern industry. The factories began to be insufficient and the population of Manhattan increased, needing new residential areas due to the high prices of Midtown. It was when the factories soon moved to the outskirts and with them the workers who had lived in the neighborhood up to now.