The Mall and Literary Walk

The Mall is the only intentionally straight pathway in all of Central Park. Designers Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux deliberately made every other path in the park meander to mimic natural, rural landscapes, but they broke their own rule here. They created this formal, mile-long promenade to serve as an open-air hall of reception where visitors could gather and socialize. It was intended to be a place to see and be seen, modeled after the grand allées of European estates like Versailles.