Union Square, New York

A historic square at the junction of Broadway and Park Avenue South, Union Square earned its name from the meeting of two major roads rather than any political union. Since the nineteenth century it has been a stage for labor rallies and mass demonstrations, and statues of Washington, Lincoln and Lafayette stand along its edges. A large greenmarket fills the northern plaza several days a week with regional produce and flowers. Ringed by shops and subway lines, the square blends civic protest, commerce and a well-used public green.