Visiting Albany

Albany, the capital of New York State, is located along the Hudson River in the eastern part of the state. With a population of around 100,000, it would be a respectable-sized capital in many states. By New York standards, however, Albany feels relatively small, earning it the occasional nickname “Smallbany.”

Above is the New York State Capitol, one of the most distinctive capitol buildings I’ve encountered in the United States. Completed in 1899 after more than three decades of construction, the building combines several architectural styles and looks remarkably different from the more familiar domed capitols found in many other states. In fact, its appearance was so unusual that I actually had to double-check my phone to make sure I was looking at the right building.

These photographs show downtown Albany near the capitol. The city has a long history dating back to the Dutch colonial period, when the area formed part of New Netherland. Early European settlements included Fort Nassau and Fort Orange, established during the 17th century. After the English took control of the region in 1664, the settlement became known as Albany.

Albany eventually developed into an important transportation and commercial center because of its location along the Hudson River. It became the capital of New York State in 1797 and remains one of the country’s oldest continuously inhabited European-established settlements.

I visited on a Sunday, which made downtown feel strangely quiet. Many businesses were closed, and some of the streets seemed nearly deserted. It was a sharp contrast to the crowds and constant activity I associated with New York City.

Empire State Plaza

One of Albany’s most recognizable landmarks is Empire State Plaza, the enormous government complex surrounding the state capitol. Developed primarily during the 1960s and 1970s under Governor Nelson Rockefeller, the plaza contains state office buildings, monuments, memorials, reflecting pools, and expansive pedestrian spaces.

Among the memorials is one dedicated to those who served during the Vietnam War. Nearby stands one of Albany’s most unusual modern buildings, the performing arts center known as The Egg. Its rounded concrete exterior makes it look almost like a sculpture rather than a conventional theater.

I regret not getting a better photograph of The Egg, since its strange shape is much more apparent when viewed from farther away. It’s certainly one of the most distinctive buildings I’ve seen in any American state capital.

Empire State Plaza feels enormous when you’re walking around it. The long reflecting pool, towering government buildings, landscaped areas, and broad open spaces give downtown Albany a very different appearance from what I expected in a city of its size.

The complex is particularly striking because of the contrast between its modern architecture and the much older capitol building nearby. Some sections feel almost monumental in scale, with so much open space that the buildings seem even larger than they actually are.

These were two other buildings that caught my attention while exploring Albany. The city has an interesting mixture of older architecture, modern government complexes, and university buildings. Even a relatively short walk reveals a surprising variety of architectural styles.

Albany also has numerous parks and green spaces. Unfortunately, the weather during my visit was cold and gloomy, so most of them were nearly empty. I briefly enjoyed some blue sky, but the clouds soon returned, and before long I was getting rained on again.

My final photographs show a statue depicting Europeans and Native Americans, along with one of the bridges around Albany. Both reflect different aspects of the city’s history and its longstanding connection to the Hudson River.

My visit was relatively short, and the weather wasn’t particularly cooperative, but Albany ended up being more interesting than I expected. Between its unusual capitol building, historic downtown, and monumental Empire State Plaza, New York’s capital has a distinctive character that makes it worth exploring.