The Hotel Chelsea in New York

The Hotel Chelsea in New York

Among all the hotels in New York the hotel <<Chelsea>> stands apart. And not because it is a big problem to book a room in it today. The hotel «Chelsea» in New York is considered to be one of the sights of the city. <<Chelsea>> is some sort of museum of American culture. Throughout the 20th century the hotel was «headquarters», from which postmodernism, literary masterpieces and rock music spread to the whole world through bass roar, eccentric texts and pop-art canvases.

Built in the late 19th century hotel <<Chelse>> over the next 20 years of its existence remained the highest building in New York – 12 floors. Initially building at 23rd Street 222 served as a condominium. It was situated in the heart of theatrical New York. In the late 19th century 23rd Street was a kind of Broadway-prototype, where in the several blocks 2 opera theatres and one music hall were situated. At that time, the similar number of theaters in one district considered an accumulation for New York. House No. 222 was already considered one of the centers of bohemian life in New York.

But the panic in the real estate market has led to that in 1903 the building changed the owner and soon became a hotel. Thus began the history of one of the most famous hotels world - the hotel <<Chelse>>.

Since 1905, the hotel «Chelsea» became the favorite accommodation place for many outstanding creative persons. Hotel has received a bohemian status almost at once. Among the first famous guests of the hotel were writers Mark Twain and Tennessee Williams. But the real fame the <<Chelsea>> hotel acquired in the 60-ies. Rock music, movies and pop art have been the main inhabitants of spacious corridors and luxurious lobby. Celebrity guests of the hotel<<Chelsea>> can be listed for a long time and with pleasure. Bob Dylan, Charles Bukowski, Andy Warhol, Milos Forman, Stanley Kubrick, Leonard Cohen, Tom Wates and at least hundreds of guests, who have set and defined an appearance of contemporary art.

In the hotel <<Chelsea>> some people prefer to spend all their life. Among them are ordinary guests as well as starts, for example the member of the legendary group Ramones - Didi Ramon.

Hotel «Chelsea» - is a legend of New York, where the spirit of the era lives. It has saturated walls, steps and arches, so that even the slightest touch to them raises the whole layers of history and disturbs the minds of hundreds and thousands of people. A good example of tremulous attitude to the former merits of the hotel is a fact that not so long ago fans of Bob Dylan raised a wave of outrage against the restoration of room 211, where the musician once lived and worked. Thanks to public attention authorities of New York intervened in the case and managed to halt the work.

In 2008, director Abel Ferrara made a film -<<Chelsea on the Rock>>, devoted to the Chelsea Hotel.