Giovanni Verrazano Discovers New York Harbor
Giovanni Verrazano was an Italian explorer who made a significant contribution to the exploration of the Atlantic coast of North America in the early 16th century. On April 17, 1524, he became the first European to enter what is now known as New York Harbor. Commissioned by King François I of France, Verrazano sought a westward passage to Asia, navigating the largely unexplored regions of the coast in hopes of finding new trade routes. His expedition faced challenges, including shipwrecks, but ultimately led him to the Narrows, the waters separating Brooklyn and Staten Island. Verrazano's exploration included mapping the coastline and making contact with local Indigenous tribes, which highlights the complex interactions of cultures during this period. Although he believed he might find a passage to the Pacific in the harbor, he continued northward, eventually returning to Europe and reporting his findings. Unfortunately, his later voyages ended tragically when he was killed in the Lesser Antilles, underscoring the perilous nature of exploration during this era. Verrazano's legacy is remembered today, particularly through the Verrazano Narrows Bridge, which spans the waters he first navigated.
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Giovanni Verrazano Discovers New York Harbor
Giovanni Verrazano Discovers New York Harbor
On April 17, 1524, Giovanni Verrazano (also spelled Giovani Verrazzano) first entered the bay that would one day become the harbor for New York City. Verrazano was born in Val di Greve near Florence, Italy, sometime in the early 1480s, most likely 1485. He learned navigation and became a mariner and pirate, serving mostly in French ships raiding Spanish commerce. François I, King of France, hired Verrazano to explore the Atlantic coastline of what is now the United States for possible routes to China. The region north of Spanish-controlled Florida and south of the fishing grounds off Newfoundland was largely a mystery to Europeans in those days, and hopes of finding a passage to the Pacific ran high. Some Italian bankers and French merchants also contributed to the expedition.
Verrazano set out on January 17, 1524, with four ships. Two of them were shipwrecked and the third returned home early, laden with spoils from successful raids on the Spanish. The fourth, the flagship La Dauphine, reached the Outer Banks of North Carolina at Cape Fear in early March. Looking across the Banks, a string of barrier islands and shoals, Verrazano could see a large, calm body of water, which he thought might be the Pacific. In fact it was Pamlico Sound, but Verrazano was encouraged to continue his search for a westward passage. He traveled northward along the coastline, drawing maps and making occasional contacts with the American Indian tribes as he went. On April 17 he entered New York harbor, anchoring in the Narrows which separate modern-day Brooklyn from Staten Island (and are now spanned by the Verrazano Narrows Bridge, named in his honor). This great harbor seemed the likeliest location for the passage he was seeking, but he did not venture far into it, having only the one ship and much more Atlantic coastline to chart.
After continuing on to Newfoundland, Verrazano returned to Europe in July 1524 and made a cautiously optimistic report to the French king. His next voyage, to South America in 1527 or 1528, was his last: he was killed by hostile islanders—perhaps by cannibals—when he waded ashore in the Lesser Antilles.