Why you should experience Battle Hill in Brooklyn, NY.
Battle Hill is a historic hilltop where Brooklyn's Revolutionary War legacy, sweeping harbor views, and enduring civic memory preserve the borough's highest natural point.
Set within Green-Wood Cemetery near 23rd Street and just steps from the Gothic Arch entrance, Battle Hill rises above the surrounding landscape as both a remarkable natural landmark and one of Brooklyn's most historically significant sites. During the Battle of Long Island in 1776, its elevated position provided a strategic military vantage point overlooking Upper New York Bay and the surrounding countryside. Today, mature trees, winding paths, historic monuments, and panoramic views create a reflective setting where visitors can experience both Brooklyn's natural landscape and one of the defining moments of the American Revolution.
What you should know about Battle Hill.
Battle Hill is best known for serving as the highest natural point in Brooklyn at approximately 220 feet above sea level, where American troops fought during the Battle of Long Island in August 1776 before the site was later crowned by Augustus Saint-Gaudens' bronze Altar to Liberty monument in 1920.
Its commanding elevation made the hill one of the most strategically valuable positions during the largest battle of the Revolutionary War, offering expansive views across New York Harbor and the surrounding countryside that influenced military operations throughout the campaign. Decades later, Green-Wood Cemetery incorporated the hill into its nationally significant landscape, preserving both its natural prominence and its historical importance through careful stewardship and commemorative monuments. Today, Battle Hill invites visitors to reflect on the intersection of military history, landscape design, and public remembrance while enjoying one of the finest panoramic viewpoints anywhere in Brooklyn.
How to fold Battle Hill into your trip.
Battle Hill fits naturally into a peaceful morning exploring Green-Wood Cemetery before discovering the historic neighborhoods and waterfront that surround the area.
Begin the day entering through the cemetery's magnificent Gothic Arch before following its winding roads toward Battle Hill while the grounds are at their quietest, allowing time to appreciate the sweeping views and Revolutionary War history. From there, continue exploring Green-Wood Cemetery, where remarkable monuments, sculpture, and beautifully landscaped hillsides reveal one of America's great rural cemeteries before making your way to The Old Stone House, whose exhibits further illuminate Brooklyn's role in the Battle of Long Island. As the afternoon unfolds, head toward Prospect Park, where Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux's celebrated landscape provides a fitting conclusion to a day centered on Brooklyn's history, natural beauty, and enduring civic legacy. The journey rewards a slower pace, with historic vistas, quiet pathways, and centuries of history unfolding naturally from one destination to the next.
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