Historic Hanover Square was Syracuse's first commercial district. At the center of the Square is a plaza and fountain where lunchtime entertainment is featured in the summer months.  The plaza is surrounded by offices and retail businesses.

History - Hanover Square was the site of original Village of Syracuse well. Now listed on The National Register of Historic Places, the Square features a diversity of 19th century architecture, some of which date back to 1834 when a fire leveled the original Square. The structures on the north side of the Square were originally canal loft “double-enders.” This allowed merchants to hoist goods up into their stores from barges on the Erie Canal and then lower the goods by pulley and tackle into wagons in Hanover Square. During the Civil War, Hanover Square was the main recruiting area, and the site of spectacular bonfire made from recruiting booths at the War's end.  In 1871, a huge crowd gathered here to witness the first recorded hot air balloon ascension in the Syracuse area.

Today - Hanover Square now boasts a variety of salons, retail stores, cafes, nightclubs, and offices.  It is also a residential neighborhood, as many of the upper floors of Hanover Square's historic buildings have been converted into loft-style apartments. Hanover Square offers its residents a European lifestyle, where just outside their front doors they can enjoy an afternoon in the park, an outdoor cafe, and often live entertainment.

Click here for a copy of the Hanover Square Brochure (PDF)