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1/50
Because we have the most iconic skyline
(Photograph: Museum of the City of New York)2/50
Photograph: Museum of the City of New YorkBecause of Manhattan’s grid
(Photograph: Filip Wolak)3/50
Photograph: Filip WolakBecause our bars are open until 4am
(Photograph: Krista Schlueter)4/50
Photograph: Krista SchlueterBecause the Manhattan cocktail was invented here, and we’d like to see someone try to make it better than we do
5/50
Because New Yorkers live longer than almost anyone else
6/50
Because, believe it or not, you can still find a rent-stabilized apartment in NYC
7/50
Because we invented hip-hop and still do it better than any other city
(Photograph: Grace Chu)8/50
Photograph: Grace ChuBecause our LGBT scene is actually an LGBT scene
(Photograph: Jon Klemm)9/50
Photograph: Jon KlemmBecause bands blow up after playing here
(Photograph: Joan Marcus)10/50
Photograph: Joan MarcusBecause New York is the home of the musical—which we still do better than anyone else in the world
(Photograph: Joseph Moran)11/50
Photograph: Joseph MoranBecause in the summer, you can see tons of world-class music and performance art without spending a dime
(Photograph: Jena Cumbo)12/50
Photograph: Jena CumboBecause of bodega cats
(Photograph: Eric H. Brown)13/50
Photograph: Eric H. BrownBecause it’s impossible to feel nerdy here
(Photograph: David Rosenzweig)14/50
Photograph: David RosenzweigBecause unlike other metros, our subway runs 24/7
15/50
Because even though some cities claim to have better coffee, New York has the most coffee
(Illustration: Giuseppe Paolo)16/50
Illustration: Giuseppe PaoloBecause NYC is one of the most linguistically diverse cities in the world—and we’re working to keep it that way
17/50
Because space constraints mean we get creative with our cultural hot spots
(Photograph: Lizz Kuehl)18/50
Photograph: Lizz KuehlBecause you can eat pretty much anything at any time
19/50
Because NYC inspired Bob Dylan—and some downtown movement called punk
20/50
Because Sesame Street was invented and takes place here
(Photograph: Virginia Rollison)21/50
Photograph: Virginia RollisonBecause there’s room for innovation and tradition to coexist
(Photograph: Krista Schlueter)22/50
Photograph: Krista SchlueterBecause the power of our pizza draws in thousands—including former heads of state—to sample both classic and innovative pies
(Photograph: Caroline Voagen Nelson)23/50
Photograph: Caroline Voagen NelsonBecause, for as little as $50, you can own a piece of New York City. Sort of
(Photograph: Francine Daveta)24/50
Photograph: Francine DavetaBecause you can see A-list comics for cheap in intimate spaces nearly every night of the week
25/50
Our warhorses take a licking and keep on ticking
(Photograph: Kathryn Kirk)26/50
Photograph: Kathryn KirkBecause we have both a publishing capital (Manhattan) and a writers’ residential capital (Brooklyn)
(Photograph: Lance Edmonds)27/50
Photograph: Lance EdmondsBecause the city is in the throes of an independent-bookstore renaissance
(Photograph: Everett Collection / Rex USA)28/50
Photograph: Everett Collection / Rex USABecause, for most New Yorkers, Jean-Luc Picard is just another dude who lives in Park Slope
29/50
Because New York City is responsible for some of the world’s most useful—and, okay, frivolous—inventions
(Photograph: Ilenia Martini)30/50
Photograph: Ilenia MartiniBecause other cities often copy projects that started or were perfected here—look at the High Line
31/50
Because the city’s water supply gives New York some of the best-tasting tap water around
32/50
Because you can travel the world without leaving the boroughs
(Photograph: Melissa Sinclair)33/50
Photograph: Melissa SinclairBecause we have the most theaters in the world—by a long shot
34/50
Because New York City is the most recognizable pop-culture reference point
(Photograph: Virginia Rollison)35/50
Photograph: Virginia RollisonBecause NYC has the second-largest Jewish population in the world—a massive influence on the city’s identity
(Photograph: Filip Wolak)36/50
Photograph: Filip WolakBecause our lack of space promotes a creatively willful ignorance
37/50
Because New York is truly a 24-hour city
38/50
Because countless songwriters created their masterpieces here
(Photograph: Jolie Ruben)39/50
Photograph: Jolie RubenBecause of the breadth of our movie screenings—NYC has an array of venues catering to every different taste
(Photograph: Michael Kirby)40/50
Photograph: Michael KirbyBecause you can hear first-rate jazz performers—both seasoned veterans and hot contenders—playing live every day of the week, 365 days a year
41/50
Because NYC has the best menswear designers
(Photograph: Sean Ellingson)42/50
Photograph: Sean EllingsonBecause you can visit independent shops, high-end designers and legendary department stores in one day
43/50
Because the absurd and the mundane coexist harmoniously here
44/50
Because New York was a pioneer in modern engineering
45/50
Because NYC is the media epicenter of the world, with enough room for both staid institutions and innovative publications
46/50
Because indie and public radio still have a place here
(Photograph: Richard Burrowes)47/50
Photograph: Richard BurrowesBecause we have a gay funplex in midtown
(Photograph: Michael Kirby)48/50
Photograph: Michael KirbyBecause we have more culture than anyone could possibly see in one week—maybe even one lifetime
(Photograph: Virginia Rollison)49/50
Photograph: Virginia RollisonBecause New Yorkers come together—in ways small and large—after crises
(Photograph: Aurelie Joly)50/50
Photograph: Aurelie JolyBecause we’re arrogant enough to do this list in the first place

Photos: 50 reasons why NYC is the greatest city in the world (slide show)

Flip through Time Out’s list of facts that prove why NYC is better than every other city out there, all in one handy slide show.

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Our slide show of the 50 reasons why we think NYC is the greatest city in the world is a handy reminder of why New York is unforgettable—thanks to the Empire State Building, the subway and other only-in-NYC icons. Take a spin through these New York photos, and if you think we left anything out, tweet at @TimeOutNewYork with the hashtag #NYCIsTheGreatest to sound off on why you think NYC is the greatest city in the world.
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