Futuristic Portal Linking New York and Ireland Opens This Week

New Yorkers will no longer have to hop on a plane to be in downtown Dublin.

A futuristic portal sounds like something you'd only see on Star Trek but it's real, and it's ready for its debut in New York.

The idea was conceived back in 2016 by Benediktas Gylys who was inspired to build his first portal after a "mystical experience". The Lithuanian businessman found success through several online ventures but soon realized he had very little to show for it. Aside from accumulating  "things" Gylys felt an aching "lack of meaning." This led to a spiritual journey that ended in an epiphany. Seeing the world through a new lens, Gylys felt a need to connect with the people of the world and show them that the only way to move forward is by joining together.

What is the Portals project?

Gylys built his first portal in 2021, linking the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius with the Polish city of Lublin. The two massive structures were set up in public spaces and consisted of a circular video screen within a large frame. The screen played a live feed from the other portal, allowing residents of each city to see and interact with each other in real time.

The experiment was a hit. Passersby would look into the portal and wave at strangers doing the same in a far away city. Soon, more portals popped up in countries around the world, the latest being unveiled in New York City.

Where is the New York portal?

On Wednesday, two new portals will be unveiled in the Flatiron section of New York City. and North Earl Street in Dublin, Ireland. Visitors can peer through the circular window and see what's happening on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean 24 hours a day.

If you want to visit the portal for yourself, you can find it at the Flatiron South Public Plaza where Broadway, Fifth Avenue and 23rd Street intersect next to the Flatiron Building.