Boston is one of the most interesting and historically important cities in the USA. I had a fascinating time exploring the city, and through my explorations, learning about the history of not just the city but of the USA and its freedom movement in the late 18th century. I spent three days there in 2003, and then another day in 2008. Nothing like learning history while seeing the fascinating places where it unfolded!
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| Fountain, Boston Common |
Massachusetts State House is the state capitol and seat of government. The
building was completed in 1798. It lies opposite Boston Common. The building
has a large dome covered with copper.
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| Massachusetts State House |
Park Street Church dates back to 1804. It has a 66 meter tall tower.
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| Park Street Church |
King’s Chapel is a chapel built in 1754 as an Anglican Church.
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| King's Chapel |
Granary Burial Ground is one of the country’s oldest cemeteries, dating back
to 1660. It is the final resting place of several Revolutionary War patriots,
including Paul Revere, the victims of Boston Massacre and the signers of the
Declaration of Independence. Benjamin Franklin’s parents were also buried here.
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Tomb of Benjamin Franklin's Parents,
Granary Burial Ground |
Old Corner Bookstore was earlier a home and later an apothecary. It was
first used as a bookstore in 1828.
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| Old Corner Bookstore |
Old State House was completed in 1713. It was the seat of the
Massachusetts General Court and served as the seat of state government till
1798. It is now a museum. Its façade has sculptures of a lion and a unicorn,
used in the Coat of Arms of the UK.
The Site of the Boston Massacre lies just outside the building. The Boston Massacre leads to an incident in 1770 when British soldiers shot and five several civilians when a mob gathered and started heckling the soldiers.
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| Old State House |
Faneuil Hall has been a marketplace and meeting hall since 1743. It
was built by slave merchant Paul Faneuil as a gift to the town. In 1761, it was
destroyed in a fire but it was rebuilt the next year. Faneuil Hall has been the venue of several
political events and debates.
Quincy Market next door was built in 1824 and named after Josiah Quincy.
Faneuil Hall nearby wasn’t large enough, and Quincy Market was built as an
indoor pavilion for vendors to pt up their stalls. The building is flanked on both sides by the
South Market and the North Market, which have specialty shops and restaurants.
Quincy Market has a food court, restaurants and food stalls.
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| Faneuil Hall |
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| Quincy Market |
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| Interior, Quincy Market |
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| North Market, Quincy Market |
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| South Market, Quincy Market |
The Paul Revere Statue lies at the North End of Boston and is dedicated to the
silversmith turned patriot who kept watch on the British military.
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| Paul Revere Statue |
Old North Church was built in 1723. In 1775, Paul Revere got some
patriots to hang two lanterns on its steeple to send a warning to Charlestown
patriots about the movement of the British. The message was “One if by land,
and two if by sea”.
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| Old North Church |
Bunker Hill Memorial commemorates the Battle of Bunker Hill, fought in 1775
between British and Patriotic forces. It has a 66 meter tall granite obelisk.
The complex houses a statue of patriot Joseph Warren. There is also the Bunker
Hill Museum.
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| The Obelisk, Bunker Hill Memorial |
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| Bunker Hill Memorial |
Trinity Church was completed in 1877. The church was designed by Henry
Hobson Richardson. It was a huge tower and a famous choir. It is considered
among the most beautiful buildings in the USA.
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| Trinity Church |
Museum of Fine Arts is one of the largest museums in the USA. It opened in
1876. Its impressive collection includes ancient Egyptian artifacts, French
impressionist paintings (by artists like Van Gogh, Monet, Cezanne and Renoir),
18th and 19th century American art, Chinese art and Japanese pottery.
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| Museum of Fine Arts |
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| Cezanne's Mademoiselle Cezanne, Museum of Fine Arts |
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| Monet's Mademoiselle Monet in Japanese Costume, Museum of Fine Arts |
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| Van Gogh's Cradle Rocker, Museum of Fine Arts |
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| Van Gogh's Houses, Museum of Fine Arts |
Old City Hall was built in 1865. From 1865 to 1969, it served as the
City Hall of Boston. It now houses various organizations and restaurants.
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| Old City Hall |
John Hancock Tower is a 60 story, 240 meter high skyscraper completed in
1976. It is the tallest building in Boston. John Hancock Insurance occupied
large parts of the building when it opened, and hence its name.
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| Hancock Tower |
Custom House was built in 1849 as a neoclassical building. A 151meter tall tower was added to it in 1915. In 1986, customs officials were moved to a new location. The building is now a time share resort.
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| Custom House |
Harvard University is one of the world’s most prestigious universities and
was set up in 1636 by John Harvard, a clergyman who had left the University of
Cambridge some money and his collection of books. The university has over 6,000
under graduate students and 15,000 post graduate students. Harvard University
boasts of having been the alma mater of several US Presidents, Nobel laureates,
Academy Award winners, and Olympic medal winners.
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| Harvard Square |
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| John Harvard Statue, Harvard |
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| Widener Library, Harvard |
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| Harvard Memorial Church |
I absolutely loved Boston, with its beautiful architecture, its welcoming atmosphere, its awe inspiring university campuses, its friendly people, its vibrant markets, its art museums and the lessons in history that I learned. For me, its way up there and is certainly one of America's most amazing cities.
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| Boston Skyline with Custom House |
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