Boston, «Beantown»

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It is the most beautiful city we visited in the U.S.A. with San Francisco. Both are totally different, yet they have similarities: like its partner on the West Coast, it combines successfully influences from the Old Continent and the New World. Besides, both have that pioneer and forward-looking spirit. The first Afro-American school in the country was founded there in 1835 (Abiel Smith School) and the first North-American subway was completed in 1897. It exudes a European charm, essentially Londoner. It got populated with Irish and Italians on early days, but it draws nowadays immigrants from more diverse backgrounds, notably from Asia, thus asserting its cosmopolitanism. It enjoys two educational institutions which prestige is renowned all around the world: the M.I.T. (Massachussetts Institute of Technology), and above all the famous Harvard University, both located in Cambridge. As New-York, Philadelphia and Washington, it played a major role in the country’s history and it enjoys a great cultural wealth. It is notably the cradle of the American Revolution. Its gastronomy has a good reputation, notably as far as seafood is concerned. The clam chowder is part of traditional recipes, as well as the Boston baked beans that earned it the nickname of «Beantown».
 
                                         Our photos - U.S.A. (2017)

                                         Our articles - U.S.A. (2017)
 

The iconic Beacon Hill district (photo) is a real jewel of architecture from the 19th century that offers a fascinating travel in time, with its traditional red brick houses and its gas lamps. The must-see Charles Street charms you with its cobblestone pavements, its brownstone buildings and its numerous ironwork signs. Fancy shops, restaurants and antique dealers abound. Its small streets are much typical, notably the lovely Acorn Street, alley with uneven pebbles filled with an undeniable authenticity and an old-fashioned charm. Nearby, the splendid Louisburg Square, private garden for residents only, is surrounded by Federal style or Greek Revival style houses from the first half of the 19th century. Chestnut Street has superb houses, to a lesser degree however compared to Mount Vernon Street, which moreover enjoys a very varied architecture.
When it was created in 1837, the beautiful Public Garden was the first public botanical garden in Northern America. Its pleasant paths are lined by willow-trees. A nice suspended bridge spans an artificial lake in the heart of an idyllic setting. Charles Street separates it from Boston Common, wide green area that was the first public park in the country. It is like the hub of the city, the intersection point of different districts. It is also the starting point of the famous Freedom Trail, a nearby 4 kilometers course materialized by a red line on the floor. Depending on the location, it is either drawn with paint, either made of bricks embedded in the pavements. It allows you to discover the city passing by its more iconic places of its history, essentially the period of the American Revolution. Besides, be aware that Boston has another very instructive pedestrian route: the Black Heritage Trail, which teaches you much about the history of the Afro-American community in the city passing by 14 sites along 2.5 kilometers. The superb Massachusetts State House - seat of the State Government - a Federal style building erected in 1798. The columns of its façade catch your eye, as well as its amazing golden dome, which was first made of copper before they add gold leaf decades later, making it even brighter. Park Street Church is a Georgian style evangelical church from the 19th century. Its bell tower is 66 meters high. They hid the gunpowder stock inside it during the 1812 war against the English, and it was the scene of the anti-slavery speech of William Lloyd Garrisson in 1829. Nearby, the Granary Burying Ground, cemetery dating from the 17th century, is surrounded by nice Egyptian Revival railings. Heroes from the American Revolution such as Paul Revere, John Hancock and Samuel Adams lie there. 

 
See:

• Charles Street
• Acorn Street
• Louisburg Square
• Chestnut Street & Mount Vernon Street
• Public Garden
• Boston Common
• Massachusetts State House
• Park Street Church
• Granary Burying Ground

Tremont Temple is a Baptist church in a multistory structure that also includes a big auditorium, shops and offices. Its Greek Revival façade is splendid. King’s Chapel dates from the mid 18th century. Its rich architecture is composed among others of gray granite, and you marvel as much at its exterior ornamentation as at its nice paired Corinthian columns inside. King’s Chapel Burying Ground existed long before the latter since it is the oldest cemetery in town (1630). Mary Chilton, one of the passengers of the Mayflower, lie there. The Old City Hall was built on the former site of the Boston Latin School, first public school in the city. On the lawns, you can notice among others the Statue of Benjamin Franklin. The building that originally housed the Old Corner Bookstore is one of the oldest in town (1712). It included a bookstore and the Ticknor & Fields publishing house. Only its façade was preserved. Old South Meeting House was built in 1729. It was first a protestant temple, and then it became the assembly center during the American Revolution. It all started there in 1773, when a gathering led by Samuel Adams was the origin of the Boston Tea Party: numerous demonstrators reached the port to throw shipments of tea from England into the water in protest against the excessively high taxes – particularly on that product – that were imposed to them.
The Old State House (photo) is a small red bricks structure built in 1713. On its slate roof with mansards rises a white tower covered with a golden weather vane. Its presence among colossal skyscrapers is amazing and offers a striking contrast. It displays on top of its East front a lion and a unicorn, symbols of the English Crown. The Declaration of Independence was read to the citizens from its balcony. It houses nowadays the Boston Society Museum. Opposite, a circle of cobblestones constitutes the Site of the Boston Massacre. It commemorates a bloody event dating from 1770, when soldiers of the British King’s Guard fired into the crowd after they were stoned. Some think it is the first catalyst of the revolution.
The beautiful Faneuil Hall was built in 1742 in a red brick Colonial style. It is topped by a white tower surmounted with a dome on which a grasshopper-shaped weather vane is fixed. A story was added in the early 19th century. The ground floor was dedicated to a market, whereas the first story – provided with a sumptuous interior balcony – was a meeting room where diverse speakers followed one another; the most famous were Samuel Adams and John Otis, who called for the emancipation of colons. The next century, the abolition of slavery was advocated there. In front of it stands the famous Quincy Market, splendid granite Neo-Classical building. It stretches out lengthwise and each end is provided with a pediment and Doric columns. It offers a wide range of cooking from different backgrounds, clothing and gift shops, as well as a tourism office. It is much popular and there is permanent hubbub there, especially at lunch time. However, the crowd is less large at its center, where a dome covers a common area where stands a piano. It is  flanked by two similar stone warehouses: North Market and South Market. Many street performances take place on the area between those three buildings and the Faneuil Hall.

 
See:

• Tremont Temple
• King’s Chapel &  King’s Chapel Burying Ground
• Old City Hall
• Old Corner Bookstore
• Old South Meeting House
• Old State House & Boston Society Museum
• Site of the Boston Massacre
• Faneuil Hall
• Quincy Market

The Waterfront district is crossed by the Boston HarborWalk, a nice promenade along the banks punctuated by green areas. It runs from North End to Seaport Disrict, notably passing through the very pleasant Christopher Colombus Waterfront Park, wide park open to the sea front. Numerous wharfs extend towards the Boston Harbor, which opens to the Massachusetts Bay, and beyond to the huge Atlantic Ocean. That place can remind you of the Embarcadero in San Francisco, relatively speaking. The New England Aquarium houses various species of marine animals (fishes, penguins, turtles…). Its huge salted water tank is worth the detour on its own.
In the North End district stands the Boston Public Market, an impressive covered market that offers a large number of much varied products from New England. The Paul Revere House, a two-story wooden house built in the 1680’s. That hero of the American Revolution lived there between 1770 and 1800. On an April 1775 night, he rode his horse to warn John Hancock and Samuel Adams about the arrival of the British troops. So, they were able to take shelter just in time, thus avoiding to be arrested and to have their ammunition destroyed. The house was classified as a Historic Monument. Since the early 20th century, it is home to a museum that includes among others some furniture that belonged to the Revere family. However, that heroic act was made possible thanks to the Sacristan Robert Newman who put down two lanterns in the bell tower of Old North Church, thus warning the Bostonian about the arrival of the British by sea. That old Georgian church dating from 1722 so dear to the Americans is the oldest still in service. Robert Newman lies in the Copp’s Hill Burying Ground, old cemetery dating from 1659, essentially dedicated to merchants and craftsmen. It overlooks the Charles River and offers a beautiful view.
The USS Constitution is docked to the quays in Charlestown district. It is a superb sailing boat from the late 18th century. It is the oldest warship in the world still in use. It resisted fiercely the English cannons during the 1812 war. Nearby, the USS Constitution Museum traces the history of life on board the ship. It houses more than 1700 pieces and more the 7000 books. Further stands the Bunker Hill Monument, where a 67 meters high obelisk proudly rises. It commemorates the battles on Bunker Hill and Breed’s Hill of the American insurgents, who won against the British troops although they were outnumbered. That was a defining moment in the Independence War. And for the most courageous, it is possible to climb the 294 stairs that lead to the observatory so that you can enjoy a breathtaking view of Boston. In front of the obelisk stands the Statue of Colonel William Prescott (photo) hero of that battle, traced by the Bunker Hill Museum.

 
See:

• Christopher Colombus Waterfront Park
• New England Aquarium
• Boston Public Market
• Paul Revere House
• Old North Church
• Copp’s Hill Burying Ground
• USS Constitution & USS Constitution Museum
• Bunker Hill Monument

In Seaport District, the Fan Pier tempts to stroll and offers one of the most beautiful views of the city. A totally different aspect of the city offers to you, reminding you that Boston is definitely a coastal city. Indeed, we have sometimes the tendency to forget it, given that the part of history that emanates from every corner in the old districts of the center is omnipresent. That place made us think about the Embarcadero in San Francisco, relatively speaking. Behind rise skyscrapers that show the other face of the city: modern and forward-looking. However, its rich past appears again even in places you least expect: the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum on the Fort Point Canal proudly displays the replica of its three ships - Beaver, Eleanor and Darmouth - from where shipments of tea were thrown into the water in 1773, one of the first catalyst of the American Revolution (see above). Besides, the tradition continues since visitors are allowed to throw boxes overboard! The museum offers collections of pieces related to that episode of of history.
Chinatown is very lively and abounds in restaurants, and above all its shops compete in originality and offer products all more incongruous than each other. Its narrow and winding alleys are filled with an exotic charm. It is the third largest in the U.S.A. behind those in New-York and San Francisco.
In Theater District (photo), you will marvel at the splendid Neo-Classical façade of the Boston Opera House. Its sumptuous Baroque Revival interior decoration was carried out by the famous Thomas Lamb, a reference in that area in Northern America. Built in 1928, it was first a cinema, then a theater and concert hall, and then it became an opera. It is located in Washington Street, which is often lively. Indeed, it is one of the most important shopping streets in the city. Some modest shops are close to department stores, whereas itinerant salesmen set up on the pedestrian section of the street. The Orpheum Theatre, founded in 1852, was home to the Boston Symphony Orchestra, before the latter moves to the Boston Symphony Hall. The Cutler Majestic Theatre displays its superb façade. It has a high quality acoustics. The Wang Theatre is really beautiful with its marble columns and its gildings. Many concerts and musicals take place there.
South End is a very pleasant neighborhood where restaurants, cafés and shops abound. The gay community settled down there. Its parks are charming, notably Rutland Square, with an undeniable British character, and Union Park, planted with trees and surrounded by houses with much diversified styles. However, the main attraction is the Boston Center for the Arts and its superb rotunda from the late 19th century. It is a hotspot of arts and culture in the city.
The Fenway Cultural District is much vibrant. The Fenway Park draws crowds during the games of the famous Red Sox baseball team. The Boston Symphony Hall is home to the Boston Symphony Orchestra since the latter moved from the Orpheum Theatre. It is well known for its excellent quality acoustics. The Christian Science Plaza includes a pleasant pond and the much beautiful Neo-Roman style Mother Church. The Museum of Fine Arts houses nice collections from various continents. The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is a prestigious establishment that houses world-renowned works. That superb Italian style building includes a much flowered inner courtyard. University institutions are not forgotten, with the Boston University and Harvard Medical School.
Back Bay spreads its grid-liked streets along the Charles River. Its cohesion is remarkable and it is a good example of accomplished urbanism. It displays its chic shops and restaurants; Newberry Street is the most significant example. Some of its nooks and buildings may remind you of Paris. The superb Trinity Church has a Roman influence, but it keeps in spite of it all a certain singularity. It is the main attraction of the neighborhood with the splendid Boston Public Library and its impressive collection of books and documents, as well as the Commonwealth Avenue Mall: it is a park that stretches out lengthways. Commemorative monuments run along it in front of a suite of sumptuous adjoining town houses.

 
See:

• Fan Pier
• Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum
• Boston Opera House
• Orpheum Theatre
• Cutler Majestic Theatre
• Wang Theatre
• Rutland Square
• Union Park
• Boston Center for the Arts
• Fenway Park
• Boston Symphony Hall
• Christian Science Plaza
• Museum of Fine Arts
• Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
• Boston University
• Harvard Medical School
• Newberry Street
• Trinity Church
• Boston Public Library
• Commonwealth Avenue Mall

Published on January ,4th 2019