Page 156 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - USA

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Museum, with exhibits such as
Harold Edgerton’s stroboscopic
flash photographs and the latest
holographic art.
An altogether more old-
world atmosphere prevails at
the campus of Harvard
University, with its red-brick,
ivy-covered walls. Founded in
1636, Harvard is the oldest
university in the US and one of
the world’s most presti gious
centers of learning. At the heart
of the campus, which
The simple interior of Christ Church in Cambridge encompasses more than 400
buildings, is the leafy Old
k Cambridge 1630s. It has served as a center Harvard Yard, dotted with
for social, religious, and student dormi tories. Its focal
 Harvard. @ 1, 69. n Harvard
Square Information Booth: (617) 441- political activity ever since. The point is the statue of its most
2884. Cambridge Office of Tourism: Common was used as an army famous benefactor, the cleric
(800) 862-5678. ( Sun. _ River encampment from 1775 to John Harvard. To the right of
Festival (late Jun). ∑ harvard.edu 1776, and a stone here marks the statue is the imposing
∑ cambridge-usa.org the spot where George Widener Library, which, with
Washington took command over 3 million volumes, is the
Though part of the Greater of the Continental Army on third largest in the US. Another
Boston metropolitan area, July 3, 1775, beneath the impressive building in the Yard
Cambridge is a city in its own Washington Elm. Today, its is the Memorial Church, built
right, dominated by two world- tree-shaded lawns and in 1931, whose steeple is
famous universities, the Massa- playgrounds are popular with modeled on that of the Old
chusetts Institute of Technology families and students. North Church (see p148).
(MIT) and Harvard. It also has a Christ Church, a short Standing out amid Harvard’s
number of sights associated distance south of the Common, Georgian-style buildings is the
with the American Revolution. was designed in 1761 by Peter Carpenter Center for Visual Arts,
Among them is the historic Harrison, the architect of designed by the avant-garde
house on Brattle Street, now Boston’s King’s Chapel (see French architect Le Corbusier.
known as the Longfellow p146). In 1775, it served as a The Harvard Art Museums are
House – Washington’s Head- barracks for Continental Army a major draw for visitors. In
quarters National Historic Site. troops, who melted down the November 2014, the university’s
Built by Colonial-era merchants organ pipes to cast musket main art museum building,
loyal to the British Crown during balls. The church was restored which was originally completed
the Revolution, it was seized by for services on New Year’s in 1927, reopened after a six-year
American revolutionaries, and Eve, 1775, when George project of renovation and
served as George Washington’s Washington and his wife were expansion designed by architect
head quarters during the Siege among the worshipers.
of Boston. From 1843 until his The 135-acre (55-ha)
death in 1888, it was also the campus of the
home of the famous poet Massachusetts Institute of
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Technology (MIT), one of
who wrote his most famous the world’s leading
poems, including The Song of universities in engineering
Hiawatha, here. and the sciences, stretches
Harvard Square is the area’s along the Charles River.
main shopping and entertain- Among the masterpieces
ment district, full of cafés, of modern architecture
inexpensive restaurants, trendy that dot its campus are
boutiques, and street performers. Eero Saarinen’s Kresge
Harvard’s large student Auditorium and Kresge
population is much in evidence Chapel, and the Wiesner
here, adding to the square’s Building designed by I.M.
lively character. Pei, which houses a noted
Cambridge Common, north collection of avant-garde
of Harvard Square, was set aside art in the List Visual Art
as a common pasture and Center. Art and Science
military drill ground in the are blended in the MIT Students strolling through Harvard Yard
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp184–6 and pp187–9

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Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2.6)
Date 12th July 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm