Page 100 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide 2017 - Boston

98  BOST ON AREA B Y AREA

8 Boylston Street city’s burgeoning convention
business and added upscale
Map 3 C2.  Boylston, Arlington,
Copley, Hynes Convention Center/ICA. public dining.
The Italian Gothic-style New
The corners of Boylston and Old South Church, at the corner
Berkeley streets represent of Dartmouth and Boylston
Boston architecture at its most Streets, was built in 1874–5 by
diverse. The stately French the congregation that had met
Academic-style structure on the previously at the Old South
west side was erected for the Meeting House (see p61).
Museum of Natural History, a
fore runner of the Museum of R New Old South Church
Science (see p55). The east side 645 Boylston St. Map 3 C2. Tel (617)
spouts a Robert A.M. Stern 536-1970. Open 8am–7pm Mon–
tower and a Philip Johnson Fri, 10am–4pm Sat, 8:30am–4pm Sun.
The New Old South Church, which looks office building that resembles 5 9am, 11am Sun, 6pm Thu. ^ 7
across Copley Square a table radio. Boston’s finest 8 9 ∑ oldsouth.org
jeweler, Shreve, Crump & Low,
7 Copley Square occupied the Art Deco build ing
at the corner of Arlington Street 9 Boston Public
Map 3 C2.  Copley.
until relo cating around the Library
Named after John Singleton corner to 39 Newbury Street. Copley Square. Map 3 C2. Tel (617)
Copley, the great Boston painter Some notable office build ings 536-5400.  Copley. General Library:
born nearby in 1737, Copley stand on Boylston Street. The Open 9am–9pm Mon–Thu, 9am–5pm
Square is a hive of civic activity lobby of the New England Fri–Sat, 1–5pm Sun. Closed public
surrounded by some of Boston’s building at No. 501 features hols; Jun–Sep: Sun. 8 2:30pm Mon,
most striking architec ture. large historical murals and 6pm Tue & Thu, 11am Wed, Fri & Sat,
Summer activities include dioramas depicting the process 2pm Sun. 7 9 ∑ bpl.org
weekly farmers’ markets, con- of filling Back Bay during the
certs, and even folk-dancing. late 19th century. The towers Founded in 1848, the Boston
The inviting green plaza took of the Prudential Center (see Public Library was America’s first
years to develop; when Copley p100) dominate the skyline on metropolitan library for the
was born it was just a marshy upper Boylston Street. Adjoining public. It quickly outgrew its
riverbank, which remained the Prudential is the Hynes original building, hence the
unfilled until 1870. Construction Convention Center. It was enlarged construction of the Italian
of the John Hancock Tower in 1988 to accom modate the palazzo-style Copley Square
in 1975 anchored the building in 1887–95,
southeastern side of with “Free to All”
Copley Square, and emblazoned above the
Copley Place (see p101) entrance. The architect
completed the square Charles McKim drew on
on the south western the highly skilled force
corner in 1984. Today’s of mostly Italian con-
Copley Square, a wide struction workers and
open space of trees, artisans who had come
grass, and fountains, to Boston to build
took shape in the heart mansions in the Back
of the city in the 1990s, Bay and South End.
after various plans Sculptor Daniel Chester
to utilize this hither- French fashioned the
to wasted space huge bronze doors that
were tendered. represent Music and
A large plaque Poetry, Knowledge and
honoring the Boston Wisdom, and Truth
Marathon, which ends and Romance. French
at the Boston Public painter Puvis de
Library, was set in the Chavannes executed
sidewalk in 1996 to the murals that wind
coincide with the 100th up the staircase and
race. As well as push cart along the second-
vendors, the plaza has floor corridor. Edward
a booth for dis counted Abbey’s Pre-Raphaelite
theater, music, and The vast Bates Hall in the Boston Public Library, noted for its high murals of the Quest for
dance tickets. barrel-vaulted ceiling the Holy Grail line the

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