Page 86 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide 2017 - Boston

84  BOST ON AREA B Y AREA

Church in Boston 2 Downtown
came about with Crossing
Charles Bulfinch’s
design for the fa çade Washington, Winter & Summer Sts.
of the original New Map 4 F1.  Downtown Crossing.
South Church, This shopping-district
which was subse- crossroads was laid out as a
quently demolished. pedestrian zone between 1975
The stone work and 1978. The area is anchored
on St. Paul’s Cathe dral by a Beaux Arts building (now
is by Solomon Willard, housing a market and luxury
who gave the church a residences) that once held
por tico of six unfluted Filene’s, and Modern-style
stone columns with Macy’s. Smaller retail outlets,
Ionic capitals. The some in restored buildings
building’s pedi ment with terracotta and cast-iron
was initially intend ed façades, are plentiful in the
to feature a frieze streets radiating from
depicting St. Paul Downtown Crossing and
Classical chancel and box pews of the interior of St. Paul’s preaching before Washington Street. Lively
Cathedral, typically austere in style King Agrippa, but this push-cart vendors and
was never constructed sparkling diamonds in the
1 St. Paul’s Cathedral due to consider ations of the jeweler’s district can also
cost involved. be found here. South of
138 Tremont St. Map 4 E1.
Tel (617) 482-5800.  Park Street. The interior of the church, Downtown Crossing, the
5 8am, 10am & 12:30pm Sun; 1pm dominated by a classical area recaptures an earlier
Mon, 12:15pm Tue & Fri. 7 chancel, curved apse, and era when it was part of
∑ stpaulboston.org box pews, is spacious and Boston’s original Theater Row.
austere, typical of a style found
Consecrated in 1820, Boston’s in New England churches.
second example of Greek In 1908 the church became 3 Ladder District
Revival architecture was the cathedral of Massachusetts’ Connecting streets and rear alleys
designed by Alexander Parris, Episcopal diocese. It also between Washington & Tremont Sts.
five years before the completion represents Boston’s changing Map 4 E1–F2.  Downtown Crossing
of his Quincy Market hall populations, offering a & Chinatown.
(see p66), which also has the 12:30pm Sunday service in
outward appear ance of a Greek Chinese and 12:30pm Jum’ah Once a rather rundown part of
temple. The first Greek Revival Friday Muslim prayers. Downtown, the web of small
streets connecting Washington
and Tremont Streets, along the
east side of Boston Common,
came into its own at the
start of the new millennium.
Soaring buildings were erected
on vacant parking lots and old
architectural treasures on the
dark streets were refurbished
and brought back to life.
Today they house restaurants,
bars, and nightclubs.
Along with upmarket condos
came the Ritz-Carlton Boston
Common hotel (see p136),
housed in a building that
stretches the length of Avery
Street. This building played a
central role in the renaissance of
what used to be a no man’s land
between the Theater District
and Downtown Crossing. In
addition to the luxury hotel,
a bar and restaurant, and a
fashionable gym, the Equinox
Beaux Arts façade of former Filene’s department store, Downtown Crossing Sports Club, the structure also

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