Copley Square

Address:Boston, Massachusetts

A visit to Boston, Massachusetts is not complete without a visit to Copley Square. The bustling area is in the center of the city, in the Back Bay neighborhood, and is surrounded by many historical sites, shops, and tourist attractions. Copley Square is famous for being the location of the finish line for the annual Boston Marathon.

Copley Square was originally filled with old, historic architecture, but is currently an eclectic mix of old and new buildings. Boston is a constantly modernizing city, with classic styles juxtaposed against cutting edge. Many of the older buildings in the area are popular destinations for tourists interested in architecture. At the west side of the square sits the large Boston Public Library, built in 1895 in the Italian Rennaicance style. The Trinity Church of 1877, located on the eastern side of the square, is regarded by some as one of the finest buildings in America. Copley Square also used to be the location of the Museum of Fine Arts, built in 1876, in a building that is now the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel, established in 1912. Finally, the 60-story glass monolith, the John Hancock Tower, built in 1976, is a more modern addition to the area. Copley Square was named after American portraitist John Singleton Copley, whose likeness is portrayed in a bronze statue in the square.

Though there is little to do in the square itself other than enjoy the surrounding architecture or visit the library, the streets just beyond the square are packed with shops and restaurants. The Prudential Shops and Copley Square Mall are located nearby. A block away in another direction is Newbury Street, a long strip of upscale and interesting shops, restaurants and cafes. Another fun attraction is the Freedom Trail, a 2.5-mile-long red-painted path through downtown Boston, that passes 16 of the city's historic landmarks, and starts in nearby Boston Common. Also, on Tuesday and Friday afternoons during the summer and fall, The Federation of Massachusetts Farmers Markets has a market in Copley Square along St. James Avenue in front of the Trinity Church, where Bostonians and tourists can get a fresh taste of local produce, flowers, and baked goods.

If you need a place to stay in the area, Copley Square is surrounded by excellent hotels, including the Westin Copley Place, Marriot Copley Place and Boston's largest hotel, The Sheraton, all of which are connected to the Hynes Convention Center. It is also worth it to check out Boston's new Taj Boston, formerly the Ritz Carlton Hotel, by Boston's Public Garden. There are also many smaller hotels and bed-and-breakfasts in the area. The local hotels fit the warm elegance of Bostonian life, a city known for its great shopping, lobster, and Red Sox pride.

It is easy to get to Copley Square, especially by the subway, or "T." Travel along the green line directly to the "Copley Square" stop, or take local buses 39 or 55. Since Copley Square is a central point of the small and walkable city of Boston, wherever you are in town, you are probably already close. Driving is difficult through the city, but if you do drive, bring plenty of quarters for the parking meters.