500px Photo ID: 93262895 - Panoramic view of the Copley Square in Boston, Massachusetts, USA at sunset.

Marcio Silva / 500px


Here you'll find a cluster of handsome historic buildings, including the ornate French-Romanesque Trinity Church, the masterwork of architect HH Richardson. Across the street, the classic Boston Public Library was America's first municipal library. Pick up a self-guided tour brochure and wander around, noting gems such as the murals by John Singer Sargent and sculpture by Augustus Saint-Gaudens.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Trinity Church

0.04 MILES

A masterpiece of American architecture, Trinity Church is the country's ultimate example of Richardsonian Romanesque. The granite exterior, with a massive…

2. New Old South Church

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This magnificent puddingstone Venetian Gothic church on Copley Square is called the ‘new’ Old South because up until 1875 the congregation worshipped in…

3. Boston Public Library

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Founded in 1852, the esteemed Boston Public Library lends credence to Boston’s reputation as the 'Athens of America.' The old McKim building is notable…

4. John Hancock Tower

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Constructed with more than 10,000 panels of mirrored glass, the 62-story John Hancock Tower was designed in 1976 by Henry Cobb. It is the tallest and most…

5. Copley Society of Art

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Dating to 1879, CoSo is the country's oldest nonprofit art association, with more than 500 members. The showings in the three exhibit spaces are rich and…

6. Guild of Boston Artists

0.11 MILES

This is a long-standing artistic cooperative, dating to 1914. Due to its emphasis on representational painting and sculpture, it's a bit stodgy compared…

7. Gallery Naga

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Inside the Gothic digs of the Church of the Covenant, Gallery Naga exhibits contemporary painters, featuring many highly regarded local and regional…

8. Krakow Witkin Gallery

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After years of fruitful cooperation, Barbara Krakow and Andrew Witkin finally renamed their venerable gallery – previously the Barbara Krakow Gallery – to…