Copley Square

What does a farmers market, a couple churches and the Tortoise and the Hare have in common? They can call be found in the beautiful Copley Square! A must-see on any trip to Boston, Copley Square holds many of the historical landmarks I've been dying to write about. In the square, there is a gorgeous juxtaposition of the old and the new, for instance this picture. Trinity church was built in 1877, and as you can see behind it, there is the John Hancock tower, built almost 100 years later. The old Romanesque Revival vs. late Modernist, two very different types of stunning architecture. Outside of Trinity Church is a beautiful courtyard, as well as a statue of the rector of the church, Phillip Brooks. He was elected the sixth Bishop of Massachusetts, and gave a sermon on the death of Abraham Lincoln (both men, as well as the North, upheld the opposition to slavery). He is known for being the lyricist of "O Little Town of Bethlehem", and is remembered by the Episcopal Church with a feast day on January 23rd, the day of his death. 

Other notable historical structures in the square? We have the Old South Church, a Gothic Revival style of architecture, located on Boylston street, in which I have seen (and participated in) a few concerts. Emmanuel church is also nearby, and they perform all of Bach's cantatas in order (over 200!) with every Sunday service, obviously not all of them at once.

The Boston Public library (Italian Renaissance style of architecture) is also one of my favorite places in Boston. Even though I have recently joined the ranks of Kindle users, and enjoy it very much, there is still something satisfying about holding an actual book, turning the actual pages, and even the smell. I plan to eventually take a tour of the library, but upon walking inside, the first thing you notice is the beauty of the architecture and the art inside. I remember when I first came to the library, my first question was "Where are all the books?" It took a little bit of walking around and exploring to actually find the back of the library where all the books are held, but not before I took a long walk through the beautiful rooms and a peek into a very quiet, yet full study hall. There is one more structure that mustn't be overlooked, and that is one built in the Beaux-arts style, and that is the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel. Known by myself, and one of my very good friends, it is a hotel with a very lovely bathroom. However, most importantly it's located on the site which was originally the Museum of Fine Arts (also a post to come!). 

Boston Public Library, with the Old South Church in the background. 

A beautiful fountain

So how exactly did the Tortoise and the Hare end up here? Well, as the plaque near it says, "created by Nancy Schön as a permanent tribute to the runners from all over the world who have participated in the Boston Marathon". And yes, that umlaut took way longer to figure out how to do, but success! The Boston Marathon is an awesome part of the history of Boston, and I will write a post about it when the marathoners come back to town in the spring! 

Tortoise and the Hare

If you ever need a place to shop, eat, drink, or dance, Boylston and Newbury Street are the places to go! I have been frequenting these streets every since six years ago when I participated in a youth orchestra at the conservatory. I was immediately attracted to these areas, not just for the shopping, but because of the culture of living and breathing in an urban environment. Roaming the streets freely, stopping for ice cream or a Starbucks treat, ogling the shoes in the window of the Tannery and people watching was one of my favorite Saturday activities (besides playing with the orchestra!). 

Boylston Street

And what have we here? A farmers market! The keyword here is local. From bread to seasonal veggies, from cheeses to maple syrup, the farmers market in Copley Square is a lovely way to spend a Tuesday afternoon (or Friday afternoon, when it happens again). 

Fah-mahs Mah-ket

Well readers, that's all for today. I hope you enjoyed my brief overview of Copley Square, and maybe you even learned something. I sure did. You know, I know my way around Boston pretty well, but a lot of the landmarks and history has been lost on me a little bit. I'm glad I'm finally exploring and looking into things, like different types of architecture, who the monuments and statues are for, and just getting some fresh air and visiting them in person. Boston is a wicked lovely town, and should definitely be on your must-visit lists if you haven't been yet. I mean come on, haven't I given you enough reasons already??

More to come, but for now, have a lovely and relaxing night. I played a great concert tonight, and I'm looking forward to going to bed. Want something gorgeous to listen to? Hope you love this as much as I do: