Culture of Boston. Places to visit - old town, temples, theaters, museums and palaces

» The First Church of Christ was built in 1894. It is not just a single building but a complex. Here, the teaching of God and norms of behavior are preached.
»  The initiator of the construction of Boston Church was Mary Baker Eddy. She was cured of the disease after she had turned to God with daily prayers.
»  The first congregation was established in 1879. Today, there are 2 000 branches in many countries.
»  At the Christian Science Church, there are a library, a swimming pool, and a children’s fountain.
»  The walls are faced with granite stone. The building accommodates about 900 parishioners.
»  The interior is characterized by mosaic frescoes and stained glass windows. The floor is covered is tiled with Italian marble. Seats for worshipers are made of red Canadian birch. There is also an organ (1952). This keyboard and wind musical instrument is the biggest in the world, as it contains 13 389 pipes.
»  The modern Christian Science Church Center (1960) has a total area of 57 m2.
»  The Boston Church is called “The First” in accordance with the bylaws, by which congregations have got their sequence number since the foundation.

» The Capitol is a huge building constructed in 1798. The city authorities meet here.
»  The land plot was provided by the first governor of the state. The building that has a total area of 27 000 m2 was built here.
»  Originally, the dome of the Capitol was made of wood and then it was covered with gold leaf. Its top is decorated with a cone. It symbolizes the significance of the lumber industry developed in the city in the colonial era.
»  The house was built of red brick. You need to go through the portico to enter it. It is upheld by white columns. The ceiling of the second floor depicts historical scenes. The main staircase leads to the inner rooms of the Doric Hall.
»  The massive door is open on festive occasions, for example, when the President visits the palace or on the last day of the governor’s rule. Traditionally, the political figure walks along the hall alone, so the tradition is called “Lonely Walk”.
»  The Massachusetts State House keeps a secret. In 1795, the box with “messages”, the time capsule, was left in one of the corner rocks. The metal box that weighs 5 kilos was opened in 2015. There were printed papers and coins.

» The Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) opened its doors to the first visitors in 1876.
»  Its main exposure was the collection of the City Art Gallery. The museum fund contains a million exhibits.
»  There are various exhibits: picturesque canvasses, antique pieces of furniture, jewels, household items, outfits of different epochs, numismatics, ceramic, glass, silver, and porcelain items. Here, you can also see exhibits used in funeral ceremonies.
»  All the presented items demonstrate the development of the global culture of different countries and continents. Modern arts are not forgotten too. Here, you can also see everything related to the fashion industry: pictures, etchings, sketches, textiles, jewels, and musical instruments.
»  The representatives of the gentle sex will be attracted by the exhibition dedicated to European and Asian fashion of the last century (works of Chanel, Gagliano, and Dior).
»  There are more paintings of artist Mille, than in France.
»  The complex consists of the main building and several outbuildings. Their walls are faced with granite produced in local quarries.
»  The collection is replenished at the expense of businessmen and scientists.

Location on the map:   Facts: » The Latin word “convenire” means “to agree”. This was the name of the cult religious group of Protestants from Scotland. In 1586, they teamed up to protect their belief from attacks.
»  Congregational community of the city still exists as an autonomous church. The Church of the Covenant, or Central Church, is one of the historical places in America and an architectural monument of the last century.
»  The Church of the Covenant is a Gothic building. It was designed by a famous architect in 1867.
»  According to his plan, the house should be seen from any place of the district due to its height. The building is 73 m high.
»  It was constructed at the expense of rich industrialists.
»  The church has a bell tower. There is an elegant spire on it.
»  The windows for the church were made by Tiffany Glass and Decorating Co. Stained glass windows depict religious and philosophical scenes, which matches the building. As the texture of these paintings is complex, the windows do not give much light. However, the paintings look more voluminous and look like picturesque canvasses.

» The Irish-American architect Patrick Kelly designed the Cathedral of the Holy Cross.
»  The construction lasted 9 years.
»  Originally, the Catholic Church was aimed at introducing as many parishioners, as possible to Catholicism. So, it was necessary to build the big house of worship. Catholic rites in all their glory and festive worships with chants and organ music were held here.
»  In December 1875, the construction was blessed by the first city archbishop.
»  The main material used during the construction of the New Gothic cathedral was special stone and gray limestone. It is 111 m long, 27 m wide, and 37 m high. It accommodates almost 2 000 people.
»  When Pope John Paul II visited America for the first time, he held a long worship service exactly here. The prayer in honor of those who died during the Boston Marathon terrorist attack in 2013 was held here too.
»  At the church, there are a high school and a college. The Cathedral of the Holy Cross is the most impressive religious institution in New England.