Copley Square facts for kids

Lewis Cohen's John Singleton Copley, with Copley Square, Trinity Church, and the John Hancock Tower behind Trinity Church The Boston Public Library's McKim Building, seen across Dartmouth St. from the Square Copley Square fountain, with Old South Church tower in distance

Copley Square is a famous public park in Boston, Massachusetts. It's named after the well-known painter John Singleton Copley. You can find it in Boston's Back Bay area, surrounded by Boylston Street, Clarendon Street, St. James Avenue, and Dartmouth Street. Before 1883, it was called Art Square because many important cultural places were located there. Some of these places are still there today! Copley Square has even been suggested as a special Boston Landmark.

Amazing Buildings in Copley Square

Copley Square is surrounded by some truly amazing buildings. They show off different styles of architecture from over the years.

• Old South Church (built in 1873): This church was designed by Charles Amos Cummings and Willard T. Sears. It has a unique style called Venetian Gothic Revival, which makes it look like old churches from Venice, Italy.
• Trinity Church (built in 1877): Designed by H. H. Richardson, this church is a masterpiece of the Romanesque Revival style. It's known for its strong, rounded arches and grand look.
• Boston Public Library (built in 1895): This beautiful library was created by Charles Follen McKim. It looks like a grand Italian Renaissance building and holds amazing artworks by famous artists like John Singer Sargent and Daniel Chester French.
• The Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel (built in 1912): This fancy hotel was designed by Henry Janeway Hardenbergh in the Beaux-Arts style. It's a very grand and detailed building.
• The John Hancock Tower (built in 1976): This very tall, modern building was designed by Henry N. Cobb. At 790 feet (240 m) (241 m) tall, it's the tallest building in New England.
• The Bostix Kiosk (built in 1992): This unique, modern building at the corner of Dartmouth and Boylston streets was designed by Graham Gund. It was inspired by the charming park pavilions you might see in Paris.

History of Copley Square

Copley Square has a rich history, especially as a center for learning and culture in Boston.

Many important schools and cultural places were originally located right next to Copley Square. This shows how much Boston wanted this area to be a hub of culture and new ideas in the 1800s.

Some of these famous institutions included:

• The Museum of Fine Arts
• The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
• Harvard Medical School
• The New England Museum of Natural History (which is now the Museum of Science)
• Trinity Church
• The New Old South Church
• The Boston Public Library
• The American Academy of Arts and Sciences
• The Massachusetts Normal Art School (now Massachusetts College of Art and Design)
• The Horace Mann School for the Deaf
• Boston University
• Emerson College
• Northeastern University

Copley Square was known as Art Square until 1883. It used to have a road, Huntington Avenue, cutting through it diagonally. In 1961, the square was changed to its current shape. Huntington Avenue was shortened, and part of the square was paved. A pyramid-shaped fountain was also added. Then, in 1991, after more changes and a new fountain, the Copley Square Park was officially opened. A group called the Friends of Copley Square helps raise money to take care of the park's plants, fountain, and monuments.

The famous Boston Marathon foot race has finished at Copley Square since 1986. There's a special monument in the park that celebrates the race's 100th running, which happened in 1996. You can find it near the corner of Boylston and Dartmouth streets.

Boston Marathon Event

On April 15, 2013, Copley Square was the site of a very serious event. Two explosions happened near the finish line of the Boston Marathon. This tragic event deeply affected the community.

Getting Around Copley Square

Copley Square is easy to reach using different types of public transportation.

• The Copley Station is on the MBTA Green Line subway.
• Several MBTA bus routes stop here, making it a big transfer point for many local buses.
• You can also catch the Logan Express bus to Logan International Airport from nearby.
• The Back Bay station is close by, offering access to the MBTA Orange Line subway, MBTA Commuter Rail trains, and Amtrak trains for longer trips.

Major roads near Copley Square include:

• The Massachusetts Turnpike
• Boylston Street

Images for kids

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  Fountain in Copley Square, around 1970

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  An old map of Copley Square from 1874

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  A detailed map from 1888 showing Art Square and the trolley lines.

See also

In Spanish: Copley Square para niños