The Vibrant Downtown area of Boston

by Naveen Marasinghe


Boston’s Downtown area is the nexus of the city, it contains the financial and administrative heart of the city; it also encompasses the recreational areas of Boston Common and the Public Garden. Known as an older portion of the city it still has many of the old historic buildings such as Old South Meeting House and the Old State House.

Among places of historic interest in the Boston Downtown area is the birthplace of renowned American scholar, inventor and philosopher Benjamin Franklin. Located close to the Old South Meeting House it was where Franklin spent most of his childhood. The Old South Meeting House is also a special part of Boston history as it was where the idea of the famed “Boston Tea Party” was conceived. Originally built in 1729 as a church by the Puritans it later became an icon in America’s struggle for freedom.

The more modern face of Boston Downtown is portrayed in the high rose condominiums and the tall sky scrapers that house some of the largest corporations in the country. The modern Government centre sits just a short way away from the Financial District of Boston towards the North. A number of new projects are planned for this area such as the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway initiative which proposes to include a total of 27 acres of greenery and parkland into the area.

The Downtown Boston area is also quite popular with shoppers. The Faneuil Hall Marketplace is one of the most popular shopping areas in Boston. It boasts of over 100 shops and also a large number of restaurants. Having been a centre of commerce in Boston for over 250 years, Faneuil Hall is not only a historic marketplace it is also entertaining. In addition a large number of shopping malls and department stores can also be located in the Downtown area.

Being a centre of administration, commerce and entertainment in Boston there is no shortage of hotels in Boston here; among them is the Langham Hotel Boston which maintains the same standards of quality and class experienced at many Boston hotels.