Local Expert
Maria Olia
I am a freelance writer and the author of “The Little Black Book of Boston” (Peter Pauper Press). I fell in love with Boston when I was a kid, came to the city for college, and never left!…
I am a freelance writer and the author of “The Little Black Book of Boston” (Peter Pauper Press). I fell in love with Boston when I was a kid, came to the city for college, and never left!
Travel is my passion; and I have written dozens of articles about the various places that I have visited. My absolute favorite travel destination is Tuscany, the most “exotic” place that I have visited is Iran, and my dream vacation is Greece.
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A Freedom Trail Break: The Free State House Tour
Get off The Freedom Trail! Located on Beacon Hill and overlooking Boston Common, on land that was once John Hancock's cow pasture, the Massachusetts State House is an exceptionally beautiful building. Its gold-gilt dome is easily one of the city's most prominent landmarks.
The Massachusetts State House is no ordinary state capitol building. Completed in 1798, the Massachusetts State House is one of the oldest state capitols in the country. The original building was designed by "America's first architect" Charles Bulfinch and is a great example of the Federal style. Today, the State House is a working office building and the seat of government for Massachusetts, but it has also played an important role in the history of the country.
Tours of the State House cover both the building's architecture and its impressive Memorial collection. As you would expect in Boston, there is "founding father" art galore here; including a life-size painting of Lincoln, a statue of George Washington, and a mural of Paul Revere's midnight ride.
The tours last 30-40 minutes and are free of charge. In the summer, the State House trains a corps of young, enthusiastic local high school students to lead the tours- very likely future lawyers and legislators!
Tours are offered Monday-Friday from 10 AM- 3:30 PM. It is recommended that you call ahead (617-727-3676) and make a reservation for a tour time, but walk-in visitors can usually be accommodated .