Gallery NAGA

Admittedly a "deep cut" of Back Bay churches, this building houses a congregation formed all the way back in 1665, during a time when being Baptist was a punishable offense. The current building was opened in 1872 and designed by H. H. Richardson, the very same architect of the more famous Trinity church anchoring Copley square. Another notable element here are the friezes seen ringing the top of the tower. These were carved on site by Frédéric Bartholdi, who would later create the Statue of Liberty in New York.

If you've only got the time to visit one church during your trip, make it this one. The American Institute of Architects called Trinity Church one of the "Ten Most Significant Buildings in the United States" in 1885. Today it is the only building remaining on their top ten list. Designated a National Historic Landmark, the church was designed by Henry Hobson Richardson and was consecrated in 1877. Trinity Church established Richardson's reputation, birthing a new style of architecture soon adopted for a number of public buildings across the United States. Its interior murals were completed entirely by American artists.

The Gibson House was one of the first to be built in Back Bay, and has an unparalleled state of preservation that includes wallpaper, textiles, furnishings, and family artifacts and collections. A nice reminder that no matter how rich you were in 1860, you couldn't buy air conditioning!

Established in 1837 by Horace Gray, the Boston Public Garden, formerly an enormous swampy salt marsh, is the largest and oldest botanical garden in the United States. The Garden features a plethora of diverse plant life, including a wide variety of native and foreign trees, and a rotating arrangement of flowers that change with the seasons. It also features numerous statues and fountains dedicated to Boston's heroes throughout the ages. The park is centered on a four acre pond, which is crossed by the world's smallest suspension bridge, and teems with wildlife during the warmer months. During this time the Swan Boats are also in operation, a famous Boston Tourist attraction since 1877. In the northeast corner of the park, tourists can view the wildly popular duckling statues, based on Robert McCloskey's famous children's book "Make Way For Ducklings.".