Boston is the capital and largest city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. It covers an area of 124 square kilometers, and has an estimated population of 645,966. Being one of the oldest United States cities, it was founded by Puritan colonists from England on the Shawmut Peninsula in 1630.
It was the centre of several key historical events of the American Revolution, such as the Boston Massacre where on the 5th March, 1770, five male civilians were killed by soldiers of the British Army six others were injured, the Boston Tea Party, the Sons of Liberty made their political protest Boston, on the 16th December, 1773, the Battle of Bunker Hill which took place on the 17th June, 1775 and the Siege of Boston which went from the 19th April, 1775 until the 17th March, 1776.
The area's many colleges and universities make Boston an international centre of higher education and medicine, and the city is considered to be the frontrunner in innovation for a variety of reasons. Boston lays claim to Boston University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University and Brandeis University.
Several theatres are located in or near the Theater District which is south of Boston Common, including the Cutler Majestic Theatre, the City Performing Arts Center, the Orpheum Theatre, and the Colonial Theater. The famous Symphony Hall is the residence to the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Boston Pops Orchestra, while the Boston Ballet performs in the renowned Boston Opera House.
Boston Common is the oldest public park in the United States. Together with the Boston Public Garden which is located right alongside, it is part of what is called the Emerald Necklace. Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, his vision was to establish a string of parks to encircle the city. The Emerald Necklace consists of Jamaica Pond, the largest body of freshwater in Boston, and Franklin Park which is the city's largest park and home of the Franklin Park Zoo.
Boston is also crammed full of other significant landmarks that absolutely have to be on your bucket list. Just a small sample of them include Fenway Park, Paul Revere House, Old North Church, the John F Kennedy Library, the USS Constitution Museum, the New England Aquarium, Faneuil House, Massachusetts State House, the Bunker Hill Monument, the Trinity Church, the Boston Children's Museum, Castle Island and the Old South Church.
