Downtown Freedom Trail Walking Tour - History & Architecture

What's included

What you'll see and do

1. Freedom Trail

   The history and architecture of the Downtown Freedom Trail from Faneuil Hall to Boston Common. Includes Faneuil Hall, Quincy Market, The Old State House, Boston Massacre Site, Old South Meeting House, Old Corner Bookstore, Old City Hall, First Schoolhouse Site, King's Chapel, Tremont Temple, Old Granary Cemetery, Park Street Church, New State House and Boston Common.

   70 minutes here

2. Faneuil Hall Marketplace

   Often called the "Cradle of Liberty," this marketplace hosted the fiery protests that led to the American Revolution. Don't forget to look up at the famous grasshopper weathervane.

   Pass by without stopping

3. Boston Massacre Site

   Marked by a cobblestone ring in the pavement, this is the exact spot where the 1770 skirmish between Redcoats and colonists ignited the spark of rebellion.

   Pass by without stopping

4. Old State House

   Built in 1713, this was the seat of British colonial government. The Declaration of Independence was first read to Bostonians from its balcony.

   Pass by without stopping

5. Old Corner Bookstore

   The Old Corner Bookstore is a historic commercial building located at 283 Washington Street at the corner of School Street in the historic core of Boston, Massachusetts. It was built in 1718 as a residence and apothecary shop, and first became a bookstore in 1828.

   Pass by without stopping

6. Old South Meeting House

   The massive brick church where the signals were given to start the Boston Tea Party in 1773.

   Pass by without stopping

7. Irish Famine Memorial

   The Boston Irish Famine Memorial is a memorial park located on a plaza between Washington Street and School Street in Boston, Massachusetts. The park contains two groups of statues to contrast an Irish family suffering during the Great Famine of 1845–1852 with a prosperous family that had immigrated to America.

   Pass by without stopping

8. Old City Hall

   Old City Hall is a building at 45 School Street in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S., which housed the Boston City Council from 1865 to 1969. Designed by Gridley James Fox Bryant and Arthur Gilman, it was one of the first buildings in the French Second Empire style to be built in the United States.

   Pass by without stopping

9. Boston Latin School

   The Boston Latin School, founded on April 23, 1635, is the first public school in America, originally located on School Street. Established by Puritans, it provided free, classical education to boys. A statue of alumnus Benjamin Franklin and a sidewalk mosaic now mark its original site.

   Pass by without stopping

10. King's Chapel

    As one of the sixteen historic landmarks along Boston’s Freedom Trail, King’s Chapel is an important part of a collective. Yet the historic church also stands alone with history unique to its own site. The history of King’s Chapel spans more than 330 years, from its founding in 1686; through the American Revolution and the birth of a new nation; through great periods of change, both difficult and triumphant; to its continued presence in 21st-century Boston.

    Pass by without stopping

11. Hotels in Boston, Massachusetts | Omni Parker House, Boston ...The Omni Parker House, founded by Harvey D. Parker in 1855, is the oldest continuously operating hotel in the United States. Located on School Street in Boston, this historic hotel has hosted every U.S. president since Ulysses S. Grant and is the birthplace of the Boston Cream Pie, Parker House Rolls, and the term "scrod".

    Pass by without stopping

12. Tremont Temple Baptist Church

    Tremont Temple was formed in 1839 under the name The Free Baptist Church. Timothy Gilbert, a piano maker in Boston, resigned his membership at Charles Street Baptist Church when the congregation dissapproved of him inviting a black family into his pew stall at Sunday worship. The church met at several locations until 1843, when Gilbert purchased the Tremont Theater for $55,000 of his own money, which is the location at which our church currently meets. Tremont Temple is famous for being the first integrated church in America, since the church from its inception offered open attendance without charge, which fostered a church community that embraced racial diversity. While primarily dedicated as a place of worship, the Temple's versatile halls also hosted an array of public events, such as the unique display of an Egyptian mummy in 1850 and influential speeches against the scourge of slavery by renowned figures like Sam Houston and Frederick Douglass.

    Pass by without stopping

13. Granary Burying Ground

    The final resting place of Paul Revere, Samuel Adams, and John Hancock. It’s one of the most visited cemeteries in the country.

    Pass by without stopping

14. Boston Common

    The Boston Common is a public park in downtown Boston, Massachusetts. It is the oldest city park in the United States. Boston Common consists of 50 acres of land bounded by five major Boston streets: Tremont Street, Park Street, Beacon Street, Charles Street, and Boylston Street.

    Pass by without stopping

15. Massachusetts State House

    With its iconic 23-karat gold dome, this "new" State House (built 1798) serves as the modern seat of government and overlooks Boston Common.

    Pass by without stopping

Where it starts and ends

Before you book

Cancellation

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Languages

en

Ticket

Mobile Only

Runs on

Every day

Group size

Up to 15 travelers per booking

Operated by

Boston CityWalks

Know before you go

• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels
• Children must be accompanied by an adult
• Operates in all weather conditions; please dress appropriately

Photos

Traveler reviews

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