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Along the Freedom Trail
Copp's Hill Burying Ground is situated between the modernity of Boston and the historic warmth of the North End. Visitors pass along the Freedom Trail, which runs along the long, brick wall of the burial ground. Ivy and trees break over the wall and creates a small canopy.
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Pause and Enter
In a style typical of Boston's historic cemeteries, Copp's Hill greets residents with an ornamental, grand iron entrance. The steep flagstone steps funnel visitors up into the burial ground and affords them an opportunity to breathe and reflect inside the open park.
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Grave Markers
Some of the most interesting cultural artifacts in Boston are found in the city’s numerous burial grounds. Death heads carved into sandstone grave markers denote the culture and artistry of generations past. Graves, tilted and cracked, returning to the ground, provide visitors insight into another time in American city life.
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Expanse of Headstones
The elevated, yet flat grounds of the park afford wide, expansive views of the entire area from a number of different vantage points. Sunken mausoleums and monuments serve as the gathering points of numerous paths and trails through the rows of graves.
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Various Styles
Marker material, condition, and position inside the burial grounds indicate how the historic grave sites were designed in centuries past. Visitors can expect to find graves from different time periods, social classes, and even some famous graves in separated plots like these.
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Transitional Moment
The stairs leading up to the terrace, a planted hillside flanked by granite walls and steps, is another incredible place to view the classic neighborhood. Carefully placed seating and tree canopy create small places for visitors to stop and observe the neighborhood around them. These design gestures create memorable moments in the waterfront park.
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Grand Staircase
Grand steps leading up from the waterfront add a grandeur and gravitas to the terrace and offer visitors multiple views from the landings and flights of steps. Visitors are guided up through the space by these massive stone staircases to arrive at a shady, cool platform overlooking the Harbor.
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Shaded Lookout
At the top of the terrace, visitors are shaded by trees, given enough space to meander and wander, and afforded unobstructed views of the Boston water. These views give a complete context to a historic waterfront neighborhood. Visitors are invited to imagine the landscape and lifestyle of centuries past and examine them against their modern incarnations.
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Historic Stone
The wrapping, heavy walls of the terrace give visitors the a sense that this landmark has always been there. Material choices here make the North End park stand out, while still being reverent and reminiscent of the warm, rough brick and stone found throughout the historic area.
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The Terrace
At the top of the terrace are some unique views of the Boston waterfront. When the tall ships enter the city’s waters this view becomes particularly historic in feel. Masts rise from the planted steps below the look-out terrace and weave themselves into the great oaks and beech trees of Copp’s Hill. Even without the historic ships these views give new insight into the city’s past modes of trade and travel.
Image: Maria Bellalta