Bunker Hill Monument

Along the Freedom Trail in Boston, on the other side of the Charles River from the North End rests the historical neighborhood of Charlestown, home to Bunker Hill. Less frequented than other stops along the Freedom Trail, Charlestown is lined with beautiful gaslit streets, colorful row houses, and Bunker Hill Monument, a 221 foot granite obelisk. Get there 30 minutes before sun set and wander around Charlestown's narrow side streets before claiming your spot on top of the hill. The sunset views of downtown Boston's skyline in contrast to Chucktown's colonial architecture make for a breathtaking visual experience. The area is quiet, clean, and doesn't attract the bustling crowds of tourists you'll find in the adjacent North End. When the moon is up, make your way to The Warren Tavern for their incredible cups of Chowda. You won't regret it.

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This is the real McCoy. Built in 1842 to commemorate the heroes of the first major battle of the American Revolution, the Bunker Hill Monument is the US’s oldest major war memorial. It towers 221 feet above the hill where 1,600 lost their lives on a sunny June day in 1775. Spiral your way up the 294 steps inside the graceful granite obelisk and you’ll be rewarded with a cool breeze and a birds-eye view of the Boston skyline, the USS Constitution, the Boston Harbor Islands, Blue Hills, and the Mystic and Charles rivers. Time your arrival for sunset, and watch the city’s skyscrapers grow golden and glittery in the fading sun's light.

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A granite obelisk at the top of a surprisingly steep hill stands watch over stately town homes — a spot more important for its mythology than its history. The Bunker Hill Monument is actually located on Breed's Hill, but it's not likely to be renamed anytime soon. And the battle wasn't really a victory for the Patriots (but that's not leaving the textbooks, either). That the outgunned Rebels bloodied the Redcoats' nose has become part of our national hagiography, and much of that mythos began here. In the summer, the monument's manicured lawns are perfect for a picnic; in winter, the city and the harbor look clean under a new snow. High above the tugs and tankers to the east, the Bunker Hill Monument offers a serene quiet befitting a battlefield — and a calm ripe for historical reflection, regardless of how the archives were written.

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