Boston Massachusetts... home to none other than Harvard University!
If you combine our Mini Bus and Subway journey duration just to get there, it may have been the longest and most tedious journey of our entire trip... but it was so worth it!
Built in 1636, Harvard is the oldest institution for higher education in the United States. The campus it's self is split into 11 separate academic units, located within different areas of Boston, with Harvard Stadium situated on the Allston side of the River Charles.
The main campus of the University is situated in the Cambridge area, and leads right into Harvard Yard. The yard it's self felt so peaceful and truly was beautiful, complete with a square of fresh green grass in the middle hugging the trees and Quaint colourful tables with chairs resting upon it. On your left hand side as you enter, stands Harvard's Memorial Church. This building is so elegant; complete with it's own church tower and four large pillars guarding the entrance. As a group we sat upon the benches at the entrance to the church and ate a little picnic; relaxing within the calm atmosphere of the Harvard campus, taking in the magnificent building work surrounding us and realizing just how lucky we actually are to be right there in that moment!
Opposite to where we were sat stood Harvard's Widener Library, which is the largest academic and private library system in the world! The system it's self consists of up to 79 separate libraries, holding approximately over 18 million different volumes.
The campus it's self is made up of many tall bricked buildings, presenting an old fashioned and antique appearance. Believe it or not some of these buildings are actually freshman dormitories, which is miles more extravagant than any University accommodation I've lived in myself! Harvard is a largely residential research University, with many first years choosing to live on campus.
As the actual campus is spread out across the Boston area, next on our agenda was to make our way over the Charles river to the Allston section of the campus; our goal was to visit Harvard Business school. All of the buildings again were truly magnificent, complete with pillars and beautifully patterned designs on each. The Baker library is an example of one of these buildings! In front of the library lay a large patch of fresh green grass with a beautiful view of the river, so of course we took it as a perfect photo shoot opportunity.
Not far from the Baker library stands none other than Harvard Stadium, the grounds were empty giving us free reign of it all! Harvard stadium was built from concrete in 1903, and is enormous holding enough seating for over 30,300 people. The stalls within the stadium sit in a U shaped bend surrounding the field below them. After taking a few photographs from the ground we ventured round the back of the stadium in search of an entrance, before climbing our way up the stalls and taking in the extreme height at which they were situated. Inscribed within the grass field below in a deep red colour was the word "Crimson", which is actually Harvard's designated colour. Crimson was chosen to enable the Harvard team to be identified during the regatta, which has stuck after all these years.
Finally we finished our trip to the University by heading over to Harvard Square, and spending hours pondering in all of the merchandise shops to our hearts content! However our day did not end there, we decided to explore some more... after all we were in Boston!
Baker Library
Harvard Stadium
Harvard Square
