No doubt federal is the one architectural style synonymous with Boston (though the city is no slouch in other forms as well).
The style enjoyed its heyday in the decades before and after the turn of the 18th century, with two figures in particular pioneering it locally: Charles Bulfinch and Asher Benjamin. Simple facades with ornate doors; pilasters; and Palladian windows—these are a few of the key features of federal architecture.
Federal was the first style to really germinate in America—which probably explains its prevalence in one of the nation’s oldest cities. Here are eight Boston buildings that epitomize it. Additions welcome via tom@curbed.com.
(And, it should be noted, if you do want to peruse any of these from the outside, do keep appropriate social distance and wear a face mask.)
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