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Unicorn and Lion
Artist:
Unknown
Location:
Old State House, at State St. and Washington St.
Location
Old State House, at State St. and Washington St.
United States
See map: Google Maps
Neighborhood:
Downtown
Type:
Sculpture
Year:
1713 / 1882
Medium:
Copper
Collection:
City of Boston / Old State House Museum
Funders:
Unknown
Description:
Built in 1713, the Old State House was the seat of government for the Massachusetts Bay Colony before the American Revolution. These sculptures, symbols of the British Empire, were torn down and burnt in a bonfire in 1776, when the Declaration of Independence was read from the balcony. Replicas have been in place since the building’s restoration in 1882. While the originals were wooden, the pieces you see now are made of copper. Inside, the Bostonian Society runs a museum exploring Revolutionary history.
