Boston City Hall

Faneuil Hall from City Hall Plaza

Photo by Arlan Fonseca

Quick Facts

Location:

1 City Hall Square

Significance:

Site of celebration, protest, and gathering

MANAGED BY:

City of Boston

City Hall serves as the center of government for the City of Boston. Built in 1968, the design firm Kallmann, McKinnell, and Knowles committed to a brutalist style for the new city administration building. City Hall is an often-criticized building, both for its brutalist design, and due to its status as a symbol of urban renewal. The construction of city hall wiped out a lively downtown community that was home to a nightlife entertainment district, union halls, and shopping center frequented by the working class. Today the Hall and Plaza has been used for numerous rallies, protests, parades, festivals, and community gatherings.