One of the first colonies in America, and quickly the most important and forward thinking, Boston was established in 1624 and before long, had a university at Harvard and excellent schools.
The city was a Puritan centre, and boasts some early churches that date back almost to the founding of the colony.
It was in Boston that the seeds of American Independence were sown, with the Boston Massacre paving the way for the Boston Tea Party, and the American Revolution.
The city long prospered as a trading port, but now, the economy is based around technology, and hi tech industries that have grown up from the number of graduates from the MIT school in neighbouring Cambridge.
The wealth generated from international trade was heavily invested in the cultural infrastructure of the city, and many rich families patronised museums and galleries.
