Copley Square

Copley Square, named for painter John Singleton Copley, is a public square in Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood. Prior to 1883 it was known as Art Square due to its many cultural institutions, some of which remain today.nA remarkable number of important Boston educational and cultural institutions were originally located adjacent to Copley Square, reflecting 19th-century Boston’s aspirations for it as a center of culture and progress. The Boston Marathon foot race has finished at Copley Square since 1986.nOn April 15, 2013, around 2:50 pm (about three hours after the first runners crossed the line) two bombs exploded‍—‌one near the finish line near the Boston Public Library, the other some seconds later and one block west. Three people were killed and at least 183 injured, at least 14 of whom lost limbs.