Mapparium + First Church of Christ, Scientist

On Saturday, mom and I went to the Mapparium at the Mary Baker Eddy Library - such a beautiful spectacle, but alas, no pictures allowed. 

However.  One can take pictures in the bathroom:

The amazing art deco tile.

Especially since I had never been inside, we decided to go inside the actual church space itself.  I guess I had thought only believers were allowed inside...?  Not so, it is indeed open to the public. 

Yes, those are foam rocks in the trees.  They're part of an outdoor art exhibit at the Christian Science Pavilion this summer called Convergence.  I love that they consider it their obligation to use the substantial real estate they have in a very busy part of Boston as a public space for art, music, frisbee, all of that.  It's not just cordoned off and unavailable. 

The Old Church was constructed in 1894, and seated 1100 people.  Large for the time, and built to fit a strangely-sized lot, it was outgrown by the success of the church around the turn of the century. 

photo credit:  wikipedia

 Stained glass light in the old church, constructed in 1894.  

As you can probably tell by the light balance in the space, it's more a cozy church; no large windows for light, dark interior. 

In complete contrast, the new church constructed in 1904 was patterned off of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, and is filled with light. 

I think hearing Saint-Saens' Third Organ Symphony in here would make me cry.  Apparently they do a concert for First Night, Boston's New Year's Eve celebrations, but I couldn't find anything on last year's schedule. 

The architecture detailing is gorgeous.

It does make for a very strange amalgam of times; 1890s, 1960s, 1980s, reflecting pool, giant cathedral.  But it somehow all fits together.