Constellation - MONOCEROS / UNICORN - Boston, Massachusetts, USA
N 42° 21.553 W 071° 03.485
19T E 330513 N 4691712
Monoceros is Greek for Unicorn. An ancient Historical Creature, & the name of a Constellation. This Unicorn stands on the end wall The Old State House. Where the first reading of the declaration of indendance was made, below the Lion & Unicorn.
Waymark Code: WMY16D
Location: Massachusetts, United States
Date Posted: 03/31/2018
Views: 7
On July 18, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was first proclaimed from the balcony of this building. Later that day, the lion and unicorn were taken down from the roof of the building and burned in a great bonfire in Dock Square. They were restored in 1882.
According to legend a free unicorn was considered a very dangerous beast, therefore the heraldic unicorn is often shown chained.
"In heraldry the unicorn is best known as the symbol of Scotland. The unicorn was chosen because it was seen as a proud and haughty beast which would rather die than be captured, just as Scots would fight to remain sovereign and unconquered. Two unicorns supported the royal arms of the King of Scots, and since the 1707 union of England and Scotland, the royal arms of the United Kingdom have been supported by a unicorn along with an English lion. Two versions of the royal arms exist: that used in Scotland gives more emphasis to the Scottish elements, placing the unicorn on the left and giving it a crown, whereas the version used in England and elsewhere gives the English elements more prominence."
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"Monoceros is a faint constellation on the celestial equator. Its name is Greek for unicorn. Its definition is attributed to the 17th-century Dutch cartographer Petrus Plancius. It is bordered by Orion to the west, Gemini to the north, Canis Major to the south and Hydra to the east. Other bordering constellations include Canis Minor, Lepus and Puppis."
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