Back Bay

Overview

Back Bay is Boston's most architecturally uniform neighborhood, built on filled tidal flat in the mid-1800s. Its French-inspired grid of brownstone-lined streets — Commonwealth Avenue, Newbury Street, and Boylston Street — houses upscale shops, galleries, and some of the city's finest buildings.

Highlights

• Commonwealth Avenue Mall: A tree-lined promenade with statues stretching from the Public Garden to Kenmore Square.
• Newbury Street: Eight blocks of galleries, boutiques, salons, and sidewalk cafés.
• Victorian Brownstones: Uniform row houses in Second Empire and Romanesque Revival styles.

History

Before 1857, Back Bay was literally a bay — a tidal basin behind a dam. A 30-year landfill project created the neighborhood street by street, from east to west. Architect Arthur Gilman planned the Parisian boulevard layout, and strict building codes ensured architectural harmony.

Visitor Tips

• Window shopping: Newbury Street's numbering goes from luxury (low) to casual (high).
• Best vantage: Stand on the Massachusetts Avenue Bridge for a full-length view of the neighborhood along the Charles River.
• Duration: 1–1.5 hours.