Until the mid-nineteenth century, the Back Bay was a tidal marsh on the Charles River. Over about forty years, starting in the late 1850s, it was filled in with gravel brought by train, and a new neighborhood was laid out on a grid of wide avenues, the first planned grid in the city. Wealthy Bostonians built rows of brownstone and brick townhouses, and the neighborhood remains one of the best-preserved collections of Victorian urban architecture in the country.
Commonwealth Avenue
"Comm Ave" is the neighborhood's grand boulevard, modeled on the boulevards of Paris, with a long tree-lined promenade running down its middle. Walking the mall from the Public Garden west towards Massachusetts Avenue takes you past mansions, statues and, in spring, magnolias blooming in front gardens.
Newbury Street
One block south, Newbury Street is the city's best-known shopping street: eight blocks of boutiques, galleries, cafés and restaurants in the ground floors and basements of brownstones. It becomes trendier and more casual as you walk west, away from the Public Garden. Several Sundays a year in summer, the street closes to cars for an open street festival.
Copley Square
Copley Square, at the heart of the neighborhood, is surrounded by some of Boston's most important buildings.
- Trinity Church, completed in 1877, designed by H. H. Richardson. Its heavy stone arches and towers defined a style later called Richardsonian Romanesque. Inside, the walls are covered in murals and stained glass, some by John La Farge. It is regularly ranked among the most important buildings in the country.
- The Boston Public Library's McKim Building, opened in 1895, a "palace for the people" by McKim, Mead and White. Step inside to see the marble staircase, the vast reading room called Bates Hall, the murals and the quiet Italian-style courtyard, all free to visit.
- The John Hancock Tower, now known by its address, 200 Clarendon, a mirrored glass skyscraper reflecting Trinity Church.
- The Boston Marathon finish line, painted on Boylston Street beside the library.
The Prudential Center and the view
The Prudential Tower, one of the city's tallest buildings, has an observation deck near the top with views across the city, the harbor and the Charles River. Below it, an indoor mall connects to the Copley Place shopping center.
The Esplanade
On the northern edge of the Back Bay, a series of footbridges cross Storrow Drive to the Charles River Esplanade, a long riverside park with paths, docks, sailing and the Hatch Shell, where the Boston Pops play their famous Fourth of July concert.
Practical tips
- The neighborhood is easy to walk; the Green Line runs under Boylston Street, and the Orange Line stops at Back Bay station.
- Back Bay has many hotels and is one of the most convenient areas to stay; see where to stay in Boston.
- The Museum of Fine Arts is a short ride or walk away along Huntington Avenue.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Boston Public Library free to visit?
Yes, and free guided art and architecture tours are offered at set times.
Can I go inside Trinity Church?
Yes. Check current visiting hours; there may be a fee for tours outside services.
What is the best way to see the Back Bay?
On foot: Commonwealth Avenue westbound, Newbury Street back east, ending at Copley Square.