Boston Photo Gallery - Back Bay

Similar to Beacon Hill, Back Bay is home to the city's richest and famous, but with an additional shopping street to draw out the tourists. Once a real bay along the Charles River, the land was filled in starting in the 1850s for about 30 years and a grid of blocks was created. This new part of the city was influenced by the Haussmann Paris plan, with boulevards and service alleys. This section of Commonwealth Avenue has a wide park between its traffic lanes, offering a nice green space for residents to take a stroll. Modeled on the Parisian boulevard, it is 200 feet wide with many leading American architects showcasing their talents on both sides of the street.