Welcome to Back Bay

The Back Bay of Boston is an upscale neighborhood with townhouses, skyscrapers, and high-end shopping along Newbury and Boylston Streets. The Back Bay is considered by many to be one of the more active parts of the city. The Back Bay is where you'll find Boston's two tallest skyscrapers, The Prudential Tower and the John Hancock Tower, as well as The Boston Public Library, Copley Square, Trinity Church, and The Old South Church. The name "Back Bay" is derived from the fact that the area was actually a bay of water before it was filled in starting in 1857. This filling-in completed much of modern Boston, including Kenmore Square and the Fenway area and more than doubled the size of Boston. Boston's Back Bay is adjacent to the Boston Public Garden and is also home to some of Boston's ritziest hotels. There are several public transportation hubs in the Back Bay, most notably the Green Line's Copley Station, Prudential Center, and the Orange Line's Back Bay.