Pulteney Bridge, Road bridge in Bath, United Kingdom.
Pulteney Bridge carries vehicles and pedestrians over the Avon while supporting continuous rows of shops on both sides within its stone construction. The total length of the crossing reaches about 45 meters, while the Bath Stone facades hide the view of the flowing water below.
Robert Adam designed the crossing in 1774 to connect central Bath with the new Bathwick neighborhood on the opposite riverbank. The inclusion in the Grade I listing confirms the architectural importance of the construction for the Georgian era.
The name honors Frances Pulteney, heiress who owned the land on the east bank and made construction possible. Today, pedestrians cross the busy span and shop in the small stores without often realizing they are actually standing on a structure above the water.
Visitors can enter the shops from either end of the span and find small stores with different goods. The best view of the stone arches and facade comes from the riverside paths upstream or downstream.
Only four bridges worldwide still carry inhabited structures with continuous shop rows on both sides. The shopfront facing the river was removed later, so now you can see the Avon under the arches from the south side.
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