The Commonwealth Avenue Mall is a wide, tree-lined greenway running down the center of Commonwealth Avenue through Back Bay, modeled on the grand boulevards of Paris. Laid out in the 19th century as part of the Back Bay development, this linear park forms one of the links in Frederick Law Olmsted’s Emerald Necklace, connecting the Boston Public Garden at its eastern end toward the Back Bay Fens to the west.
Shaded by stately elms and other mature trees, the mall is punctuated by statues and memorials honoring figures from history, literature, and public life. It offers a peaceful pedestrian promenade flanked by Back Bay’s iconic Victorian brownstones, popular with walkers, joggers, and visitors admiring the architecture. The mall is free and open year-round, making it an easy and scenic way to experience one of Boston’s most elegant neighborhoods on foot.
Good to know
- Free and open year-round as a public park
- A link in Boston’s Emerald Necklace park system
- Lined with statues, memorials, and Back Bay brownstone architecture
- Connects to the Boston Public Garden at its eastern end
Getting there
- Address: Commonwealth Avenue (between Arlington Street and Kenmore Square), Back Bay, Boston, MA
- Neighborhood: Back Bay
- Nearest T: Arlington (Green Line) at the east end; Kenmore (Green Line) toward the west end