Pulteney Bridge

Pulteney Bridge spans the river Avon with three stone arches topped by two rows of shops. Unlike most bridges, it functions as a street that hides the water from the view of pedestrians. William Pulteney commissioned it in seventeen seventy-four to connect his new town development to the city center, hoping to increase the value of his land. The architect Robert Adam designed it after visiting Florence, choosing to incorporate storefronts directly into the structure to maximize the commercial space across the river.