Pulteney Bridge is an iconic feature of Bath’s cityscape. The bridge has a number of (very narrow!) shops, but it is best appreciated from a distance as a true architectural gem in a city full of them! Pulteney Bridge was first designed by Robert Adam in the mid 18th century to enable development to take place south of the River Avon in Bath. It is believed to be one of only four bridges in the world lined with shops – two others in Italy – the Rialto in Venice and the Ponte Vecchio in Florence, inspired Adam.