the Rows

The Rows are a distinctive architectural feature of Chester, England. They are a double tier of shops, with the lower level set back and the upper level projecting over it. This unique structure creates a covered walkway and shopping area. Chester itself is an urban area in Cheshire West and Chester, northwestern England, situated on a sandstone ridge at the head of the River Dee estuary. The town has Roman origins, serving as headquarters for Legion XX, and later became a significant Mercian settlement and port. While its importance as a port declined with the silting of the River Dee, the arrival of railways in the 19th century revitalized Chester as a commercial center, reflected in its many black-and-white buildings. Chester also boasts intact city walls and a Roman-influenced street plan.1