La Rambla
Spain
During peak tourist season, La Rambla can get crowded due to its popularity, causing a shift in the street's character to include pavement cafes and souvenir kiosks. However, this popularity has also led to an increase in pickpocketing incidents.
The Spanish poet Federico García Lorca once expressed his fondness for La Rambla, stating that it was "the only street in the world which I wish would never end."
History
La Rambla was initially a stream filled with sewage that served as an essential drain for heavy rainwater from the Collserola hills during spring and autumn. The name Rambla, derived from the Arabic word for "sand," is Catalan for "wadi." It separated the walled city on the northeast bank from the El Raval settlements on the southwest.
Construction began in 1377 to extend the city walls to encompass La Rambla and El Raval. By 1440, the stream had been rerouted outside the new walls, and La Rambla slowly transformed into a street.
Over the next several centuries, La Rambla became a hub of Barcelona's urban life, hosting festivals, markets, and sporting events. The street saw the construction of several significant religious structures during this time. The first trees lining La Rambla were planted in 1703, and elm trees replaced the initial birch trees. Acacias were planted in 1832, and the currently standing plane trees became the typical trees in 1859.
Numerous conflicts over recent centuries took their toll on La Rambla's religious buildings, with the St. James's Night riots in 1835 and the Spanish Civil War in 1936–39 inflicting significant damage. Until 2010, an open-air market for caged birds and other small pets took place on the Rambla dels Estudis, but animal protection laws made it challenging for the market to continue.
On August 17, 2017, a terrorist attack involving a van deliberately driven down the sidewalk on La Rambla caused 15 deaths and at least 100 injuries.
Sights
La Rambla's central promenade, lined with trees, bustles with activity throughout the day and into the late night hours. Its paving design, with a rippling effect, pays homage to its roots as a watercourse. The promenade is home to various kiosks that sell souvenirs, newspapers, flowers, and other goods, as well as street performers, cafes, and bars. A number of noteworthy attractions are located within the promenade, including a mosaic by Joan Miró and the Font de Canaletes, a fountain that serves as a popular meeting spot.
Historic structures, such as the Palace of the Virreina and the Liceu Theater, where operas and ballets are performed, also line the Rambla. The renowned La Boqueria market is situated off the promenade and boasts an impressive assortment of products.
A short side street leads to the Royal Square (Plaça Reial), a palm tree-lined plaza with porticoed buildings containing numerous pubs and restaurants. Stamp and coin collectors frequent the square on weekends.
Culture
Several of Barcelona's cultural establishments are located on the Rambla, such as the Gran Teatre del Liceu, also known as Liceu, which is the city's opera house founded in 1847. The Teatre Principal, established in 1568 and reconstructed several times since then, is the oldest theater in Barcelona. The Centre d'Art Santa Mònica is a public museum of contemporary art situated on the Raval side of Rambla de Santa Mònica that regularly displays exhibitions of international artists. The Palau de la Virreina, a Baroque palace, hosts cultural events and museum exhibitions. Additionally, the Pla de l'Os features a pavement mosaic created by the renowned artist Joan Miró in 1971.
Redevelopment
The renowned Barcelona street is set to undergo a transformation in its appearance and purpose, following the approval of a redevelopment plan in 2017. The project, which has a budget of about €45 million, is scheduled to commence in late 2022 and will be implemented gradually. To accommodate more pedestrians, the number of car lanes will be reduced, and traffic will be limited to service vehicles and residents. The overarching objective is to create a "green space" that appeals to both locals and tourists.