A boulevard is a type of broad

avenue Avenue or Avenues may refer to: Roads * Avenue (landscape), traditionally a straight path or road with a line of trees, in the shifted sense a tree line itself, or some of boulevards (also without trees) * Avenue Road, Bangalore * Avenue Road, ...

planted with rows of trees, or in parts of North America, any urban highway. Boulevards were originally circumferential roads following the line of former

city walls A defensive wall is a fortification usually used to protect a city, town or other settlement from potential aggressors. The walls can range from simple palisades or earthworks to extensive military fortifications with towers, bastions and gates ...

. In North American usage, boulevards may be wide, multi-lane

thoroughfares A thoroughfare is a primary passage or way as a transit route through regularly trafficked areas, whether by road on dry land or, by extension, via watercraft or aircraft. On land, a thoroughfare may refer to anything from a multi-lane highway ...

divided with only a central median.

Etymology

The word ''boulevard'' is borrowed from French. In French, it originally meant the flat surface of a

rampart Rampart may refer to: * Rampart (fortification), a defensive wall or bank around a castle, fort or settlement Rampart may also refer to: * "O'er the Ramparts We Watched" is a key line from "The Star-Spangled Banner", the national anthem of the ...

, and later a

promenade An esplanade or promenade is a long, open, level area, usually next to a river or large body of water, where people may walk. The historical definition of ''esplanade'' was a large, open, level area outside fortress or city walls to provide cle ...

taking the place of a demolished fortification. It is a borrowing from the Dutch word ' '

bulwark Bulwark primarily refers to: * Bulwark (nautical), a nautical term for the extension of a ship's side above the level of a weather deck * Bastion, a structure projecting outward from the curtain wall of a fortification The Bulwark primarily refe ...

Notable examples

Asia

Azerbaijan

Baku Boulevard Baku Boulevard ( az, Dənizkənarı Milli Park, also known as National Park) is a promenade established in 1909 which runs parallel to Baku's seafront. Its history goes back more than 100 years, to a time when Baku oil barons built their mansion ...

Cambodia

Norodom Boulevard Norodom Boulevard ( km, មហាវិថីព្រះនរោត្តម), also called Street 41 ( km, ផ្លូវលេខ៤១, link=no), is a major boulevard in Cambodia and one of Phnom Penh's oldest arterial roads. It was named af ...

Monivong Boulevard Monivong Boulevard ( km, មហាវិថីព្រះមុនីវង្ស) is a central boulevard and thoroughfare of Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. It was named after King Monivong of Cambodia. Most streets in Phnom Penh have nu ...

Sihanouk Boulevard Sihanouk Boulevard ( km, មហាវិថីព្រះសីហនុ) is a central boulevard of Phnom Penh which is the capital of Cambodia. The boulevard crosses the city in an east–west direction. It is named in honour of the late King N ...

India

* M G Road *

Anna Salai Anna Salai (), formerly known as St. Thomas Mount Road or simply Mount Road, is an arterial road in Chennai, India. It starts at the Cooum Creek, south of Fort St George, leading in a south-westerly direction towards St. Thomas Mount, and end ...

Indira Gandhi Sarani Indira Gandhi Sarani, formerly Red Road, is a road in Central Kolkata that runs from Eden Gardens (Rashmoni Avenue-Gostho Paul Sarani Junction) to Fort William West Gate (Dufferin Road-Outram Road Junction). South of Fort William West Gate, R ...

Marine Drive Marine Drive may refer to: Roads Bangladesh * Cox Bazar-Tekhnaf Marine Drive, world's longest marine drive road. Canada *Marine Drive (Nova Scotia), a scenic route in Nova Scotia * Marine Drive (Greater Vancouver), a number of roadways in Metro ...

Krishnaraja Boulevard Krishnaraja Boulevard is an important street of Mysore city in Karnataka state of India. Location Krishnaraja Boulevard is located on the southern side of Mysore between Saraswathipuram and Ballal Circle. History Krishnaraja Boulevard is co ...

Rajpath Rajpath, officially named Kartavya Path, and formerly known as Kingsway, is a ceremonial boulevard in New Delhi, India, that runs from Rashtrapati Bhavan on Raisina Hill through Vijay Chowk and India Gate, National War Memorial to Nation ...

Necklace Road PV Narasimha Rao Marg (PVNR Marg), formerly Necklace Road is a boulevard in Hyderabad, Telangana, adjoining the Hussain Sagar lake, which connects NTR Gardens to Sanjeevaiah Park. It is named after the first and the famous Necklace Road in Mum ...

Mahatma Gandhi Road This is a list of roads across the world named after the Indian anti-colonial nationalist and lawyer, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi ( Mahatma Gandhi), known for his nonviolent resistance to lead a successful campaign for India's independence from ...

Foreshore Road Foreshore Road is one of the prestigious roads in the city of Srinagar. The notability of the road lies in the fact that the entire road lies on the banks of Dal Lake. The road starts from Hazratbal, Srinagar and ends at Nishat. The famous Mu ...

Indonesia

Jalan Jenderal Sudirman Jalan Jenderal Sudirman or Jalan Sudirman (Sudirman Road) is a major thoroughfare in Jakarta, Indonesia. Named after Indonesian national hero Sudirman, the road runs from Patung Pemuda Membangun at the south end to the bridge of the West Flood Can ...

Jalan M.H. Thamrin Jalan M.H. Thamrin or Jalan Thamrin (M.H. Thamrin Road or Thamrin Road) is a major thoroughfare in Jakarta, Indonesia. The road is located at the center of Jakarta, running from the north end of Jalan Jenderal Sudirman at West Flood Canal at the ...

Jalan Jenderal Gatot Subroto Jalan Jenderal Gatot Subroto (Gatot Subroto Avenue) is one of the major road in Jakarta, Indonesia. The road starts from Dirgantara statue in South Jakarta, which crosses 14 administrative villages and ends at Slipi, Central Jakarta. The road is ...

Jalan H.R. Rasuna Said Jalan H.R. Rasuna Said or Jalan Rasuna Said is one of the main avenues of Jakarta, Indonesia. It was constructed during the 1970s. It is located in the Golden Triangle of Jakarta. The road was named after Rasuna Said, Hajjah Rangkayo Rasuna Said, ...

Jalan Gajah Mada Jalan Gajah Mada and Jalan Hayam Wuruk (Gajah Mada and Hayam Wuruk Streets), formerly Molenvliet West and Molenvliet Oost respectively, is a major thoroughfare located in Jakarta, Indonesia. The two streets with its canal, the Batang Hari (formerl ...

Jalan Hayam Wuruk Jalan Gajah Mada and Jalan Hayam Wuruk (Gajah Mada and Hayam Wuruk Streets), formerly Molenvliet West and Molenvliet Oost respectively, is a major thoroughfare located in Jakarta, Indonesia. The two streets with its canal, the Batang Hari (former ...

Jalan Prof. Dr. Satrio Jalan Prof. Dr. Satrio or ''Jalan Satrio'' is one of main streets of Jakarta, Indonesia. The road has many important commercial buildings and shopping centers. It is named after former Minister for Health of Indonesia, Major General (Ret.) Prof ...

Iran

Keshavarz Boulevard Keshavarz Boulevard (Blvd.) ( fa, بلوار کشاورز ''Bolvār e Keshāvarz'') or simply ''Bolvār'' (the Boulevard) is a central Boulevard in Tehran, Iran. It is a 2.2 km long, East-West boulevard which connects Valiasr Street and Val ...

Philippines

Roxas Boulevard Roxas Boulevard is a popular waterfront promenade in Metro Manila in the Philippines. The boulevard, which runs along the shores of Manila Bay, is well known for its sunsets and stretch of coconut trees. The divided roadway has become a tradema ...

Shaw Boulevard Shaw Boulevard (formerly known as Jose Rizal Boulevard and Pasig Boulevard or commonly known as Crossing) is a 4-8 lane highway connecting the cities of Mandaluyong and Pasig in the Philippines. The boulevard is named after William James Shaw, t ...

España Boulevard España Boulevard is an eight–lane major thoroughfare in Manila, the capital city of the Philippines, named after Spain, the country that formerly held the Philippines as an overseas territory. True to its name, several Spanish names abound the ...

Quezon Boulevard Quezon Boulevard is a short stretch of highway in Manila, Philippines running north–south through the district of Quiapo. It is a six- to ten-lane divided boulevard designated as a component of National Route 170 (N170) of the Philippine hi ...

Aurora Boulevard Aurora Boulevard is a four-to-ten lane major thoroughfare in Quezon City and San Juan in Metro Manila, Philippines. It was named after Doña Aurora Quezon, the consort of Commonwealth President Manuel Luis Quezon. It is one of the major roads in ...

Osmeña Boulevard Osmeña Boulevard is a major arterial thoroughfare in Cebu City, Philippines. It is the city's "main street" which travels in a generally northwest–southeast orientation linking the old downtown district of San Roque near the harbor with the mod ...

Australia and Oceania

Australia

St Kilda Road St Kilda Road is a street in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is part of the locality of Melbourne which has the postcode of 3004, and along with Swanston Street forms a major spine of the city. St Kilda Road begins at Flinders Street, in ...

Royal Parade Royal Parade may refer to: * Royal Parade – street in Melbourne * Royal Parade (patience), an old English patience game {{Disambiguation ...

, Melbourne * Victoria Parade *

Flemington Road Flemington Road is a major thoroughfare in the inner suburbs of North Melbourne and Parkville in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It runs for 2 km in a northwest–southeast direction, from the southern end of Mount Alexander Road, Flemington, ...

Mount Alexander Road Mount Alexander Road (and its northern section as Bulla Road) is a major road in Melbourne's inner northern suburbs, connecting the northern edges of the city district to just south of Essendon Airport. It was named after its original destina ...

* The Boulevard, Perth

New Zealand

Four Avenues The Four Avenues are a group of four major arterial boulevards — Bealey Avenue, Fitzgerald Avenue, Moorhouse Avenue, and either Rolleston Ave or Deans Avenue — that surround the city centre of Christchurch, New Zealand. Serving as an inne ...

of Christchurch

Europe

Austria

Vienna Ring Road The Vienna Ring Road (german: Ringstraße, lit. ''ring road'') is a 5.3 km (3.3 mi) circular grand boulevard that serves as a ring road around the historic Innere Stadt (Inner Town) district of Vienna, Austria. The road is located on sites where ...

Denmark

Nørre Voldgade Nørre Voldgade ( lit. "North Rampart Street") is a street in central Copenhagen, Denmark. It runs north-east from Jarmers Plads for approximately 600 metres to Gothersgade where it turns into Øster Voldgade. The succession of Nørre Voldgade, ...

H. C. Andersens Boulevard H. C. Andersens Boulevard is the most densely trafficked artery in central Copenhagen, Denmark. The 1.3 km long six-lane street passes City Hall Square on its way from Jarmers Plads, a junction just north of Vesterport station, to Lange Bridge wh ...

Vesterbrogade Vesterbrogade () is the main shopping street of the Vesterbro district of Copenhagen, Denmark. The 1.5 km long street runs from the City Hall Square in the east to Pile Allé in Frederiksberg in the west where it turns into Roskildevej. On ...

Sønder Boulevard Sønder Boulevard ( lit. "South Boulevard") is a boulevard in the Vesterbro district of Copenhagen, Denmark, whose broad central reserve has been turned into a linear park with various facilities for sports and other activities. It runs from Halmt ...

Dalgas Boulevard Dalgas Boulevard is a broad avenue in the Frederiksberg district of Copenhagen, Denmark. It runs from Roskildevej in the south to Femte Juni Plads in the north, intersecting Peter Bangs Vej and Finsensvej on the way. History The road was planned ...

Strandboulevarden Strandboulevarden (literally "Beach Boulevard") is a major street in the Østerbro district of Copenhagen, Denmark. It runs from Fridtjof Nansens Plads as in the south to Østerbrogade in the north, linking Kristianiagade with Jagtvej. History Dec ...

Frederiksberg Allé Frederiksberg Allé is a tree-lined avenue which runs through the southernmost part of the Frederiksberg district of Copenhagen, Denmark. It connects Vesterbrogade at Værnedamsvej to Frederiksberg Runddel in front of the main entrance to Frederik ...

France

Boulevard Beaumarchais The Boulevard Beaumarchais is a boulevard of the 3rd, 4th and 11th arrondissement of Paris. It is named after Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais (; 24 January 1732 – 18 May 1799) was a French poly ...

Boulevard du Temple The Boulevard du Temple, formerly nicknamed the "Boulevard du Crime", is a thoroughfare in Paris that separates the 3rd arrondissement from the 11th. It runs from the Place de la République to the Place Pasdeloup, and its name refers to the ne ...

Boulevard Montmartre Boulevard Montmartre is one of the four grands boulevards of Paris. It was constructed in 1763. Contrary to what its name may suggest, the road is not situated on the hills of Montmartre. It is the easternmost of the grand boulevards. History I ...

Boulevard des Italiens The boulevard des Italiens is a boulevard in Paris. It is one of the 'Grands Boulevards' in Paris, a chain of boulevards built through the former course of the Wall of Charles V and the Louis XIII Wall, which were destroyed by the orders of Louis ...

Boulevard des Capucines The Boulevard des Capucines is a boulevard in Paris. It is one of the 'Grands Boulevards' in Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an ...

Boulevard de la Madeleine The Boulevard de la Madeleine is one of the four 'grands boulevards' of Paris, France, a chain of roads running east–west that includes the boulevard de la Madeleine, the boulevard des Capucines, the boulevard des Italiens and the boulevard Mont ...

Germany

Unter den Linden Unter den Linden (, "under the linden trees") is a boulevard in the central Mitte district of Berlin, the capital of Germany. Running from the City Palace to Brandenburg Gate, it is named after the linden (lime in England and Ireland, not re ...

, Berlin *

Kurfürstendamm The Kurfürstendamm (; colloquially ''Ku'damm'', ; en, Prince Elector Embankment) is one of the most famous avenues in Berlin. The street takes its name from the former ''Kurfürsten'' (prince-electors) of Brandenburg. The broad, long boulevar ...

, Berlin *

Karl-Marx-Allee Karl-Marx-Allee ( en, Karl Marx Alley) is a monumental socialist boulevard built by the GDR between 1952 and 1960 in Berlin Friedrichshain and Mitte. Today the boulevard is named after Karl Marx. It should not be confused with the ''Karl-Marx ...

, Berlin * Königsallee, Düsseldorf * * Brienner Straße *

Leopoldstraße Leopoldstraße is a street in the Munich districts Maxvorstadt, Schwabing and Milbertshofen. It is a major boulevard, and the main street of the Schwabing district. It is a continuation of Ludwigstraße, the boulevard of King Ludwig I of Bavaria, n ...

* Maximilianstraße * Prinzregentenstraße

Hungary

* Little Boulevard, Budapest * Grand Boulevard, Budapest * Hungária Boulevard, Budapest

Ireland

O'Connell Street O'Connell Street () is a street in the centre of Dublin, Republic of Ireland, Ireland, running north from the River Liffey. It connects the O'Connell Bridge to the south with Parnell Street to the north and is roughly split into two sections ...

, Dublin

Italy

Viali di Circonvallazione The Viali di Circonvallazione are a series of 6-lane boulevards surrounding the north part of the historic centre of Florence. History The boulevards follow the outline of the ancient walls of Florence, that were demolished in 1865 according t ...

, Florence

Spain

* * *

Avinguda Diagonal Avinguda Diagonal (, in Spanish Avenida Diagonal) is the name of one of Barcelona's broadest and most important avenues. It cuts the city in two, diagonally with respect to the grid pattern of the surrounding streets, hence the name. It was ori ...

, Barcelona

Portugal

Avenida da Liberdade Avenida da Liberdade (Portuguese for ''"Avenue of Liberty"'') is a boulevard in central Lisbon, Portugal, known for being one of the most expensive shopping streets in Europe. Originating in the '' Passeio Público'', an 18th-century park built ...

, Lisbon

Russia

Boulevard Ring The Boulevard Ring (russian: Бульва́рное кольцо́; transliteration: ''Bulvarnoye Koltso'') is Moscow's second innermost ring road (the first is formed by the Central Squares of Moscow running along the former walls of Kitai-gorod ...

, Moscow **

Tverskoy Boulevard Tverskoy Boulevard (russian: Тверской бульвар) is one of the main thoroughfares in central Moscow. It is a part of the Boulevard Ring and begins at the end of the Nikitsky Boulevard, at the crossing with Bolshaya Nikitskaya Stre ...

Garden Ring The Garden Ring, also known as the "B" Ring (russian: Садо́вое кольцо́, кольцо́ "Б"; transliteration: ''Sadovoye Koltso''), is a circular ring road Avenue (landscape), avenue around central Moscow, its course correspondin ...

, Moscow

North America

Canada

Lake Shore Boulevard Lake Shore Boulevard (often incorrectly compounded as Lakeshore Boulevard) is a major arterial road running along more than half of the Lake Ontario waterfront in the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Prior to 1998, two segments of Lake Shore ...

, Toronto *

Pie-IX Boulevard Pie-IX Boulevard (french: boulevard Pie-IX, pronounced in both English and French), named after Pope Pius IX, is a major boulevard in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It runs for roughly in a northwest–southeast direction between Henri Bourassa Boulev ...

, Montreal

Mexico

Paseo de la Reforma Paseo de la Reforma (translated as "Promenade of the Reform") is a wide avenue that runs diagonally across the heart of Mexico City. It was designed at the behest of Emperor Maximilian by Ferdinand von Rosenzweig during the era of the Secon ...

, Mexico City

United States

* Ocean Parkway, Brooklyn *

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

, Manhattan *

Sunset Boulevard Sunset Boulevard is a boulevard in the central and western part of Los Angeles, California, that stretches from the Pacific Coast Highway in Pacific Palisades east to Figueroa Street in Downtown Los Angeles. It is a major thoroughfare in t ...

, Los Angeles *

Santa Monica Boulevard Santa Monica Boulevard is a major west–east thoroughfare in Los Angeles County. It runs from Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica near the Pacific Ocean to Sunset Boulevard at Sunset Junction in Los Angeles. It passes through Beverly Hills and West ...

, Los Angeles *

Wilshire Boulevard Wilshire Boulevard is a prominent boulevard in the Los Angeles area of Southern California, extending from Ocean Avenue in the city of Santa Monica east to Grand Avenue in the Financial District of downtown Los Angeles. One of the principal ...

, Los Angeles *

Hollywood Boulevard Hollywood Boulevard is a major east–west street in Los Angeles, California. It begins in the east at Sunset Boulevard in the Los Feliz district and proceeds to the west as a major thoroughfare through Little Armenia and Thai Town, Hollywoo ...

, Los Angeles *

Chicago Boulevard System The historic Chicago park and boulevard system is a ring of parks connected by wide, planted-median boulevards that winds through the north, west, and south sides of the City of Chicago. The neighborhoods along this historic stretch include, L ...

Benjamin Franklin Parkway Benjamin Franklin Parkway, commonly abbreviated to Ben Franklin Parkway and colloquially called the Parkway, is a boulevard that runs through the cultural heart of Philadelphia. Named for founding father Benjamin Franklin, the mile-long Parkway c ...

, Philadelphia * Roosevelt Boulevard, Philadelphia *

Southern Boulevard Park image:Broad St1.JPG, upright=1.2, The Northern terminus of Broad Street on the border of Philadelphia and Cheltenham Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Cheltenham Township Broad Street is a major arterial street in Philadelphia, P ...

, Philadelphia *

Boulevard A boulevard is a type of broad avenue planted with rows of trees, or in parts of North America, any urban highway. Boulevards were originally circumferential roads following the line of former city walls. In American usage, boulevards may ...

, Atlanta *

Park Avenue Park Avenue is a wide New York City boulevard which carries north and southbound traffic in the boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx. For most of the road's length in Manhattan, it runs parallel to Madison Avenue to the west and Lexington Avenu ...

, New York City

South America

Argentina

*, Buenos Aires

Uruguay

Artigas Boulevard Artigas Boulevard is an avenue in Montevideo named after Uruguayan hero José Artigas. The avenue was commissioned by Garetado Fredito, the Minister of Transport and Public Works, in 1891. It starts from the Rambla of Montevideo (coastal avenue) ...

, Montevideo

References

Books

* * *

External links

*
Boulevards in Vietnam
{{Authority control Types of roads Types of streets Engineering barrages