Las Ramblas - From tourist draw to scene of terror
August 18, 2017
Las Ramblas, the heart of Barcelona, has been hit by a terrorist attack. The vibrant and lively promenade came to a standstill when a white van plowed into a crowd of pedestrians.
They say if you go to Barcelona and don't take a stroll down Las Ramblas, then you haven't really visited the Catalonian capital. The broad boulevard with its cafes, colonnades and cultural centers offers a glimpse into Catalonian culture.
The street that cuts through Spain's second largest city is crowded with tourists and locals until the wee hours, especially during summers.
It's always dotted with street performers, musicians and souvenir hawkers, giving it a clamorous, carnival atmosphere. Describing the iconic promenade, Spanish poet Federico García Lorca wrote that it was "the one street in the world I didn't want to end."
Las Ramblas is crowded with tourists and locals, especially during summersImage: picture-alliance/dpa/T. Lang
"Las Ramblas is Barcelona's Champs Elysees or Times Square," said Pauline Frommer, editorial director of Frommer's guidebooks . "It's mostly where tourists go to see and be seen and be entertained. There's a feeling of excitement and being at the center of it all."
Las Ramblas, also referred to as La Rambla, takes its name from a seasonal river that once flowed here. The promenade is divided into five sections.
The 1.2 kilometer-long (.75-mile) avenue stretches from the main city square known as Placa de Catalunya to Barcelona's modern harbor neighborhood. The street is lined with upscale hotels and 18th-century buildings. It's home to the iconic opera house Gran Teatre del Liceu and former convents and monasteries.
Las Ramblas was laid out in the 18th century along the contours of the medieval city walls that had bounded this part of Barcelona.
ap/sms (AP, AFP)
Spain terror attacks - what we know
Twin vehicle attacks in the Spanish cities of Barcelona and Cambrils have left 14 people dead and more than 120 injured. Police have arrested four men and are searching for other suspects believed to be on the run.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/O. Duran
Terror attack
Witnesses in Barcelona said a van zigzagged down one of city's busiest tourist avenues, Las Ramblas, mowing down pedestrians and leaving bodies strewn across the ground. Police confirmed it was a terrorist attack.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/J. Lago
Second rampage
Several hours later, a speeding car killed one person and injured five in the seaside resort of Cambrils. The car's five occupants were shot dead by police. Catalonian authorities have confirmed that the two attacks were linked.
Image: Reuters/Reuters TV
Manhunt started
Police say they have arrested four men suspected of having a role in the attacks. They are still searching for the driver of the vehicle used in Barcelona. He is believed to be on the run, although officials have said he also could have been one of the five shot dead in Cambrils.
Image: REUTERS/Stringer
'Islamic State' claim responsibility
The so-called "Islamic State" (IS) terror group claimed responsibility for the attacks. "The perpetrators of the Barcelona attack are soldiers of the Islamic State and carried out the operation in response to calls for targeting coalition states," the group's news agency said.
Image: Getty Images/D. Ramos
Suspects in custody
Police said three of the detained suspects are Moroccan, and one is a Spaniard. None of them were known to have links to terror groups.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/J. Lago
Several victims critical
The Catalan government said that at least 13 people had died in the Barcelona attack, with 61 still receiving treatment for injuries in hospital - 17 of them in a critical condition. Four people wounded in the Cambrils attack remain in hospital. The victims came from at least 34 countries, officials said.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/J. Lago
Makeshift memorial
On Friday, thousands of people gathered around a makeshift memorial in Las Ramblas, the site where the van came to a halt. Many left flowers and candles in honor of the victims.
Image: picture alliance/ZUMAPRESS.com
Three days of mourning
Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy announced three days of official mourning for what he called a "jihadist attack." At a news conference in Barcelona, he told reporters: "Today the fight against terrorism is the principal priority for free and open societies like ours. It is a global threat and the response has to be global."
Image: Imago/robertharding/P. Higgins
Minute of silence
King Felipe of Spain, Prime Minister Rajoy and Catalonia Regional President Carles Puigdemont join crowds gathered for a minute of silence in Las Ramblas.
Image: picture alliance/AP Photo/M. Fernandez
Suspicious explosion
Spanish authorities are also investigating the scene of an explosion late Wednesday that killed one person in the city of Alcanar, some 200 kilometers (124 miles) southwest of Barcelona. Police first thought the explosion was an accident but said Thursday they now believe an explosive device intended for use in Barcelona was being prepared in the building.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/Europa Press/Bombers De La Generalitat
