El Raval
El Raval (Catalan pronunciation: [əl rəˈβal]) is a neighborhood in the Ciutat Vella district of Barcelona, the capital city of Catalonia. The neighborhood, especially the part closest to the old port, was formerly (informally) known as Barri Xinès or Barrio Chino, meaning "Chinatown".[1] El Raval is one of the two historical neighborhoods that border La Rambla, the other being the Barri Gòtic; it contains some 50,000 people.
An area historically infamous for its nightlife and cabarets, as well as prostitution and crime, El Raval has changed significantly in recent years and due to its central location has become a minor attraction of Barcelona. It currently has a very diverse immigrant community (47.4% of its population was born abroad, ranging from all South America, Pakistanis and Filipinos, to a more recent Eastern European community, especially from Romania). It is home to many bars, restaurants, and night spots.
Delimitations[]
The northern border of the neighborhood is marked by Plaça Catalunya and Plaça Universitat, and the street which connects them, Carrer de Pelai. It ends in the east with La Rambla, and in the west and south, the neighborhood is delimited by , and Avinguda del Paral·lel.
Crime[]
El Raval is one of Barcelona's most dangerous neighborhoods, with frequent robberies. There is substantial police concern about drug crime and fighting.[2]
Landmarks[]
There are a few historical monuments such as the Monastery of Sant Pau del Camp, as well as newer additions such as the , and the MACBA (the Contemporary Art Museum of Barcelona) or the Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona. Near the museum is the mural Todos Juntos Podemos Parar el SIDA, originally created by American artist Keith Haring in 1989.[3]
In the southern part of the neighborhood an old wall and gate of the medieval city called still exists as part of the Maritime Museum. The Raval is also known for its large statue of a cat by Fernando Botero, located on the . The city's most famous market, La Boqueria, is also situated in the Raval.
In the eastern part of the neighborhood, Antoni Gaudí's Palau Güell is located on the .
Transport[]
Barcelona Metro[]
Cultural depictions[]
- Josep Maria de Sagarra's 1932 book
- Rafael Gil's 1948 film La calle sin sol
- Jean Genet's 1949 book, The Thief's Journal (Journal du Voleur)
- Joan Colom's photos of the neighborhood in the 1950s
- Eduardo Mendoza's 1975 book
- Terenci Moix's 1976 book
- 's 1977 film
- 's comic strip , started in 1986.
- Francisco Casavella's 1990 book
- Maruja Torres's 1997 book
- Francisco Casavella's 1997 book
- Roberto Bolaño's 1998 novel The Savage Detectives
- José Luis Guerin's 2001 documentary
- Carlos Ruiz Zafón's 2001 novel The Shadow of the Wind
- Francisco Casavella's 2002-2003 book trilogy
- Cesc Gay's 2003 film En la ciudad
- 's 2004 play
- 's 2005 film
- Juan Marsé's 2005 book Canciones de amor en Lolita's Club
- 's 2005 film
- Ferran Aisa i Mei Vidal, 2006 book El Raval, un espail al marge
- 's 2006 film
- 's 2008 book
- 's 2009 book
- Francesc Betriu's 2009 documentary
- 's 2009 film
- Javier Calvo's 2009 novel
- Maruja Torres's 2009 book
- Alejandro González Iñárritu's 2010 film Biutiful
- 's 2011 novel
- Mathias Énard's 2012 novel Rue des voleurs
- and 's 2014 documentary Ciutat morta
People from Raval[]
- Enriqueta Martí, serial killer known as the Vampyre of Barcelona.
- Terenci Moix, writer.
- Peret, singer.
- Maruja Torres, writer.
- Manuel Vázquez Montalbán, writer.
- Andreu Jacob, film music composer
See also[]
- Carrer de Joaquín Costa, a street in Raval.
- La Paloma
- Pakistanis in Spain
References[]
- ^ "How Chinatown Became Barcelona's Coolest Area". Discovery. June 30, 2017. Retrieved 2021-03-10.
- ^ Lizanda Herrera, Adrián (18 October 2018). "El Raval: Welcome to Barcelona's most dangerous neighbourhood". The Local.
- ^ "Keith Haring's Mural: Todos Juntos Podemos Parar el SIDA". Barcelona Lowdown. November 4, 2018. Retrieved 2021-03-10.
External links[]
- El Raval
- Neighbourhoods of Barcelona
- Ciutat Vella
- Little Pakistans
- Entertainment districts in Spain
- Restaurant districts and streets in Spain
- Red-light districts in Spain