La Rambla is one of the most representative streets of Barcelona. Entertainment and cultural life of the city focuses here. It is a bustling street thanks to numerous shops, stalls with souvenirs and flowers, cafes and performances by local artists. It serves the function of the pedestrian precinct connecting Plaza de Cataluña (English: Catalonia Square) with the statue of Christopher Columbus. La Rambla consists of five minor streets and for that reason its plural name – Las Ramblas – is sometimes used. The pedestrian area is over a kilometer long and is extended by a wooden pier in the harbor. La Rambla was built in the former riverbed, to which its name refers.
