Avinguda del Paral·lel

Avinguda del Paral·lel (Catalan pronunciation: [əβiŋˈɡuðə ðəl pəɾəˈlːɛl]; 'Avenue of the Parallel')[1] is one of the main streets of the city of Barcelona, dividing Ciutat Vella, Eixample and Sants-Montjuïc districts.

It receives this name because it is (unlike any other street in Barcelona) parallel to the Equator (at 41°22′30″ North).

It runs from Plaça d'Espanya, where the city's exhibition halls are located, to the seafront, Plaça de la Carbonera and the passenger ship port, dividing the neighbourhood of Poble Sec, on the side of Montjuïc, from the neighbourhoods of Sant Antoni and El Raval.

In the past it was the core of Barcelona's nightlife, with music halls and other venues, but in the last two decades its importance has diminished greatly, in favour of the city centre and Eixample, and some urban decay is visible.

The street had other official names at different times, although it was always known locally as Paral·lel: The dot between the L's is used in the Catalan language to indicated a geminated L: /ll/.