HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD

Description

Essentials about Hollywood Boulevard in brief

Hollywood Boulevard is one of the most iconic streets in Los Angeles. Today, the boulevard is far removed from its former glory from the 1920s to the 1940s. Nevertheless, the establishment of the Hollywood Walk of Fame and especially the construction of the Hollywood and Highland Center shopping and entertainment complex have done much to revitalize the former glamour mile. A visit to LA is simply not complete without a stroll along Hollywood Boulevard.

The location and course of Hollywood Boulevard

Hollywood Boulevard begins at the corner of Sunset Boulevard Hilhurst Avenue/N Virgil Avenue and runs northwest for about 500 meters to Vermont Avenue. From there, the boulevard runs straight through Hollywood for about seven kilometers to Laurel Canyon Boulevard. West of there, it winds as a small residential street for another three kilometers through the Hollywood Hills to end in the hills at Sunset Plaza Drive.

The history and attractions of Hollywood Boulevard

From 1887 until the incorporation of Hollywood into Los Angeles in 1910, the street was still called Prospect Avenue. Hollywood Boulevard experienced its heyday in the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s. The construction of many theaters and cinemas along the boulevard during this time was decisive for its development into a glamour mile.

Beginning in the 1950s, Hollywood Boulevard fell into a gradual decline and became one of LA’s centers for drug dealing and prostitution. It was not until the end of the 20th century that the decision was made to revitalize the neighborhood. In 2001, Hollywood Boulevard gained a new attraction for both Angelenos and tourists with the completion of the Hollywood and Highland Center shopping and entertainment complex. The Hollywood and Highland Center also includes the famous Dolby Theatre event and concert hall and the well-known TCL Chinese Theatre cinema. In the immediate vicinity of the center are the Hollywood Wax Museum and Madame Tussauds Hollywood, two other main tourist attractions of Los Angeles on Hollywood Boulevard.

Undoubtedly the most famous attraction on Hollywood Boulevard is the Walk of Fame, probably the most famous sidewalk in the world. Every year, a good ten million visitors make a pilgrimage along the Hollywood Boulevard sidewalk to view one or more of the more than 2,600 world-famous stars for deserving Hollywood stars.

A lively attraction of Hollywood Boulevard are the countless street performers. Here you will quickly run into Superman and Spiderman and often have the opportunity to have your picture taken with various stars and cult figures. There are also many restaurants and nightclubs on the boulevard, especially near the “center” around the Hollywood and Highland Center.

For the past few years, Hollywood Boulevard has been undergoing a major urban redevelopment. Due to the extension of the Red Line of the Los Angeles Metro, the area around the boulevard is very well connected to the public transportation system of the metropolis and has accordingly become more attractive for many people. As a result, a highly condensed development of Hollywood Boulevard was decided. The character of this highly symbolic street will thus change significantly once again in the coming years and decades.