El Raval (Catalan pronunciation: [əɫ rəˈβaɫ]) is a neighbourhood in the Ciutat Vella district of Barcelona, Spain. The area, especially the part closest to the port, was also informally known as Barri Xinès, meaning "Chinatown". El Raval is one of the two historical neighborhoods that border La Rambla, the other being the Barri Gòtic, and contains some 200,000 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[1]), ranging from Pakistanis and Indonesians, to a more recent Eastern European community, especially from Romania. It is home to many bars, restaurants, and night spots.
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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 Ronda Sant Antoni, Ronda Sant Pau and Avinguda del Paral·lel.
There are a few historical monuments such as the Monastery of Sant Pau del Camp, as well as newer additions such as the Rambla del Raval, and the MACBA (the Modern Art Museum of Barcelona) or the Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona. In the southern part of the neighborhood an old wall and gate of the medieval city called Portal de Santa Madrona 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 Rambla del Raval. The city's most famous market, La Boqueria, is also situated in the Raval.
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