What is a boulevard? In the view of most people, this is a combination of well-maintained alleys lined with benches, along which you can leisurely stroll, taking a break from the city noise. Meanwhile, this word has another meaning, which has nothing to do with rest or entertainment, leisure activities.
On the origin of this word
In order to understand what a boulevard is from a historical point of view, you need to know the origin of this word. It is believed that this name has French roots. However, experts believe that it owes its origin not only to the French, but also to the Germans.
The German word bollwerk, like the French boulevard, has the primary meaning "earth fortified rampart". That is, in the old days, it was quite possible to call a boulevard not a place for walking at all, but a defensive or protective structure. This term also had a meaning related to fortification, and in the Dutch speech in the Middle Ages, bastions and other earthen fortifications were called so.
Howhas the understanding of the word changed from the Middle Ages to the present day?
At the beginning of the 15th century, when asked what a boulevard was, any European would answer with confidence that it was a special earthen fortification used in siege operations.
For example, boulevards were used by the British during the military campaign against France. During the siege of Orleans, boulevards were used, which are rounded redoubts with three internal guns and, of course, embrasure holes.
From the middle of the 15th to the 16th century, the answer to the question of what a boulevard is in Europe would no longer be so unambiguous. After the war between France and England, this name was assigned to the lines of earthen fortifications in castles and fortresses. That is, so they began to call earthen ramparts. Subsequently, this name of the ramparts took root in urban settlements. This word denoted fortifications outside the city walls.
For example, the French boulevard of the end of the 16th century and up to the beginning of the 18th century is a fortification building that replaced the obsolete barbicans. Such boulevards were erected from earth and turf, supplementing them with stone walls. The boulevards served as defensive posts against enemy artillery troops. Often they were connected to the main line of defensive structures by special passages. The remains of such fortifications have been preserved in Troyes.
Subsequently, the need for such buildings in cities far from the external borders of states disappeared, and comfortablewalking paths lined with trees. It was in this form that the boulevards of Paris were found in the 18th century by Russian travelers, and later, after the war with Napoleon, by the military. Presumably for this reason, in Russian the word "boulevard" has never been associated with fortifications.
Modern understanding of the word
In everyday speech, a boulevard is primarily a place of rest for citizens, combining well-maintained walking paths, benches, green spaces, cafeterias, any attractions or something else. Moreover, there may not be cafes, attractions, variety venues and other things, but benches and green spaces are always present on the boulevards.
It can be a single alley with a beginning and an end, or a whole string of alternating walking areas. For example, the boulevards of Moscow smoothly flow from one to another, forming an almost inseparable ring.
Boulevards in modern cities have a special meaning. They not only serve as a place for rest and walks, but also act as a protective barrier against noise, dust, and exhaust gases. That is, they still perform a defensive function, but in a different sense.
