From Paris' Champs Elysees to Broadway, these 10 largest streets in the world are destinations in their own right. Whether a shopping destination or a place to stroll, they are brimming with life day and night.
The first place in our rating goes to Toronto's Young Street with its record length of 1,896 kilometers. Historians say it is a repetition of an old Indian path and owes its name to George Young, a minister of England and friend of the founder of Toronto.
1. Yonge Street
Toronto’s Yonge Street is one of the world’s longest streets, extending 56 kilometers from Lake Ontario to Newmarket. It features many of the city’s main spots, such as the Toronto Eaton Centre and Dundas Square. It’s where thousands of people gather to watch parades and street performances, and after major sporting victories.
Originally called the Carrying Place Trail, it was designed by John Graves Simcoe, the Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada. It was named after his friend, British Secretary at War Sir George Yonge, an expert on ancient Roman roads.
But it hasn’t always been easy to keep up with Yonge. As Spacing Toronto notes, when people say that the street is 1896 kilometres long, they’re actually talking about the length of provincial Highway 11, upon which Yonge Street piggybacks. The road’s claim to the name was further diminished after the provincial government downloaded its southern terminus south of Barrie to local municipalities.
2. Sukhumvit
Sukhumvit is one of the most popular areas in Bangkok when it comes to dining, shopping and entertainment. It is a large district offering a huge choice of restaurants, bars and accommodation to suit all budgets.
It was once a rural area but developers cashed in on its high land prices and started building up the area with large contemporary apartment buildings. The area has a cosmopolitan feel and is popular with Thais and Expats alike.
Especially the lower-numbered sois (1 to 63) have become popular residential areas for Western expatriates and affluent Thais. The area is also packed with high-end hotels and lots of fleshpots such as Nana Entertainment Plaza and Soi Cowboy. In terms of shopping, the unique Terminal 21 mall is one of the most well-known in town. It is themed like an airport and features different levels representing cities such as Paris, Tokyo and San Francisco.
3. Young Street
Originally a residential street, Young Street now features retail shops and public spaces. The area is also known for its restaurants and bars.
The project features a new plaza and road closure to test out how the community uses the space. North Sydney Council has less open space per person than any other northern Sydney Council and this is an opportunity to increase the public areas that the community can use.
The building’s design reflects the transition between the domestic scale of the heritage listed buildings around Kensington Square and the civic scale of the street, with a strong expression of vertical proportions articulated with projecting bays. It features a simple, timeless design and high-end finishes such as Quartz countertops. The client wanted the building to be a ‘style icon’ that will stand the test of time.
4. Moscow Ring Road
The Moscow Ring Road, or MKAD, is a highway that surrounds the Russian capital and carries traffic away from the city center. It’s 109 kilometers long and has five lanes in each direction.
The need for the road became apparent in the 1930s. It is considered to be one of the most advanced highways in Europe, and its construction was a key element in the Soviet economy.
Its first section underpasses Sheremetyevo Street-Oktyabrskaya Street and intersects Maryinoy Roshschi Street with a diamond interchange. The beltway then overpasses Rizhskaya Place, Mira Avenue, and Bolshaya Pereyaslavskaya Street as well as several railways, bringing it into the Basmanny District.
The highway also includes the latest for that time structures – butterfly interchanges, which made famous the chase scenes in the 1966 Soviet film “Beware of the Car.” Walking along the ring is a pleasant experience because you can see the 16th-century fortifications and other historical sites without being disturbed by traffic.
5. New York Broadway
Broadway is the world’s most famous street that has become synonymous with American theater. It houses iconic public spaces, world-renowned cultural institutions and hosts a plethora of shows that draw thousands of people from all over the globe.
It is also home to fabric suppliers patronized by fashion designers and encourages shoppers to spend money like there’s no tomorrow. Broadway is the lifeblood of New York City and continues to evolve as a cultural destination.
It was originally carved out as the Wickquasgeck trail by Native Americans and became one of the main north-south thoroughfares of Manhattan Island after the arrival of European colonists. It is currently 33 miles long, although 18 of those are not within the boundaries of the city of New York. Broadway was first referred to as "The Great White Way" in the 1890s, when it began to be lit with bright electric advertising signs.
6. Dinmukhamed Kunaeva
Dinmukhamed Kunaeva is a long street in the city of Almaty in Kazakhstan. The street is named after the great Kazakh statesman and politician Dinmukhammed Akhmetuly “Dimash” Kunaev. The street is a popular tourist attraction.
The street is famous for its beautiful architecture and the many shops and restaurants that line it. It is also known for its pristine sidewalks, which are lined with trees and flowers.
The street is also known for its annual blooming of purple jacaranda trees, which add a lovely contrast to the reddish-brown brick buildings that line the street. The street is one of the most beautiful streets in the world. The street is also a popular spot for tourists and locals alike. Many people visit the street for its beauty and to take photographs of it. The street has been featured in many films and television shows.
7. Moscow Avenue
Moscow’s urban fabric is constantly shifting under the weight of relentless renovation, demolition and construction. Yet the city’s architecture, streets and squares are also a constant source of intrigue and wonder.
During the 17th century this area of Kitay-Gorod was home to the mission from Malorossiya (Little Russia), and the street was named after its inhabitants, who were known as Maroseyka. In the present day the street is home to many luxury shops and restaurants.
This quaint street has 26 bookstores, the highest number in the city. Its history is linked with writer Anton Chekhov, who lived here from 1890 to 1892 and wrote his masterpiece The Duel in the house no. 10. It is a lively, cosmopolitan street with many restaurants and cafes. Besides, it is famous for its beautiful old houses. This is one of the most beautiful Moscow streets.
8. Sofia Street
When it comes to cities with a huge amount of history, few can match Sofia. The Bulgarian capital is layered with Roman ruins, religious buildings, communist era buildings, and unique restaurants and shops.
Known as Vitosha Boulevard by locals, this street is the heart of Sofia’s entertainment and culture scene. Whether you’re shopping or just looking for a good place to sit and relax, this is the spot to be.
Visit the multi-domed Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and marvel at its Byzantine-style murals. Then head to Zhenski Pazar, the city’s oldest open-air market. This covered marketplace is a great mixture of souvenir shops and fruit and vegetable stalls. There’s also a popular book shop that is worth checking out called the Elephant Bookstore.
9. 9 de Julio Avenue
With its impressive span of up to 14 lanes and landscaped medians, 9 de Julio Avenue in Buenos Aires is one of the widest streets in the world. The road received its name in honor of the day on which Argentina was proclaimed independent from Spain, July 9, 1816.
Along its length, find historic sites like the Obelisk, the Teatro Colon and the original French Embassy. At the poorer southern end, towering billboards advertise glitzy tango shows. And little kids in ‘Messi’ shirts crash their footballs against the statue of Cervantes’ anti-hero Don Quixote.
Despite its enormous size, the street is surprisingly easy to navigate during the day and night thanks to an extensive bus corridor project launched in 2013. The lane was upgraded to promote transit and pedestrian use by moving bus routes from narrow parallel streets and introducing central walk-through transit lanes.
10. Gravity Hill
Defying gravity isn’t a simple thing to do. It costs a lot of money to book a ticket on the space shuttle and rent a suit. But it’s free to visit Gravity Hill, a road in Bedford County, Pennsylvania.
This road is one of many gravity hills in the world, where a slight downhill slope looks like an uphill slope to the naked eye. This illusion is caused by the layout of the landscape and the lack of a clear horizon line.
There have been several supernatural explanations for the phenomena, including ghostly children who help push cars up the hill. But the truth is that this is just an optical illusion. If you consult a topographic map of the area, you’ll find that the terrain measurements completely contradict what your eyes are telling you. Despite this, Gravity Hill continues to inspire wonder in those who brave the mysterious road.
