Esplanade

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An esplanade is a long, open, level area, usually next to a river or large body of water, where people may walk. The original meaning of esplanade was a large, open, level area outside fortress or city walls to provide clear fields of fire for the fortress' guns. In modern usage the space allows people to walk for recreational purposes; esplanades are often on sea fronts, and allow walking whatever the state of the tide, without having to walk on the beach. Esplanades became popular in Victorian times when it was fashionable to visit seaside resorts. A Promenade, often abbreviated to '(The) Prom', was an area where people - couples and families especially - would go to walk for a while in order to 'be seen' and be considered part of 'society'.

In North America and an esplanade may often refer a median or the strip of raised land dividing a roadway or boulevard. Sometimes they are just strips of grass, some may have gardens and trees. Some roadways esplanades may be used as parks with a walking/jogging trail and benches.

Esplanade and promenade are sometimes used interchangeably. The derivation of "promenade" indicates a place specifically intended for walking, though many modern promenades and esplanades also allow bicycles and other nonmotorized transport.^[1] Some esplanades also include large boulevards or avenues where cars are permitted.

A similar term with the same meaning in the eastern coastal region of Spain is rambla, but more widely referred to as paseo marítimo (esplanade), paseo (promenade) or explanada (esplanade) in the Hispanic world.

Examples

Coastal

Usedom Beach Promenade, Western Pomerania, Germany (Europe’s longest beach promenade)^[2]
Gold Coast Oceanway, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
Eastern Beach (Victoria), Australia
Kamarajar Promenade, Marina Beach (second longest in the world), Chennai, India
Elwood, Victoria, Australia
Calçadão de Copacabana and Calçadão de Ipanema (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
Esplanade in Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada
Malecón, Havana, Cuba
The Promenade, Blackpool, England
The Promenade, Brighton, England
Clarence Esplanade/Eastney Esplanade, Portsmouth, England
The Esplanade, in Weymouth, England
The Esplanade, Ryde, Isle of Wight
La Promenade des Anglais, in Nice, France
Paralia, Thessaloniki, Greece
Tsim Sha Tsui East, Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong
Marine Drive, Kochi in Kochi, India
Marine Drive in Mumbai, India
Bandstand Promenade in Mumbai, India
The Esplanade, in Bangor, Dalriada
The Promenade, Cobh, County Cork, Ireland
Tel Aviv Promenade, in Tel Aviv, Israel
Gulf Street in Kuwait City, Kuwait
Corniche Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
Corniche (Alexandria), Alexandria, Egypt
Gurney Drive in Tanjung Tokong, Penang, Malaysia
Padang Kota Lama in George Town, Penang, Malaysia
Sliema Promenade, Sliema, Malta
The Malecón, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
St. Clair Esplanade in Dunedin, New Zealand
Marine Parade, in Napier, New Zealand
Promenade at Rizal Boulevard, Dumaguete City, Philippines
Dipolog Boulevard, Dipolog City, Philippines
Baywalk, Manila, Philippines
Mall of Asia Esplanade, Pasay City, Philippines
The Esplanade, Kirkcaldy, Scotland
The Esplanade, Singapore
The Golden Mile, Durban, South Africa
Sea Point, Cape Town, South Africa
Paseo de San Lorenzo, Gijon, Spain
Paseo de A Coruña, A Coruña, Spain
Kordon Yolu, İzmir, Turkey
Breakwater Corniche or Al-Kasr in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
The Esplanade, Redondo Beach, California
The Esplanade, Rio Del Mar, California, United States
Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica, Los Angeles County, California, United States
West Esplanade Avenue, Metairie, Louisiana, United States
Brooklyn Heights Promenade, Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn, New York, United States
Rambla de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay

Inland

Esplanade in Singapore
Esplanade of the European Parliament, in Brussels, Belgium
Iloilo River Esplanade in Iloilo City, Philippines
The Esplanade of the Ministries, in Brasilia, Brazil, which is surrounded by the Brazilian Ministries, the National Cathedral, Library, Museum and Theater, and the Brazilian Congress
The Boardwalk, in Bell Park (Sudbury), Ontario,^[3] near Science North
The Esplanade, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Thames Embankment, in London, England
The Esplanade, in Sunderland, England
The Esplanade, Rishton, England
The Peabody Esplanade, in Nashville, Tennessee, United States is a massive grassy lawn on the campus of Vanderbilt University surrounded by old brick buildings and columns
Mississippi River Promenade in Memphis, Tennessee. Located west of Front Street along the slope of the Chickasaw Bluff, although partially occupied by buildings and parking structures
The Esplanade of La Défense, Paris, France
Esplanade de la Paix, Caen, France
Rheinuferpromenade in Düsseldorf, Germany
Brühl's Terrace, Dresden, Germany
The Danube Promenade in Budapest, Hungary
Esplanade, in Calcutta, India
The Esplanade, in Chennai (Madras), India
Esplanāde, Riga, Latvia
Sibu Esplanade, Sibu, Sarawak, Malaysia
Edinburgh Castle Esplanade, Edinburgh, Scotland
The Esplanade, Disneyland Resort, California, United States
L'Enfant Plaza in Washington, D.C., United States
Charles River Reservation, in Boston, Massachusetts, United States
The Esplanade, Kent State University, in Ohio, United States
The Eastbank Esplanade, in Portland, Oregon, United States
The Malecón in San Francisco de Campeche, Campeche, Mexico
Wynn Esplanade, Wynn Las Vegas

Fictional

Promenade on space station Deep Space 9 (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)
The Glitanni Esplanade on Coruscant (Star Wars)
The Promenade area in Canal City, Planet Notak, in Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando
"The Newark Riverfront Esplanade", a fictional Newark, New Jersey development, and major plot point on the HBO original series The Sopranos.
The Promenade in Glen Oak, California on the TV series 7th Heaven.
Waukeen's Promenade, in the city of Athkatla, in the video game Baldur's Gate II.
Chapter One of Camara Laye's The Radiance of the King.
The first land of Disneys Virtual Magic Kingdom