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Alleys around the world with fascinating backstories
- Thread starter jw5
- Start date
Quadrophenia Alley
This dingy alleyway between two clothing stores in Brighton became the setting of a historical showdown in 1964. At the time, London’s youth had divided themselves into two main subcultures, identifying as either mods or rockers. When groups from both factions ended up in the seaside town one weekend, they clashed in an epic riot that shocked the city. Deck chairs from Brighton Beach were thrown and trash cans were used as projectiles. Many people were arrested.
Ryman Alley
Nashville is the epicenter of country music in the US, and the Ryman Auditorium and Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge are two of its most historic venues. The biggest stars in the game have made the short journey between the Ryman and Tootsie’s countless times, always via the iconic Ryman Alley. A few names include Willie Nelson, Patsy Cline, and Chet Atkins.
Ryman Alley
Willie Nelson apparently walked that way so many times that he knew exactly how many steps there are between the two venues. The quote “17 steps to Tootsie’s and 34 back,” is attributed to Nelson. He was presumably referring to the weaving walk back to the Ryman after a few too many drinks at Tootsie’s!
Ryman Alley
In the 1950s, two young aspiring musicians used to play their guitars and sing in the alley every night in the hopes of catching the attention of someone from the music industry. Eventually, their plan worked when Chet Atkins passed by and invited them to perform on stage at the Grand Ole Opry that night. The duo would go on to be known as the Everly Brothers.
Wooden Alley
The city of Chicago began to pave its streets with wood around 1850. Blocks of wood were carved into bricks, laid in the street, and covered with coal tar. By 1871, it became clear that this combination of materials was highly combustible. During the Great Chicago Fire, the streets were literally burning as 3.3 square miles of the city were destroyed, and 300 lives lost.
Carreró de les Bruixes
Carreró de les Bruixes is found in the medieval walled town of Cervera, in Catalonia, Spain. This darkened alleyway is located on the outskirts of the town and is covered by tunnels and bridges in many sections. It’s rumored that witches used to meet there during the full moon to share their spells.
Carreró de les Bruixes
There are symbols indicating the alley’s magic history scattered throughout, from moons to tarot cards. The popularity of the unique Carreró de les Bruixes inspired a citywide tradition that started in the 1970s: the Aquelarre de Cervera, or the "Witches’ Sabbath Party." For three days at the end of August, the townspeople celebrate in fantastic costumes and enjoy mystical performances.
Ross Alley
The area was also home to incoming Chinese immigrants and eventually became San Francisco’s thriving Chinatown neighborhood. The famous Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory opened on Ross Alley in the 1960s, and the street is now decorated with murals depicting the daily life of Chinese Americans.
Ross Alley
The area was also home to incoming Chinese immigrants and eventually became San Francisco’s thriving Chinatown neighborhood. The famous Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory opened on Ross Alley in the 1960s, and the street is now decorated with murals depicting the daily life of Chinese Americans.
Clifford’s Inn Passage
London’s Clifford’s Inn Passage originally served as the entryway to the Clifford’s Inn of Chancery, a prestigious legal institution. By the 19th century, the dingy alleyway housed many disreputable drinking establishments from which patrons would drunkenly stagger to urinate in the street.
Clifford's Inn Passage
This happened so frequently and in such great quantities that the walls of Clifford’s Inn Passage were corroded by the near-constant streams of urine. In an effort to prevent further damage, the city installed “urine deflectors.” These metal shelf-like additions protruded from the walls and slanted downwards to guide the streams into the gutter, or onto the perpetrator's feet… The urine deflectors of Clifford’s Inn Passage are some of the few remaining examples left in London.
Clifford's Inn Passage
One so-called gentleman of the era was not a fan of the innovative solution. He is quoted as saying, “In London a man may sometimes walk a mile before he can meet with a suitable corner; for so accommodating are the owners of doorways, passages, and angles, that they seem to have exhausted invention in the ridiculous barricades and shelves, grooves, and one fixed above another, to conduct the stream into the shoes of the luckless wight who shall dare to profane the intrenchments.”
Goodwin’s Court
Goodwin’s Court is said to be the inspiration for Diagon Alley, or the more ominous Knockturn Alley, from the ‘Harry Potter’ series, and the resemblance is clear. The elegant but somewhat faded facades and gaslight lamps seem to be plucked from a film set.
The narrowest street in Prague
This tiny alley is so small and so popular that a traffic light system has been installed to prevent pedestrians from trying to enter at either end and getting stuck in the middle with no space to pass each other! Tourist reviews warn that larger visitors may not be able to fit through at all.
Blackstone Block
The historical Blackstone Block neighborhood in central Boston is the oldest remaining network of preserved streets in the city. The 17th- and 18th-century passages like Scott Alley and Wings Lane are no wider than six feet in some places. They connect you to the historic Creek Square, which was marshland until 1652.
Blackstone Block
Around the corner is the famous Union Oyster House, the city’s oldest restaurant, which was established in 1826, although the building is more than a century older. And fun fact: the Union Oyster House was where the creator of the toothpick began to spread his new idea!Similar threads
