The boulevard is viewed in historical perspective, from the late 18th to the 20th century. The article points out the change in the cultural functions of the boulevard and in the rituals of human behavior. It features the flanerie phenomenon. The authors link the destruction of bourgeois culture with democratization of the society and development of transport in the first half of the 20th century. They give grounds for criticism of the contemporary design of boulevards. Revitalization of boulevards involves searching for new forms corresponding to contemporary
culture.