Barcelona attack: What to know about the popular Las Ramblas district

Barcelona‘s city centre was the location of a deadly incident Thursday evening that authorities have confirmed as a terror attack.

READ MORE: Barcelona police confirm fatalities after van plows into crowd in city centre

A white van plowed into the city’s most crowded district of Las Ramblas, which is a popular tourist attraction for the at least 11 million visitors Barcelona sees each year.

A Catalan official confirmed the attack left at least 13 dead and 80 injured.

The Las Ramblas street consists of some of Barcelona’s most popular historic sites, shopping centres, hotels and restaurants, and is about 1.2 kilometres long. It’s used for both cars and pedestrian traffic.

Some landmarks along the street include the Liceu Theatre and Virreina Palace.

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The area includes the famous Plaça Catalunya square, a meeting place that extends into some of the city centre’s largest streets. Numerous other popular tourist attractions, such as the Barcelona Cathedral, are walking distance from there.

The square, metres away from the attack, is described to be “teeming with people” on the city’s official tourism website.

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The area also houses some of the city’s largest public transit stations, and major bus stops, which were closed in wake of the attack. Police urged the public to steer clear of the area.

The Government of Canada has also urged Canadians to avoid the area, keep track of news updates, and contract the local Consulate of Canada in case of emergencies.

WATCH: Woman describes ‘complete panic’ following Barcelona van attack

0:34 Woman describes ‘complete panic’ following Barcelona van attack

There has been a recent push by some Barcelona residents and politicians to curb the number of tourists visiting each year, some advocating for a “tourist tax.”

Spain, one of the world’s busiest tourist destinations, expects a record number of 83 million international visitors in 2017, according to forecasts by Caixabank Research.

— With a file from Reuters