A structure of a cowl and its vicinities is provided which is capable of, even in a vehicle which has an open cowl structure, using the open cowl structure as a member which connects the right and left bodies of the vehicle, and at the same time, realizing a structure that is useful for protecting a pedestrian. At the end part of a cowl 12 in the vehicle rear direction, one end of a dash upper panel 16 is connected; its other end extends below the cowl 12 and in the vehicle front direction; from its middle part in the vehicle front-and-rear directions, a cowl cross-member lower 9 extends in the vehicle upper direction; at the upper-end part of the cowl cross-member lower 9, a protrusion portion 25 is formed; and by welding it to a cowl cross-member upper 10, a closed-section portion 27 is formed between them. Herein, the cowl cross-member upper 10 is thinner than the cowl cross-member lower 9.