It is easy to see why. Barcelona is arguably the most beautiful and intriguing city in Spain, and indisputably one of the great cities of the world.
Barcelona’s Catalan Heritage
The breathtakingly beautiful region of Catalonia, which includes the city, straddles the border between France and Spain. Despite centuries of repression, the spirit of Catalonian independence still thrives in Barcelona.
Romantics credit Wilfred “The Hairy,” Count of Barcelona from 878-897, with founding the Catalan nation. Legend has it that when Wilfred fell wounded in a battle against the Moors, Frankish king Charles “The Bald” honored him with a coat of arms when he dipped his fingertips into Wilfred’s blood and traced them across the wounded Count’s brass shield. This created the four red stripes on a field of gold that comprise Catalonia’s flag, the oldest national flag in Europe. Another legend has Wilfred slaying a dragon, thus associating himself with Saint George, the patron saint of Barcelona.
Catalonia remained strongly independent until Spain was united under Ferdinand and Isabella in the fifteenth century. In 1635, a war between France and Spain gave Catalans on both sides of the border the opportunity to revolt and form an independent nation. But Barcelona eventually surrendered to Spanish armies in 1652, and the Treaty of the Pyrenees split the historical Catalan lands between France and Spain in 1659.
In the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, which ended in 1939, General Franco suppressed Catalonian culture and national identity. But Franco’s death and the constitution of 1977 gave rise to a semi-autonomous Catalan government within Spain, in control of education, health, industry, social services, trade tourism and agriculture.
Las Ramblas and the Barri Gòtic
Barcelona has many delights for the visitor. One of the finest is Las Ramblas, the city’s best known street. More precisely, the Ramblas are a series of shorter streets that together comprise the famous 1.2 kilometer pedestrian mall. Las Ramblas stretches from the Placa de Catalunya, the city’s main square, to the Monument a Colom, a statue erected at Barcelona’s port in honor of Christopher Columbus. Flooded with people at all hours of the day and night, strollers can enjoy bird sellers, book stalls, portrait painters, flower stalls, street performers, a central market and a host of other diversions.
Departure from the broad Las Ramblas promenade leads to the Barri Gòtic, the city’s Gothic Quarter. Here, narrow, winding streets of cobblestone reflect their medieval past. At the heart of the Barri Gòtic stands the 14th century cathedral, although it sports a 19th century façade. The view from its rooftop, accessible by a creaky elevator, provides a stunning view of the city.
Other sites of note include the Placa del Rei, City Hall and Government Palace, all worth seeing and just a short walk from Las Ramblas. Gaudi’s fantastic Palau Güell is also nearby.
La Ribera
Barcelona’s hot nightlife can be sampled in La Ribera, which in medieval times was a warren of trade establishments – silversmiths, hat makers, glass blowers and others. Today the area is rich with tapas bars, bodegas and swank restaurants – although workshops on the Carrer de Montcada, or “artists’ quarter,” carry on their work much as they did centuries ago. This street also boasts the exquisite Picasso Museum, which houses within its five medieval mansions a vast collection of the artist’s works. Especially appropriate, since Picasso learned to paint in Barcelona, the museum contains many of his early etchings, nudes, doodles and academic drawings.
The Eixample
No visitor to the Eixample, with its elegant “Golden Square,” can escape the influence of Barcelona’s architectural genius, Antoni Gaudi, whose works are considered so modern that they exceed the bounds of Modernism. His Casa Battló and Casa Milà are avant- garde dwellings. Visitors also gawk at his showcase Parc Güell, conceived as the centerpiece of a residential complex that never took form. But his masterpiece, and the city’s signature landmark, is the huge La Sagrada Família cathedral. Its unfinished spires soar majestically into the Barcelona sky. Gaudi took over the project from another architect in 1883. Others have since have taken up the vision, and construction will continue for years to come.
Some Facts about Barcelona
Here are some interesting Barcelona tidbits.
- The city’s official motto is Barcelona Es Teva (Barcelona Belongs to You).
- Visitors who drink from the fountain of Les Canaletes, at the upper end of Las Ramblas, may expect to fall under the city’s spell and return to it.
- Stunning views of the port and the city await the visitor atop Mount Tibidabo.
- More than a million cruise ship passengers visit the city every year.
- Barcelonans are night owls and enjoy some of the best nightlife in Europe.
- The city boasts more than 4 kilometers of artificial beaches.
- Both Catalan (which has similarities to French and Italian) and Spanish are spoken in Barcelona.
- During the repressive Franco era, the football club F.C. Barcelona, or Barca, became a rallying point for Barcelonans; thousands of fans once waved the club’s banner as a substitute for the banned flag of Catalonia.
- Bullfights are no longer held in Barcelona's stylish bullring.
Reference
Barcelona, Triple A Publishing 2008.
Wayne Smith - Wayne Smith is a freelance writer who publishes on business topics and a variety of other subjects. In addition, he provides consulting ...
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