Barrio Gótico
The Gothic Quarter is one of the oldest and most interesting parts of
Barcelona. The square of Sant Jaume was Forum at the time of Romans, and
there are many remains of old fortifications still to be seen, for
instance the portal of "Plaça Nova". At this square there are as well the
Palacio de la Generalitat and Palacio del Ayuntamiento (townhall).
In Calle Paradis, on top of the mountain Táber, you will find an old
millstone. Here were living Iberian tribes long before the time of Roman
empire.
At Plaza del Rei there are the Palacio Real Mayor, Iglesia de Santa Agata
and Palacio del Archivo de la Corona de Aragón, close to it the Gothic
cathedral and the medieval palaces of Casa dels Canonges, Pia Almoina and
Ardiaca.
Las
Ramblas
This boulevard of a length of about 2 kilometers, between Plaza de
Catalunya and the port, shows what is perhaps the quintessence of
Barcelona. You will find here people of any age and social class, shoe
shine boys, small stands selling flowers and vegetables, street-theaters,
big business-galleries, cafeterias, terraces as well as some of the great
theaters of the city. Specially interesting buildings are: the Academia de
Sciencias (Academy of Science), with its giant watch from 1868, the gothic-baroque
church de Betlem, and the Palacio de Moya with its beautiful halls and
extraordinary wall-paintings. It is used frequently for expositions.
The Mercado de La Boquería is the most important and most visited market
of Barcelona, while "Pla de la Boqueria" was the old center of town. In
Palacio de la Virreina, today seat of the culture department of the
regional government, frequently you can see expositions of art. Impressive
is Casa Bruno Cuadros with its dragon at the front. You arrive to Plaça
Reial, a beautiful square with arcades, palms, fountains and luxurious
shops. Here lived in former times the bourgeoisie, but today it is the
heart of an artists district and offers charming ambience with its pubs
and typical bars. Sundays you may visit here a market for coins and stamps.
El Puerto
The port, located at the end of Las Ramblas, is dominated by the tower of
Colón, from the top of which you have a fantastic view over Barcelona and
the great boulevard Paseo de Colón.
El
Ensanche
The modern center of Barcelona, built between 1870 and 1936, was planned
by architect Cerdá, who wanted to create an luxurious district for the
bourgeoisie and enlarged the city to five times its original size. All the
streets here cross rectangularily, an unusual thing in European town
planning. The best known monuments in El Ensanche are the works of Antoní
Gaudí, as the great cathedral Sagrada Familia (photo - right), Park Güell
and Palacio Güell, together with Casa de los Punxes and Casa Amatler de
Puig i Cadalfach, all of them masterworks of modernistic style. The
central square is Plaza de Catalunya, of dimensions comparable to those of
the Vatican in Rome, which stands symbolic for Barcelona's mentality of
constant innovation and change. Regularly this square is modified, for the
last time up to now in 1986. Then there are the Paseig de Gràcia, a wide
boulevard with curious benches and banana plants, and La Diagonal, another
boulevard that crosses all this district.
Montjuic
The mountain of Montjuic was the scenery of the World Exposition of 1929,
for which was built the Pueblo Español. The buildings there represent all
the architectonic styles typical for Spain. In 1992 the Olympic Games took
place here. On top of the mountain, surrounded by beautiful parks, there
is a fortress of 17th century.
Tibidabo
(photo - left)
You arrive to the top of this mountain by the only tramway that still
exists in Barcelona, and find there one of the most famous and spectacular
amusement-parks of Europe.
Parc de la Ciutadella
Here took place the World Exposition of 1868. Inside the park there are
the Parliament of Catalunya, the statue of the "Lady with the Umbrella",
various museums and the zoological garden.
The Barcelona of Antoní Gaudí
A highly interesting round to 12 works of the great architect, starting at
the Diagonal, passing the Paseo de Gracia and, after crossing the city,
arriving to Parc Güell.
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Las
Ramblas 
El
Ensanche 
Tibidabo
(photo - left)
