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Barcelona(Spanish and cat. Barcelona) is the second most populous city in Spain, the capital of the autonomous region of Catalonia and the province of the same name. A port on the Mediterranean Sea 120 km from the French border. International airport, metro. The largest industrial and commercial center in Spain. One of the most important tourist destinations on European itineraries (see “Gaudi y Cornet, Antonio” and “Pablo Picasso”).

The population of Barcelona is 1,615,908 (INE 2008). Barcelona is the second most populous city in Spain after Madrid and the tenth in the European Union. The city's suburbs are home to 3,186,461 inhabitants, while the province of Barcelona has 4,928,825 inhabitants.

In 1992, Barcelona hosted the Summer Olympic Games. In 2004, Barcelona hosted the World Cultural Forum 2004. At the end of 2008, Barcelona became the capital of the Mediterranean Union, which includes 43 countries.

Geography

Barcelona is located in the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula on the Mediterranean coast on a plateau 5 km wide, bordered on the south by the Collserola mountain range and the Llobregat River, and on the north by the Besos River. The Pyrenees are approximately 120 km north of the city.

The coastal mountains of Collserola create a slightly rounded backdrop to the city. The height of the highest point - Mount Tibidabo - is 512 m, above it rises the Colserola antenna tower, noticeable from afar, 288.4 m high. The highest point within the city is the Mont Taber hill (cat. Mont Taber), 12 m high, on which is located Barcelona Cathedral.

Barcelona lies on the hills that give their name to the city's neighborhoods: Carmel (cat. Carmel, 267 m), Monterols (cat. Monterols, 121 m), Puchet (cat. Putxet, 181 m), Rovira (cat. Rovira, 261 m) and Peira (cat. Peira, 133 m). The 173m high Montjuïc mountain in the southwestern part of the city offers magnificent views of the port of Barcelona. On Montjuic there is a fortress of the 17th-18th centuries, which took over the defensive functions of the destroyed citadel of Ciutadella (cat. Ciutadella). Currently, the fortress houses the Military Museum. In addition to the fortress, Montjuic is home to Olympic venues, cultural institutions and famous gardens.

To the north the city is bordered by the municipalities of Santa Coloma de Gramanet and Sant Andria de Besos, to the south by Hospitalet de Llobregat and Esplugues de Llobregat, to the southeast the city borders the Mediterranean Sea, and to the west The towns of Sant Cugat del Valles and Cerdanyola del Valles are located.

Climate

Barcelona's climate is Mediterranean, with mild, dry winters and warm, humid summers. The coldest months are January and February (average temperature about 10 °C), the hottest are July and August (average temperature about 25 °C). The greatest amount of precipitation falls in October (about 90 mm); the smallest is in July (about 20 mm).

Population

According to the Barcelona City Council, as of January 1, 2005, the city's population was 1,593,075 people; the population of greater Barcelona was 5,292,354 people (as of 2006). Population density is 15,779 people per km². 95% of the population understood Catalan, 76.4% of the population spoke it, 75% of the population read Catalan, and 47% could write.

13.8% of the population (219,941 people) were immigrants from (by numbers): Ecuador, Peru, Morocco, Colombia, Argentina, Pakistan, China and Bolivia.

The bulk of the population professes Catholicism (there are 208 churches in the city). There are small groups of evangelists, Jehovah's Witnesses and Buddhists in the city.

Story

Antiquity

There are two different legends regarding the founding of Barcelona. The first attributes the founding of the city to the Greek mythical hero Hercules 400 years before the founding of Rome, and then in the 3rd century BC. e. the city was rebuilt by the Carthaginian Hamilcar Barca, the father of Hannibal, who named the city Barsino in honor of his family. The second legend attributes the founding of the city directly to Hamilcar Barca. In 133 BC. The Iberian city of Laie was conquered by the Romans, led by Lucius Cornelius Scipio. Around 15 BC. e. The Romans made the city a fortification, the center of which was located on Mount Taber, a small hill near the modern city hall (Plaça de Sant Jaume). Under the Romans, the city was called Colonia Faventia Julia Augusta Pia Barcino, its importance was small compared to neighboring Tarraco (Tarraco, modern Tarragona). However, its wealth and importance grew over time due to its convenient location and excellent harbor. The city minted its own coins, some of which have survived from the time of Galba. The remains of ancient fortifications can still be seen in the city today, and the typical Roman layout is still visible on the map of the historical center of the city, the so-called. Gothic Quarter (Barri Gòtic). Thus, on Paradis Street near the excursion center of Catalonia, Roman columns are visible.
The city grew within the fortress wall until the conquest by the Franks in the 4th century. By this time, Barsino is pushing Tarraco into the background.

Middle Ages

At the beginning of the 5th century the city was conquered by the Visigoths. King Ataulf moved his capital here for a short time. At the beginning of the 8th century, the city was conquered by the Arabs (Moors). Barcelona began to decline. In 801, the son of Charlemagne, Louis the Pious, recaptured the city from the emir and made Barcelona the capital of the Spanish Mark, a buffer zone under the control of the Count of Barcelona. A major role was played by Margrave Wilfred the Hairy, the de facto founder of independent Catalonia. Barcelona was still a Christian outpost when it was sacked by al-Mansur in 985 (see Capture of Barcelona (985)). This attack gave the Count of Barcelona Borrell II the opportunity to free himself from Carolingian rule.

The Counts of Barcelona in the 10th-11th centuries gained real independence and expanded their territory throughout Catalonia. As a result of the dynastic union of Catalonia and Aragon (1162), Count Alfonso became the first king of the united state. King Jaime I expanded the borders of his possessions to the southern territories (Kingdom of Valencia). The Kingdom of Aragon in the 13th century subjugated many maritime territories, controlled the western Mediterranean Sea, and also had distant outposts such as Athens. The Catalan-Aragonese Confederation created many Gothic buildings and formed legislation such as the Code of Customs (cat. Usatges). In 1410 the crown passed to the Castilian dynasty of Trastámara. The decline of Barcelona began with the unification of the dynastic branches of Aragon and Castile. The fact that the royal couple Ferdinand and Isabella received Columbus in Barcelona after the discovery of America is nothing more than a curiosity.

In 1450, the famous University of Barcelona was founded in the city.

Jews in Barcelona

Jews have lived in Barcelona since the 1st century AD - the time of the destruction of the Temple. By the early 13th century, the Barcelona community was the richest and most influential Jewish community and the center of Jewish learning in Spain. In 1263, a public debate famous in Jewish history took place in Barcelona between Nachmanides and the converted monk Pablo Cristiani. In 1367, residents of the city's Jewish ghetto were accused by the Christian Church of desecrating holy bread. The authorities rounded up all the inhabitants of the Jewish ghetto and locked them in a cramped synagogue without the opportunity to eat, drink or perform their natural needs. This violence was supposed to force the Jews to fulfill the command of the Infante Don Juan, the viceroy of King Don Pedro - and the community was forced to pay with the property of all its members and hand over three innocent people to be burned at the stake by the Christian Inquisition. Subsequently, the Jews of Barcelona were required to wear identification badges. In 1391, a Christian mob completely plundered and destroyed the Jewish ghetto, killing about 400 people. A church was built on the ruins of the synagogue, in which the surviving Jews were subjected to forced baptism. In 1397 the king banned the existence of the Jewish ghetto. In 1492, all the Jews of Spain who did not agree to be baptized were robbed and then expelled from the kingdom. The fusion of the highest Spanish nobility and the top of the Jewish community went so far that when the Jews were expelled from Spain, the king's nephew was at the head of those expelled. Some Jews converted to Christianity, but they remained objects of suspicion among non-Jews. But five centuries later, synagogues reappeared in Spain.

New and recent history

Barcelona was devastated after the collapse of the Catalan Republic (1640-1652) and during the War of the Spanish Succession in 1714. Barcelona took the side of Archduke Charles of Austria. King Philip V of Spain of the Bourbon dynasty destroyed half of the commercial district (Spanish: La Ribera) to build the military fortress of Ciutadella, in order to simultaneously gain control of the rebellious city and punish its inhabitants. The official use of the Catalan language was prohibited and the University was closed.

Barcelona and the province of Catalonia were annexed by Napoleon's French Empire after the conquest of Spain. After the overthrow of Napoleon in 1813, the city was returned to Spain. In the 19th century, the industrial revolution fully affected Barcelona, ​​where many new enterprises appeared. During the easing of control by the Madrid authorities in 1860, the medieval walls were destroyed and the fortress of La Ribera was turned into a city park, the modern Parc de la Ciutadella, site of the 1888 Universal Exhibition. The city began to grow on the territory of “Pla de Barcelona” - the surrounding fields and vegetable gardens.

The early 20th century saw the renaissance of Barcelona, ​​as Catalan nationalists demanded political autonomy and greater freedom of cultural expression. In 1929, the World Exhibition was again held in Barcelona. During the civil war, the city belonged to the Republicans and was captured by the Francoists on January 26, 1939. Over the next decades, Barcelona became the target of cultural and political repression. In particular, the use of the Catalan language was prohibited.

The protest movement of the 1970s and the fall of the dictatorship turned Barcelona into a major cultural center, predetermining the city's future prosperity. Although it is still only the second city of the Iberian Peninsula, its unique atmosphere makes it unique and attractive to many. The city authorities are actively promoting the revival of the Catalan language. Despite the massive immigration of Castilians in the second half of the 20th century, there have been significant advances in the use of the Catalan language in everyday life.

Barcelona became the venue for the 1992 Summer Olympics (the most significant sporting event for the city, since Juan Antonio Samaranch, who was the president of the IOC in 1992, was born there). In 2004, the city hosted the World Cultural Forum, which lasted 141 days.

Economy

Barcelona is one of the first areas of continental Europe to experience industrialization, beginning, as elsewhere, with the textile industry (at the end of the 18th century). By the mid-19th century, Barcelona had become an important center for the textile industry and engineering. After this, industrial production played an important role in the history of the city. As in other modern cities, the service sector of the economy is beginning to dominate over the manufacturing sector. Currently, the main industries are textiles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, automobiles and electronics. It should be noted that in Barcelona there are car assembly plants of both the Spanish company CEAT (Volkswagen group) and foreign manufacturers such as Renault, Peugeot, Ford, etc.

The Barcelona City Council has established 11 economic sectors under the Barcelona brand:
Digital Technology Center - founded in 2003 to transform Barcelona into a high technology center
Aerospace Association - founded in 2000. The aerospace industry was recognized by the EEC as one of the main ones. Barcelona companies have been involved in the development of projects such as the Airbus A380 and the Galileo space probe.
University Center - founded in 1997. The city is home to 7 universities with a total student population of 204,000 people. Further development of research, both fundamental and applied, is expected. It is planned to attract students from other countries
Environmental Fund - founded in 1997 to improve the environmental situation in the city and its surroundings
Foundation for the Development of the Mediterranean Diet - founded in 1996 to develop the food industry
Barcelona Logistics Center - created in 1994 to develop transport, especially rail and sea, as well as infrastructure.
Tourism Department - founded in 1993 to coordinate activities in the field of tourism. The tourism industry is an important part of the economy, and Barcelona is one of the main tourist centers in Europe.
Association of Financial Centers - founded in 1991 to develop financial activities, in particular, exchanges.
Medical Center - founded in 1987. Barcelona is known for its medical specialists, patients from many countries receive treatment here. Major international medical forums are held in Barcelona.
Barcelona Design Center - founded in 1976
Bioregion (Biomed Foundation) - created for the development of biomedicine and biotechnology

Barcelona is the center of the major fair "La Fira". The city hosts numerous international economic forums.

Transport

Air Transport

Barcelona is served by Barcelona International Airport, located in El Prat de Llobregat, 10 km from Barcelona. The airport is the second largest airport in Spain and the largest on the Mediterranean coast. The airport is connected to the city by expressway, rail and buses. The smaller Sabadell Airport is located next to the city of the same name and is used for flight training, advertising and private flights. Some charter flights operate to airports in Girona (Girona-Costa Brava Airport) on the Costa Brava (about 100 km north of Barcelona) and Reus on the Costa Dorada (about 110 km south of Barcelona).

Sea transport

The history of the port in Barcelona goes back about 2000 years. The port is the most important for freight and passenger transport on the Mediterranean coast. The port covers an area of ​​7.86 km² and is divided into 3 zones: the old port, the commercial port and the port for transportation (logistics). The port is growing rapidly, its size should be doubled by the mouth of the Llobregat River 2 km to the south.

Railway transport

Barcelona is one of the main railway hubs in Spain. The main railway station is Sants Estació. Train schedules and tickets can be purchased on the Renfe website. The AVE high-speed rail network is to be extended from Madrid to Tarragona in the southern part of Catalonia. The line was extended to Barcelona in 2008. It is planned to connect AVE with a similar TGV in France by 2011.

Public transport

The Barcelona metro network has 9 lines. marked with their number and color. Six of them (L1, L2, L3, L4, L5 and L11) are supervised by the Barcelona Transport Authority (TMB) (Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona), while the other 3 lines (L6, L7 and L8) are owned by FGC (Ferrocarrils de la Generalitet de Catalunya). The metro connects Barcelona with some of its suburbs. Currently, work is underway on the construction of the 43 km long L9 line. This will be the second longest metro line in Europe - after the Serpukhovsko-Timiryazevskaya line in Moscow (44 km). The opening of the first section of the new line (19 stations) is planned for 2009. In total, line L9 will have 78 stations.

Subway lines are laid both underground and on the surface. In the city center, the metro network is adjacent to the underground stations of the national railways RENFE and the local FGC.

TMB also owns a network of city buses and tourist buses (for sightseeing tours). There are also high-speed low-floor tram lines - Trambaix (T1, T2, T3) and Trambesòs (T4, T5, T6), for which special stops are organized with platforms at the car level and electronic ticket sales terminals. The hills of Montjuic (cat. Montjuïc) and Tibidabo (cat. Tibidabo) are reached by cable cars. You can also reach the top of Montjuïc by cable car (teleferique).

The city operates night bus lines “N” (Nitbus) == http://www.emt-amb.com/links/home.htm ==. There are special buses: Aerobus to the airport, Port Bus to the seaport and Tibibus to the amusement park on Mount Tibidabo.

All city transport is adapted for disabled passengers.

The Northern Bus Station (cat. Estació del Nord) used to be a railway station, and currently serves international and intercity buses.

Taxi

The taxi fleet includes more than 13,000 vehicles. Most licenses are held by private drivers.

Administrative structure

Since 1984, the city has been divided into 10 administrative districts, each of which is governed by its own council.

City districts
Ciutat Vella (old town): El Raval (also known as Barri Xinès), Barri Gòtic (Gothic Quarter), La Barceloneta and Barri de la Ribera.
Eixample: Sant Antoni, l'Eixample Esquerra ("The Left Side of the Eixample"), l'Eixample Dreta ("The Right Side of the Eixample"), Barri de la Sagrada Família
Sants - Montjuïc: Can Tunis, Montjuïc, Hostafrancs, Sants, Poble Sec
Les Corts
Sarrià - Sant Gervasi: Pedralbes, Sarrià, Sant Gervasi, Vallvidrera P.S. These areas are the most expensive in Barcelona, ​​price per m2 from 12,000 euros.
Gràcia: Vallcarca, El Coll, La Salut, Gràcia, El Camp d'en Grassot
Horta-Guinardó: Horta, El Carmel, La Teixonera, El Guinardó (Alt i Baix)
Nou Barris: Can Peguera, Porta, Canyelles, Ciutat Meridiana, Guineueta, Prosperitat, Vallbona, Verdum, Vilapicina, Roquetes, Trinitat Vella, Trinitat Nova, Torre Baró, Torre Llobeta and Turó de la Peira
Sant Andreu: Barri del Congrés, Sant Andreu de Palomar
Sant Martí: Fort Pius, Sant Martí de Provençals, Poble Nou, La Verneda, el Clot

Policy

The mayor of Barcelona since September 8, 2006 is a member of the Party of Socialists of Catalonia (Partit dels Socialistes de Catalunya), who shares the political views of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party, Jordi Hereu. He replaced Joan Clos, who was elected to the post of Minister of Industry of Spain.

Famous natives and residents

Such famous artists lived and worked in Barcelona as: Pablo Picasso (Spanish: Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Crispín Crispiniano de la Santísima Trinidad Ruiz y Picasso), Joan Miró (cat: Joan Miró i Ferrà), Salvador Dali (cat. Salvador Felip Jacint Dalí Domènech), Enrique Tábara (Spanish: Enrique Tábara), Antonio Saura (Spanish: Antonio Saura)), Juan Villafuerte (Spanish: Juan Antonio Villafuerte Estrada).
The most prominent architect of Barcelona was Antoni Gaudí i Cornet. In 1891, when Gaudí was over 30, the Society of the Veneration of St. Joseph invited him to continue the Cathedral of the Holy Family (Sagrada Familia), begun in 1882, to the construction of which he devoted all subsequent years of his life. Construction of the neo-Gothic Sagrada Familia will continue until 2030, when it will become the largest Catholic cathedral in the world.
Catalan and French sculptor Apelles Fenosa was born in Barcelona.
Great singers live and work in Barcelona - tenor Jose Carreras (cat. Josep Carreras i Coll) and soprano Montserrat Caballé (cat. Maria de Montserrat Viviana Concepción Caballé i Folc). In 1992, the song “Barcelona” performed by Montserrat Caballe and Freddie Mercury became the anthem of the Olympic Games in Barcelona.

Attractions

Gothic Quarter and Old Town

There is much evidence of Roman presence in the Gothic Quarter (on the slopes of Mons Taber). From the Gothic period, residential buildings and burials have been preserved near Via Laietana. From the Middle Ages preserved: the chapel of St. Lucia and the church of Sant Pau del Camp (XII century). The old town can be roughly divided into three parts. The oldest part is located between Rambla and Via Laetana. This is the Gothic Quarter.
The La Ribera quarter stretches from Via Laetana to Commerç Street and from Princesa Street to the sea.
The Raval quarter (Arrabal) is located between the Rambla and the streets Ronda Sant Antoni and Ronda Sant Pau.
From the early Middle Ages to the present day, some Romanesque buildings have survived, such as the façade of the Cathedral.

Inside the Cathedral there is a courtyard open to visitors. Here, in one of the chapels, real geese live. According to the Catalans, the whiteness of these birds symbolizes the purity of Saint Eulalia, the patroness of Barcelona. Eulalia was only 13 years old when she died at the hands of the pagans, which is why there are exactly 13 geese here.

In the ensemble of the Cathedral, the chapel of St. Lucia. The Bishop's Palace houses a Romanesque gallery with arches. Also noteworthy is the chapel of St. Marcus in the St. Petra.

At the beginning of the 20th century, during the time of dictator Primo de Rivera, architects gave the historical center of Barcelona the name Gothic Quarter. In 1925-1927 this name was officially adopted.

Olimpic village

A new residential area was built for the 1992 Olympic Games. In this area there are the Olympic Port and two skyscrapers - the Arts Hotel and the building of the Mapfre insurance company, more than 150 m high. The buildings were designed by architects Bruce Graham, Inigo Ortiz and Enrique Leon.

Montjuic

Montjuic Hill, 173 m high, is located next to the seaport. The hill got its name because of the ancient Jewish cemetery located here. (Unlike Christians, who bury their dead near the church in the city center, Jews bury their dead outside the city wall). From the top of the hill there are beautiful views of the city and the sea. Montjuic is one of the largest urban parks in Europe (203 hectares). At the top of the hill there is a fortress built in 1640. Since 1960, the fortress has housed the Military Museum. For the World Exhibition of 1888, the hillside on the side of Parallel Avenue was developed. The northern side of the hill was built up for the 1929 World Exhibition. From the side of Piazza di Spagna, where the streets Gran Via, Tarragona and Parallel meet, you have the best view of the hill. Plaza de España was the center of the 1929 World Exhibition. The square contains an old bullring (bullfighting is not popular in Catalonia). On the other side of the square are two bell towers, similar to those in St. Mark's Square in Venice. Nearby is the National Palace and the “Magic Fountain” (light and music), created by Gaudi’s student Josep Jujol. On the Montjuic hill is the Joan Miró Museum.

"Magic Fountain"

The National Museum of Art of Catalonia (MNAC) is located in the National Palace. One of the most interesting objects of Montjuic is the so-called. “Spanish Village” (cat. Poble Espanyol). This is an open-air architectural museum, where replicas of buildings from various regions of Spain are collected. At the entrance there is a copy of the gate from the city of Avila. The complex was built for the 1929 World Exhibition by architects Xavier Noguez, Miquel Utrillo and Ramon Raventos under the direction of Francisco Folger. To the right of the Magic Fountain is a modern reconstruction of the German Pavilion, the original of which was built in Barcelona by the famous modernist architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe for the 1929 World Exhibition.

For the 1992 Olympic Games, the last reconstruction work of Montjuïc was carried out. The main Olympic structures were built here. On the southern slope there is the so-called. The Olympic Ring, which includes the Olympic Stadium and the Sports Palace, designed by Japanese architect Arata Isozaki.

City center

In the middle of the 19th century, with the expansion of the city, the so-called. "New areas" (Eixample). During the reign of Queen Isabella II, the city walls were demolished and an urbanization plan was adopted. The Eixample district starts from Plaza Catalunya and includes the entire central part of the city. Straight perpendicular streets were laid and parks were laid out inside the blocks.
Plaça Catalunya (50,000 m²) is the border between the Gothic Quarter and the Eixample. The Ronda Sant Pere and Ronda Universitat highways depart from the square. At the intersection of Ronda Universitat and Gran Via (cat. Gran Via) there is the old university building, built in the mid-19th century. One of the main thoroughfares in the area is Passeig de Gracia. Previously, there was a road to the nearby village of Gracia, which gave the street its name. On the section of the street between Conseil de Sainte and Arago there is the so-called. “Quarter of Discord” (or otherwise, the Quarter of Discord), so called because there are buildings there - architectural monuments belonging to four different modernist architects. The first building in the row is the Lleo Morera house (built 1902-1906), designed by the architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner. The building is distinguished by an abundance of floral ornaments. The next two buildings were built by Enrique Sanguier. Then there is the Amalje house (architect Puig i Cadafalch, 1898 - 1909). The world-famous Casa Batllo, built by the great Gaudi in 1906-1909, closes the row. On the same Passage de Gràcia there is another building built by Gaudí - Casa Mila (also called the “Quarry” - cat. La Pedrera). This building, recognized as a masterpiece of modernism, was built in 1906-1910.
The Palace of Catalan Music, located next to Via Laetana, was designed by the architect Domènech i Montaner. This building is considered the ultimate manifestation of modernism and incorporates many elements of this style. The complex of buildings of the Hospital of the Holy Cross and Holy Peace (cat. Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau) is also characteristic of the modernist era. This complex was also built according to the design of Domenech i Montanera.

Tibidabo

The Tibidabo peak rises above the city (more than 500 m above sea level). The Arrabassada highway and Tibidabo Avenue (cat. Avinguda Tibidabo) lead to the top. You can get to the funicular by the so-called. "Blue tram" (cat. Tramvia Blau). At the neighboring peak of Turo de la Vilana there is the Torre de Collserola television tower, 286 m high. At the top of Tibidabo there is an amusement park created more than 100 years ago and modernized several times. Next to the park is the Temple of the Sacred Heart (Sagrat Cor) (architect Enric Sanguier), similar in concept to the Sacré-Coeur temple of the same name in Montmartre in Paris. The temple was built at the end of the 19th century.

Pedralbes

The Pedralbes area is located in the southern part of Diagonal Avenue between the Montjuic and Tibidabo mountains. On the avenue are the high-rise buildings of the Caixa Catalunya bank, the La Caixa savings bank, the L'Ilha Diagonal shopping center and the buildings of the university campus. The university library is located in the Villa Güell (architect: Antoni Gaudi). In Pedralbes there is a monastery of the same name, founded in 1326 by Elisenda de Moncado, the last wife of King Jaume II. The monastery is crowned with an octagonal tower (unfinished). The portal and coats of arms of the Moncada family stand out. The nave contains stained glass from the 14th century. The monastery houses the Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Gallery, which contains about 70 paintings by medieval and Renaissance masters.

The area is built up with both mansions and apartment buildings. The daughter of King Juan Carlos, Princess Cristina, lives in one of the houses in the area.

Gaudi i Cornet, Antonio

Most of the works of the outstanding Catalan architect are located in Barcelona. Gaudí's first works include the lanterns on the Plaza Real (Royal Square) (1879) and the Casa Vicens (1883-1889). The construction of the pavilions of the estate of Count Eusebi Güell in the Pedralbes area also dates back to this period. Nowadays the library of the University of Barcelona is located on the territory of the estate. It should be noted that Antoni Gaudi's father forged the dragon for the gate of this estate.

Count Eusebi Güell

The meeting with Güell was decisive in Gaudi’s biography. Güell became Gaudi's close friend and patron, financed most of the architect's fantastic projects, and gave him the opportunity to express himself. One of the first serious works commissioned by Güell, in addition to the pavilions, was the construction of a palace near the Ramblas. The construction of the palace brought fame to the architect. Since 1984, Palace Güell has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the same year, the following Gaudí creations were classified as UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the Sagrada Familia (Nativity façade and crypt), Casa Vicens, Park Güell, Casa Batlló (“House of Bones”) and Casa Mila (“Quarry”).

Palace Guell

The palace was built on a relatively small plot of land (18 x 22 m²). Gaudi managed to build a building with a very complex internal volume. The second floor salon was designed in the form of a courtyard with a dome. The façade is decorated with a beautiful bay window and parabolic entrance arches that allowed carriages to enter the stables. The building is decorated with numerous forged elements.

Casa Batllo

On the site of Casa Batllo stood a neoclassical mansion built in 1875. Gaudi rebuilt the building, creating two new facades. The first two floors were also completely rebuilt. Furniture was also made according to Gaudí's design. The basement, top floor and patio were completed.
The symbolism of the building has different interpretations:
Image of the sea
carnival scene
Dragon image
The most reliable explanation is that Gaudi depicted St. George piercing a serpent. St. George the Victorious is considered the patron saint of Catalonia.

House Mila

At the end of the construction of the Casa Batllo, Gaudi received an order to build a new house. It is no coincidence that this building received the name “Quarries”. Gaudi drew his ideas from nature. He was especially inspired by the view of the Montserrat mountains, located near Barcelona. At the top of Montserrat mountain there is a monastery of the same name, famous for the sculpture of the “Black Madonna” - a place of pilgrimage from all over Spain. By analogy, it was planned to install a sculptural composition of the Mother of God and Child on the roof of the Mila house. However, the homeowner rejected the project. All that remains is the Latin inscription, located in a wavy line along the entire length of the facade.

Park Guell

The park was the implementation of a plan to rebuild the city estate of Eusebi Güell. It was supposed to build a garden village, like English parks (hence the name). The implementation of the project was not successful: only 62 plots were sold for development. However, this did not stop the architect. Access roads, a central esplanade and a lower columned hall were built for entertainment and trade. A wall and two entrance pavilions were then erected, as well as a model home for custom development. In the third stage, a huge twisted bench was built. Two residential buildings were built in the park (not according to Gaudi’s design); there were no more people willing to settle in this remote place at that time. The architect himself settled in one of these houses. Now this building houses the Gaudi House Museum.

Sagrada Familia Cathedral

In 1891, Gaudí continued the construction of the Sagrada Familia, which was to become a temple for the new century. Until the end of his life, even leaving his architectural practice, Gaudi continued to build a temple, considering this the main thing in his biography. At the end of his life, Gaudí became very eccentric due to religious fanaticism. He practically never left his workshop. The architect's absent-mindedness led him to death under the wheels of a tram. After the death of the architect in 1926, the temple was not completed. Difficulties arose due to the fact that Gaudi worked without drawings. One new facade was erected with modernist sculptures (including a Gaudí sculpture). Work is still underway on the construction of another façade and the central bell tower. With the construction of the central tower, the cathedral should become the tallest in the world.

List of buildings in Barcelona designed by Gaudí

Years built Description
1883-1885 Casa Vicens, Barcelona
1884-1887 Pavilions of Villa Güell, Pedralbes (Barcelona)
1885-1889 Palacio Güell, Barcelona - UNESCO World Heritage Site, 1984
1888-1889 School at the Convent of Saint Teresa, Barcelona
1883-1926 Sagrada Familia, Barcelona
1898-1900 House of Calvet, Barcelona
1900-1902 House of Figueres, Calle Bellesguard, Barcelona
1900-1914 Park Güell, Barcelona - UNESCO World Heritage Site, 1984
1904-1906 Casa Batllo, Barcelona
1906-1910 Casa Mila, Barcelona - UNESCO World Heritage Site, 1984
1909-1910 Parish School of the Sagrada Familia, Barcelona

Sport

Barcelona has several sports teams, both professional and amateur. FC Barcelona (Spanish: FC Barcelona) is one of the two largest football clubs in Spain and in the world (along with Real Madrid) - a multiple winner of the Spanish Championship and a regular participant and three-time winner (seasons 1991-1992, 2005-2006 and 2008-2009) UEFA Champions League. The club's stadium houses a museum, which ranks second in Catalonia in terms of attendance.

In addition, the club has professional teams in basketball (Winterthur FCB), handball and roller hockey, as well as many amateur teams in various sports.

Espanyol (Spanish: RCD Español) is the second team from Barcelona in the Spanish football championship.

Barcelona hosted the 1992 Summer Olympics, as well as several matches of the 1982 FIFA World Cup. Barcelona has two 5-star stadiums: the Camp Nou and the Olympic Stadium, which hosted the 1992 Olympics and is now home to Espanyol, while the new club stadium will not be completed.

Montmelo, near Barcelona, ​​hosts the traditional Spanish Grand Prix in Formula 1 racing, as well as motorcycle racing. Previously, the Formula 1 circuit took place in the Pedralbes area.

There are two different versions regarding the founding of Barcelona. According to the first, the city was founded by the mythical deity Hercules, during the next heroic expeditions in the 12th century BC. The second, more probable, says that the small village of Barsino, on the site of which the city of Barcelona was formed centuries later, was founded by Hannibal’s father Hamilcar Barca in the 3rd century BC. Be that as it may, the only historically confirmed fact is that already in the 1st century BC. on the site of the future capital of Catalonia there was a small city of Laie, in 133 BC. conquered by the Romans under the leadership of Lucius Cornelius Scipio.

Laie, thanks to its advantageous location in a sea bay, becomes a military fort centered on the Mons Taber hill, now located next to Barcelona City Hall on Plaça de Sant Jaume. The Romans gave the city its name - Faventia, or Colonia Faventia Julia Augusta Pia Barcino. It was under the Romans that the city began to experience its first prosperity. The remains of ancient columns on Paradis Street and the typically Roman layout of the Barri Gòtic quarter remind us of Roman rule in Barcelona today. By the 4th century - the time of its conquest by the Franks - Fort Faventia became a numerous settlement on the coast, minting its own coins. The Franks also give the town its name - Tsiterior.

Starting from the 5th century, the future Barcelona was under the rule of the Visigoths, whose king Ataulf made the city his capital and renamed it again - this time Barsenona. Then, from the beginning of the 8th century until the arrival of the French troops of Louis the Pious in 801, Barcelona was considered Moorish territory, and the name of the city already sounds softer - Barcelona. Then, for almost two hundred years, the history of Barcelona was made by the Spanish margraves, the most famous of whom was Wifred the Hairy.

For his bravery, boldness and strength shown in battles, Wifred received the title of count and governor of Barcelona from the hands of Charles I the Bald, head of the Frankish army.

Hebre of the city of Barcelona, ​​1st century

At the same time, the city’s flag appeared - a golden shield with four vertical red stripes, which Barcelona proudly wears to this day.

Thus, from 878 Barcelona became a count's city. The founder of the dynasty of Barcelona counts, which lasted for five centuries, is Wifred the Hairy.

By the end of the first millennium, the caliphate seizes power in Cordoba, and a wave of punitive campaigns against the infidels sweeps along the coast. In 985, Al-Mansur practically wiped out the future capital of Catalonia from the face of the earth. However, with the death of Al-Mansur in 1002, the Great Caliphate breaks up into many parts - taifa, warring among themselves. Barcelona gets rid of the external threat, and at the same time from the Carolingian protectorate, but, having been reborn from the ashes, plunges into its own internecine conflicts. Many small principalities, owning their own fortresses and castles, continuously wage war with each other during the reign of Count Borel II of Barcelona. It is at this moment that the name of Catalonia appears - an area belonging to the owners of castles (castlans).

Only the ruler of Barcelona, ​​Ramon Berenguer III, nicknamed the Great, managed to put an end to the unrest in 1111-1117. By military force and politically advantageous marriages, Ramon III manages to unite two counties in Catalonia and the region of Provence into a single possession, and for one, he conquers Majorca, Ibiza and Tarragona from the Moors. His work is continued by his son, Ramon Berenguer IV, who married three-year-old Petrolina, heiress to the throne of the neighboring kingdom of Aragon in 1137. From then on, the united kingdom will be called the Crown of Aragon or, as they say today in Barcelona, ​​the Catalan-Aragonese Confederation, and the descendants of Ramon IV will become the kings of Aragon and the counts of Barcelona.

Crusade of the 13th century

The next turning point in the history of Barcelona was the crusade of Pope Innocent III against the “Catalan heresy” at the beginning of the 13th century.

Dad was pretty tired of the rebellious and uncontrollable semi-pagan Spaniards. However, the Languedoc nobles, and with them many Catalans, were not eager to join the ranks of strict Catholics, desperately resisting. Don Pedro I, although popularly called the Catholic, could not leave his vassals to their fate, led the rebel army and died in the battle with the crusaders of de Montfon at Muret in 1213. The result of these upheavals for Catalonia was disastrous: the County of Barcelona lost a significant part of its possessions in France, with the exception of Montpellier, and the Languedoc area fell into the hands of Paris.

Since the 8th century, the Reconquista began in Spain - the reconquest of the original Catalan lands from the Muslims.

Army of the Reconquista

This process took place over the centuries with varying success, but, thanks to the efforts of the first Barcelona count-kings, who replenished the ranks of their army with brave Aragonese knights, it ultimately led to the return of the regions of Lleida and Tortosa to the rule of the Aragonese crown. The forced recruitment of Moors and Jews into the ranks of Catholics, which began in the 13th century, continued in subsequent centuries through the efforts of the Holy Inquisition.

Wedding portrait of Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile

The Reconquista ended with the complete expulsion of the last Saracen ruler from the Iberian Peninsula in 1492 during the reigns of Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile with the unification of most of Spain under the rule of Aragon.

The time is coming when the influence of the Catalan-Aragonese Confederation is in decline.

Back in 1410, without leaving any heirs, the last descendant of Wifred the Hairy, Martin I the Humanist, died. The next Count of Barcelona, ​​and at the same time the King of Aragon, Valencia, Sicily, and Sardinia, becomes Ferdinand de Antequera, who is the uncle of the King of Castile. From then on, there will be no more Catalans on the throne of Barcelona, ​​and the new dynasty will be called Trastámara.

Barcelona of the 15th century was a large developing city in which crafts and sciences flourished, in particular, the famous University of Barcelona was founded in 1450. And in 1492, in the Grand Royal Palace, the ruling royal couple met Columbus, who returned from his first voyage to America. This audience marked the beginning of a process that in the future would lead to the strengthening of French influence on the world stage and the decline of Catalonia. In 1520-1522, the troops of King Charles I suppressed the uprising, many were executed or expelled from the country. After Charles gained a foothold in Spain, he was declared the new Spanish king in 1522, deprived Barcelona of many rights, and began to control the supply of goods from the New World through Cadiz, which forced Catalonia to forget about its claims to trade with America.

Barcelona did not become completely impoverished only thanks to its former wealth and greatness. The Madrid king Philip IV noticeably oppressed the Catalans, and finally the latter's patience ran out. This happened during the so-called “Reapers' War” in 1640, when Spain fought with both France and Portugal. The Catalans took the side of the French and proclaimed Louis XIII Count of Barcelona, ​​with whom Spain was then at war. However, 12 years later the French betrayed Catalonia, agreeing to make peace with the king of Spain. Philip IV of Spain starves Barcelona out, and by mutual agreement France receives all Catalan lands north of the Pyrenees.

The next time Barcelona rebelled was in 1701, again betrayed - this time by the British and Dutch - in the struggle for the vacant Spanish throne. French and Spanish troops united and held the city under a thirty-month siege. Barcelona fell on September 11, 1714. Today in Barcelona this day is celebrated as Catalan Day.

After this, “dark” times came in the history of Barcelona. The city was flooded with occupying troops, the townspeople lived in constant fear under the guns of guns located in the fortresses of Ciutadella and Montjuïc.

Montjuic Fortress

The Bourbons abolished many truly Barcelona municipalities, such as the Generalitat or the Council of the Hundred, while imposing a single official language on the city - Castilian. However, all changes, as we know, happen for the better, and, along with other innovations, Barcelona was given back access to the sea. The lifting of the ban on trade with the American colonies once again returned Barcelona to the path to prosperity and glory.

Trade and industry, construction and the arts flourished in Barcelona. In the 1770s, the Rambla square appeared in the center, surrounded by the palaces of the “Indians” - the “new Spaniards” who became fabulously rich from trading with the colonies - the Mozha Palace, the Palace of the Vicereine.

Las Ramblas

By the beginning of the 19th century, Barcelona had become a recognized industrial center of the Pyrenees. In 1832, the first factory in Spain appeared in the city, the machines of which operated on steam traction, and in 1848 the country's first railway opened.

In the Napoleonic Wars, Barcelona took the side of Bourbon, which, however, pretty much surprised the whole of Europe. The French promised Barcelona mountains of gold in exchange for abandoning pro-Bourbon sentiments, but achieved nothing.

By the middle of the 18th century, Barcelona was growing so much that it no longer fit within the city limits, limited by the fortress wall, Ciutedella and Montjuïc. In addition, the first two buildings appear to Barcelonans as hated symbols of Bourbon power. And the townspeople destroy first the wall in 1854, and then, in 1868, the Ciutadella fortress. This event marks an entire era of Catalan architectural modernism, which flourished in the space liberated from ruins and called the Eixample quarter.

The twentieth century was marked politically for Barcelona by the development of the movement for national revival, which led in 1914 to the formation of an autonomous government, the Mancomunitat.

During the First World War, Barcelona remained neutral, which attracted people of art and science from all over Europe. Among the guests of the city in those years were Einstein, Stravinsky, Schoenberg, the Russian Ballets, Breton, Satie, Duchamp, Picabia. However, the city is becoming unsafe: due to its geographical location, Barcelona is turning into a transshipment base for cocaine traffickers, and also due to the fact that the struggle between activists of the labor movement of the industrial capital of the Pyrenees with factories is getting tougher from year to year and spills onto the streets of the city.

In 1931, King Alfonso III abdicated the throne and a republic was established in Catalonia, governed by its own government, called the Generalitat.

Military coup led by General Franco

However, in 1936, the military, led by General Franco, carried out a coup, as a result of which Barcelona plunged into the abyss of civil war between the Republicans and the Francoists.

The rebels gained the upper hand, and the next 40 years were, apparently, the most difficult for Barcelona. Mass executions, repressions and deportations took place in the city. The Catalan language and Catalan symbols were again in disgrace. The dictator's power ended only with his death on November 20, 1975.

In 1978, the new Spanish Constitution comes into force, and the country turns into a constitutional monarchy consisting of autonomies. The Basque Country and Catalonia, led by Barcelona, ​​receive the most autonomous freedoms. In 1980, the Generalitat was revived and Jordi Pujol was elected its head, who, by the way, remained in this post until the end of 2003.

Jordi Pujol, head of the Generalitat party

In 1992, the International Olympic Committee gives Barcelona the right to host the next Olympic Games, which entails an incredibly large-scale restructuring of the city. A lot of the world's leading architects are involved in restoration work and the construction of new buildings. The result of this “construction of the century” in 1999 was the unprecedented award of the Royal Association of British Architects medal to the city of Barcelona. For the first time in the one and a half century history of the association, such a valuable award was presented not to an individual architect, but to the entire city as a whole.

All these activities have led to the fact that today Barcelona is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe. Every self-respecting traveler considers it his duty to visit Barcelona and get acquainted with its unique architecture and amazing history.

Modern Barcelona

Many travelers love to discover new horizons, especially for cities with a rich past and interesting history. How many unknown discoveries can be made? Everyone can answer this question for themselves; it all depends on how much of the unknown a person is willing to accept. For travelers looking to visit Spain, Barcelona is a must-visit. This city is the capital of the autonomous region of Catalonia and the province of Barcelona.

Where is Barcelona

Barcelona is a great heritage left by people from northern Africa (Iberians), Greeks and other peoples who were friendly to each other. Christopher Columbus began his discoverer's journey from here in 1492.

Some travelers ask questions: Where is Barcelona, ​​in what country? Barcelona is the capital of which country? Barcelona is Spain, it is located on the coastal plateau of the Pyrenees Peninsula and occupies about 101 square meters. km. Since 1561, Madrid has been the capital of Spain, Catalonia is an independent center, and Barcelona is its capital. The plateau of the peninsula is limited from the southwestern part by the Collserola Mountains and the Llobregat River, and from the northern part it is washed by the Besoe River. The mountainous terrain creates a magnificent landscape for the local surroundings. Barcelona lies on rolling plains that give their names to many of the city's neighborhoods: Carmel, Puchet, Rovira, Peira, Monterollier, Montjuic. On Mount Montjuïc (173 m) there is a fortress, the construction of which dates back to the 17th-18th century. The city is famous for its picturesque beauty, magnificent sea coast and developed tourism.

Spain, Barcelona

Barcelona time zone

Time in Barcelona is calculated according to Greenwich Mean Time plus 1 hour (UTC+1). The difference between summer and winter time is plus 1 hour, that is, UTC+2. Summer time in Barcelona began on March 25, 2018 at 2:00 a.m. standard time; clocks will be set back to winter time on the last Sunday of October 2018 at 3:00 a.m. - 1 hour back. You can check the exact time in Barcelona.

Barcelona has a population of 1,621,537 people.

Language in Barcelona

Two languages ​​are spoken in this city: Catalan and Spanish. Even though tourists come here very often, there is no barrier to communication. Barcelona residents are very hospitable people, they will help in any situation, many here can speak English fluently.

Barcelona, ​​view from above

Description of famous streets

• Avenue Gracia is one of the main streets, the most significant shopping and business district of the capital of Catalonia. The originality of the avenue is given by lanterns with benches, made according to sketches by Per Falkes.
• Diagonal Avenue - crosses the city diagonally (hence the name of the street). It runs through Glorias Square, famous for its 34-story Agbar Tower. This avenue beautifully combines architectural styles: the Baron Quadras Palace (1906), the monument to the poet Verdaguer Jacinte, the Macaya House (1901), the “House of Thorns” (1906).
• Parallel Avenue is the flow of theatrical life. It is called the Catalan Broadway, Montmartre and West End. There are more than 10 theaters and concert halls here. The concentration of arts on this street is due to its distant secular past; the street was founded in 1894.

The sights of Barcelona are an integral part of walking around this city. The old town and the Gothic Quarter are imbued with evidence of the Roman spirit on the slopes of Mont Taber. The Middle Ages left its mark there; since then, the chapel of St. Lucia and the church of Sant Pau del Camp (dated to the 12th century) have been preserved. In the Old Town there is the Ciutadella Park, where the Parliament of Catalonia and the Barcelona Zoo are located.

The seaside part of Barcelona captivates not only tourists, but also local residents. The long coastline is occupied by eight beaches about 5 km long (from east to west): Barceloneta, San Miguel, Zamorrostro, Nova Icaria, Mar Bella, Levant, Bogatell, San Sebastian. The beaches here are pebbly and sandy. There is good infrastructure throughout the beaches. In this part of the city there is the Barcelona Aquarium (L’aquarium), the Historical Museum of Catalonia, the Natural History Museum, the Ciutadella Park, as well as numerous casinos and hotels, entertainment complexes, lagoons, yacht clubs, and a port.

Diagonal Avenue

Olympic Village - this area of ​​the city was rebuilt for the 1992 Olympic Games. The Olympic Port and two skyscrapers are located here (the Hotel Arts hotel and the insurance company Mapfre, the height of the structure is 150 m). In this area there are:

• Plaza Catalunya;
• Canaletes fountain;
• Rambla of flowers;
• Boqueria market;
• Liceu Theater;
• monument to Columbus.

The next frequently visited area is Montjuic. It got its name because of the ancient Jewish cemetery located there. From the top of the hill there are stunning views of the city and the sea. Montjuïc has the largest urban park in Europe (203 hectares). At the top of the hill lies a fortress (built in 1640). On this hill is the Joan Miró Museum.

Barcelona city center

The Eixample district starts from Plaza Catalunya and includes the entire central part of the city. Plaza Catalunya serves as the border between the Gothic Quarter and the Eixample. In this part of the city there is the Palace of Catalan Music.

Attractions map

Upper zone

• Tibidabo. In Turo de a Vilana there is the Torre de Collserola television tower, 286 meters high. Also in this area there is an amusement park, which has been modernized several times, and the Temple of the Sacred Heart in Sargat-Kor.
• Pedralbes is located in the area between the Montjuic and Tibidabo mountains. The monastery of the same name, founded in 1326, is located here; stained glass windows from the 14th century have been preserved. These are works from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. In this part of the city there are many mansions and apartment buildings, bank buildings, savings banks, shopping centers, a university campus, and the Labyrinth Park.

Currency

The currency of Barcelona is the euro, from 2002 to the present day. Previously, payments were made in pesetas (ESP). Currently in this city there are banknotes in denominations of 500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5 euros, coins of 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 EUROCENT.

When importing a large amount of cash, reaching 10,000 euros, it must be declared.

Local money

Football clubs

FC Barcelona is a regular participant and five-time winner of the UEFA Champions League, also known as Barça. The club was founded in 1899 and has become one of the symbols of Catalonia. The club's stadium houses a museum, the second most visited in Catalonia. This football club is one of the most titled in Spain and the world (has 69 titles). The team's motto is: "More than a club."

FC Espanyol is the second team from Barcelona in the Spanish Football Championship, and has a purely Spanish roster. The club was founded on October 28, 1900.

Interesting fact! Fans of these football clubs have different political views. FC Barcelona fans are left-wing and more separatist, Espanyol fans are right-wing and loyal to the Spanish government.

Barça FC flag

How to get to this city? The fastest and best way to arrive in Barcelona is to fly by plane. Near Barcelona are Girona Airport (103 km from the city) and El Prat (17 km). From these airports you can get to the city itself in three ways:

• by train, the cheapest way, but this transport runs every 30 minutes;
• by bus (Aerobus), the interval between them is 10-15 minutes, you don’t have to wait much for them;
• Taxi.

Do you need a Barcelona Card? It is necessary, especially if the tourist stays in the city for three or more days, it will help save money. With this card you can ride local transport for free, go on excursions, and make purchases with discounts.

Additional Information! The Barcelona Card can be purchased in advance on the website.

Free excursions. This is also possible in this wonderful city; a three-hour excursion “Free tours” departs daily from Angels Square at 10:00, 11:00 and 14:00.

You can feel the local flavor at flamenco show evenings. At these evenings you can dance and enjoy local traditions.

What are the must-see places in Barcelona? These are the Sagrada Familia Cathedral, Park Guell, Casa Batllo, Casa Miele.

What can you visit for free? Barcelona offers free visits to:

• Center for Contemporary Culture of Barcelona, ​​first Sunday of every month from 15 to 18 hours;
• Science Museum in Barcelona on the first Mondays of the month, on other days the ticket price is 3.80 euros;
• Palace Güell - welcomes visitors on the first Sunday of every month, as well as on April 23 and May 8;
• Virreina Palace – open to the public for free every day.

Catalan cuisine. The originality and taste of Spanish cuisine will make a pleasant impression on every visitor to this country. You need to pay attention to the menu del dia (menu of the day), which is valid in restaurants and snack bars from 13 to 15 hours of the day.

When traveling around Barcelona, ​​you need to be careful. Caution never hurts, especially since the city is not particularly famous for its safety.

• It is better not to take out your card in crowded places, as this will attract the attention of scammers.
• You should not travel on public transport with a backpack on your shoulders, there is a high probability that something will be pulled out of it.
• If, when confronted with someone, a person tries to help too much, you need to be careful. At this moment, the tourist may be robbed.

Note! In large crowds, there have been cases where cameras have been snatched from the necks of tourists.

Russian tourists very often fly to Barcelona on vacation; many travel agencies provide excellent conditions for accommodation and flights. You need to pay attention to last-minute tours to Barcelona; some tours include the cost of air tickets.

For reference! The address of the Russian Consulate in Barcelona is: 08034, Avenida Pearson, 34. Clients are received daily from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tel. 93 280 02 20 (service open from 9:30 to 18:00).

In conclusion, we can say that Barcelona is a city in Spain that requires the attention of every tourist. In terms of the number of travelers, it is in no way inferior to, for example, Rome (Italy). This is the birthplace of Picasso and Salvador Dali, magnificent architectural structures made in various styles that fascinate with their beauty, the work of Gaudi. This is something every self-respecting traveler should see. In addition, the weather in this city allows tourists to visit it at any time of the year. Only by visiting here can you understand what Barcelona is and how to relate to it.

Barcelona from A to Z: map, hotels, attractions, restaurants, entertainment. Shopping, shops. Photos, videos and reviews about Barcelona.

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Proud, narcissistic, explosive, full of geniuses and mediocrities, falling in love and in love, tiring and tired... all this is about Barcelona - one of the most beautiful cities not only in Europe, but in the whole world. When Muscovites are asked what the capital is missing, 9 out of 10 answer - seas! So, Barcelona is Moscow with the sea, it’s the frantic energy of Dali, the amazing architecture of Gaudi, stunning outfits of the LGBT community, active cycling traffic, awesome parties and endless sangria. It would be madness to begin to list at least some of its attractions in the introduction to the Catalan capital: they are found here literally at every step, the ancient Roman port breathes history, every stone is ready to tell its own legend, and all modern monuments are worthy of at least an anthem or ode. In short, Barcelona is a city of art. Coming here grey, boring, tired and devastated, you leave the city of love with such a charge of creative energy, sun, strength and good mood that the border guards at the airport squint their eyes warily. The glow of Barcelona will remain with you for a long time, illuminating cozy Russian evenings with a Mediterranean flair.

Beaches

Both around and in Barcelona itself there are excellent sandy and equipped beaches with showers, toilets, bars and restaurants. In general, the city’s beach area stretches for more than 4 km and consists of 4 main zones. The most popular is the beach of the Barceloneta district, which is practically in the center of Barcelona, ​​where both locals and visitors like to spend hours. Renting sun loungers will cost 10 EUR per person, an umbrella will cost 6 EUR (regardless of the number of people that fits under it). A little north of Barceloneta (10-15 minutes walk along the embankment) there are even entire beach clubs, where for an additional 2.30 EUR you can “stake out” a changing room and storage room.

Almost all summer until late autumn, Barceloneta is crowded with vacationers, merchants and Filipino massage therapists, so, despite all its developed infrastructure, this beach is not the best place for meditative relaxation.

The next one is Ikaria Beach, which Barceloneta turns into right after Frank Gehry’s modern sculpture “Fish”. Then comes the Mar Bella beach, unofficially considered nudist - although not only naturism fans relax here freely. And finally, the most remote is Sitges Beach, it is already outside the city, and you can get here from Barcelona in half an hour by train from Sants station. There are many resorts around Barcelona with beautiful beaches.

Shopping in Barcelona

In Barcelona you can buy very good clothes, shoes and accessories. One of the most literally grandiose places for this is the famous El Corte Ingles on several floors of several buildings in different parts of the city. In fact, this department store sells everything from food to weapons, so lovers of boutiques and fashion brands should prefer Boulevard Gràcia.

As for souvenirs, it has long been a proven and proven practice for most tourists to bring home from Spain not magnets and postcards, but edible gifts. Jamon and turron lead the list, followed by wine and olive oil.

The souvenir shops of the Gothic Quarter and the Rambla are typical tourist traps: as a rule, they do not have a single product made in Catalonia rather than in China.

But the city's most famous shopping destination has nothing to do with fashion. This is the world-famous Boqueria food market in the Old Town, approximately in the middle of the Rambla. Here you can buy the freshest vegetables and fruits, and the selection of meat and seafood is also the largest.

What to try

In Barcelona restaurants you will find absolutely incredible seafood in abundance. The most common species to be caught are cod, anchovies, whiting, flounder and monkfish. In addition to seafood delicacies, Catalans highly respect meat, especially grilled meat and especially pork. As in Valencia, rice is held in high esteem in Catalonia: rice with herbs, rice with meat, rice with fish or shellfish. The most famous local rice dish does not come from Catalonia at all - we are, of course, talking about paella. But “black rice” with cuttlefish ink is a Catalan dish.

Tapas can be found everywhere in Barcelona, ​​although they are not a local invention, but an Andalusian invention (the Catalan equivalent of tapas is called pintxos). But such popular delicacies among tourists as dry-cured ham “jamon”, spicy sausages with red pepper “chorizo” or homemade pork sausage “fuet” with noble white mold, are easier to buy in the store. Real Catalan cuisine consists of simple, even crude dishes that are quite difficult on the stomach. If this doesn’t scare you, try the traditional village sausage “butifarra” with beans.

Along with ice cream, street stalls in Barcelona sell the traditional soft drink "horchata" made from the "chufa" plant - a plant analogue of milk that has a rather specific taste.

Cafes and restaurants in Barcelona

The number of restaurants, bars, pubs and cafes in Barcelona is simply off the charts. Moreover, the city has more than 20 Michelin-starred establishments. It is best to choose establishments following two simple rules: 1) what we want to eat (national, European or Asian cuisine) and 2) based on the number of people.

A queue at a restaurant is the main sign that the establishment deserves your attention.

And in this case, the rule “the more, the better” works perfectly. Do not waste time standing in line if there is one - such an establishment is definitely popular. In addition, we can advise you to pay attention to all sorts of small stickers on the doors with dates: Check Gourmet 2011 or Trip Adviser 2009 indicate that this place has received at least good reviews from tourists.

On average, a full breakfast in Barcelona (as they call it “English breakfast”) will cost 8-10 EUR. It includes bacon or fried sausages, a couple of eggs, toast, beans or mushrooms, coffee and sometimes fresh juice. For those who are not used to filling their stomachs with beans and mushrooms in the morning, a traditional breakfast of coffee, juice and croissant is suitable - 5–8 EUR. For lunch, we recommend using menu del dia - a Spanish version of a business lunch. It starts being offered from 12:00 to 16:00, the cost is from 12 to 20 EUR. Typically includes a salad, carpaccio or soup (cold tomato gazpacho, for example), then a hot dish, dessert and a drink - beer, a bottle of wine, coffee or juice.

Dinner time in Barcelona comes when establishments begin to open after the siesta - usually around eight in the evening. A traditional Catalan dinner consists of three courses - appetizer, main course and dessert. However, lately in Barcelona there has been a growing tendency to consider dinner as an extended version of get-togethers with tapas and moderate drinks.

The best photos of Barcelona

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Guides in Barcelona

Entertainment and attractions

Barcelona is an architectural marvel of Spain whose attractions attract huge numbers of tourists throughout the year. This is an open-air museum where Gothic masterpieces of the Middle Ages, experimental buildings in the Art Nouveau style and modern trends in art, such as high-tech, are surprisingly harmoniously combined.

The main attractions of Barcelona are concentrated in three districts: Old Town, Eixample and Montjuic.

Views of charming Barcelona

Old Town and Gothic Quarter

Any list of the best attractions in Barcelona will include the oldest quarter of the Old Town with the telling name Gothic. Most of the buildings here date back to the 14th and 15th centuries. In addition, here you can find buildings from the times of the ancient Romans. The main attraction is the Cathedral, or Cathedral of the Holy Cross and St. Eulalia, which is considered one of the most beautiful not only in Barcelona, ​​but throughout Spain. It was built from the end of the 13th century to the mid-15th century, and today it, and not the Sagrada Familia, serves as the residence of the archbishop.

White geese live in the cathedral chapel. Their color symbolizes the purity of the Holy Martyr Eulalia, in whose honor the temple was built.

Within the area are the Real Mayor Palace, Ayuntament, the Chapel of Santa Agata and the Historical Museum in Plaza Rei, right next to whose walls archaeological excavations are being carried out. In Plaza Sant Just, the constant attention of tourists is attracted by the Gothic fountain, Moixo Palace and the Church of Santos Just y Pastor. It is worth paying attention to the Sentelles Palace, the Jewish quarter of Cal, museums and theaters of Barcelona.

The most visited museum in Barcelona and one of the best in Spain is the Picasso Museum on Montcada Street in the Old Town. The exhibition occupies 5 Gothic buildings and includes many works by the great artist. In particular, those that relate to the “blue period” in his work.

10 things to do in Barcelona

1. On the very first day, climb to the observation deck of the Sagrada Familia Cathedral and take an inquisitive look at the surroundings.
2. Take a sip of water from the fountain in Plaza Catalunya and be sure to come to magical Barcelona again.
3. Watch mimes on the streets, not forgetting about the reward.
4. Try young Spanish wine (2-3 EUR per bottle) and be pleasantly surprised.
5. Visit the best aquarium in Europe (yes, it is located in Barcelona!)
6. Spend a day on the fine sand of the beach near the El Maresme-Forum metro station - there are fewer people than on Barceloneta, and the sea is magical.
7. Go on a cultural run through museums: leaving Barcelona without visiting the Picasso Museum is a crime.
8. Take a look at the Camp Nou stadium - it will impress even those who are far from football.
9. Take a leisurely stroll along Montjuic mountain.
10. And finally, admire the performance of the magical fountains in Piazza di Spagna.

Barcelona maps

Eixample

The Eixample district was designed in the 19th century, when it became clear that the city needed to be expanded. A rectilinear layout had never been used in Barcelona before, and thanks to it, the architects were able to achieve not only convenience, but also external effects. Now in Eixample there is a large number of unique buildings, among which Gaudi's buildings have become famous. Its famous Sagrada Familia, 170 m high, is one of the symbols of the city.

Sagrada Familia and Gaudi

Antonio Gaudi began building the multi-towered Sagrada Familia (Holy Family) cathedral in 1883, but the construction of the temple has not yet been completed, which does not prevent it from remaining the most famous architectural structure in the city. Gaudi himself is rightly considered the most famous and truly outstanding architect of Spain, being also a prominent representative of Catalan Art Nouveau. The unique buildings he created are one of the most colorful faces of Barcelona. Such creations of the great Gaudí as the Palacio Güell on Carrer Nou de la Rambla and the park of the same name, the Sagrada Familia, Casa Vicens, Casa Batlló on Passeig de Gracia and Casa Mila, nicknamed “The Quarry”, are under UNESCO protection and are a must-see for everyone who comes to Barcelona. Among other things, the Calvet mansion and the elegant lanterns of the Plaza Real stand out.

Walking around Barcelona

Montjuic

Montjuic is not only the name of the area, but also the name of the mountain whose slopes withstood the 1929 World Exhibition and the Summer Olympic Games. The fortress, the National Museum of Art of Catalonia, the Joan Miró Museum and the Magic Fountain are a must-see.

A considerable number of tourists go in orderly rows to boutique villages to update their wardrobe for a reasonable price.

Cinema Barcelona Tours

The city's tourism office invites everyone to join unusual tours of Barcelona cinema in Spanish and English, which start every Saturday at 17:00 from the Columbus Monument in Portal de la Pau. The assortment includes: a walk “together” with Pedro Almodóvar, Woody Allen or Manuel Huerga through the most cinematic places in the city, entertaining stories about the filming of such films as “Perfume” by Tom Tykwer, “Salvador” by Manuel Huerga, “The Spanish Inn” (“Spanish Flu” ") by Cedric Klapisch, "Vicky, Cristina, Barcelona" by Woody Allen and "All About My Mother" by Pedro Almodóvar.

Duration of the excursion: 2.5 hours. Cost - 14.50 EUR, children under 8 years old - free. A ticket can be booked on the website or simply purchased at the group meeting point no later than 15 minutes before the start of the excursion.

Barcelona for children

Barcelona has many playgrounds, several pleasant parks, and bringing children to restaurants, cafes and even bars is quite normal for Barcelona residents. In addition, not far from Barcelona there is the well-known amusement park Port Aventura, one of the best in Europe. You can get there by first taking the train to Salou in less than 2 hours, and then taking the bus to the park itself in 10-15 minutes.

The greatest concentration of interesting places for children in Barcelona is found near the port. Firstly, there is an aquarium with a tunnel for observing sharks. Secondly, there is a zoo where they hold a dolphin show. Thirdly - the Chocolate Museum and the Maritime Museum. Another equally rich place is northern Barcelona: the amusement park on Mount Tibidabo and the entertaining science museum CosmoCaixa. In principle, Park Güell also falls into the category of suitable places for children, if you don’t delve into it too far.

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December

The best time to travel to Barcelona is rather a matter of taste. The swimming season begins in mid-May - early June and lasts until the end of September. The most pleasant time is May and September. The end of July and the first half of August is the time when there are more foreigners on the streets of the city than residents of Barcelona.