Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia. You’ll see that is was settled between a mountain called Tibidabo and the mediterranean sea. Today we are going to explore the old town, called Barri Gótic in Catalan. It is this blue section by the port. So our journey starts… we will take the train, called “cercanies” and we will walk down Passeig de Gràcia
So, our first stop, we will go down passeig the Gràcia, also called “ Golden Square” because it has some of the most beautiful modernist buildings in Barcelona. We will see casa Batlló, casa amettller and some other beautiful buildings. We would like you to pay attention to the benches and streetlamps which were also designed by Gaudi . But we will explain them in detail tomorrow..
First stop, Plaza Catalunya… here it is traditional to have a photo with the pidgeons…this squares is the connection between the modern city and the old city. Here in the corner, you’ll see our well-known, “El Corte Inglés”..a department store .. This square is the heart of Barcelona
The Gothic Town is traversed by the city’s most famous avenue “Las Ramblas” . It is always full of people , artist, mimos… artist…you’ll also see Mercat de la Boqueria, the biggest market in Barcelona… and our Opera House, El Liceo
We will go through one of the medieval doors into the Old town. The oldest part of the city was founded by the Romans in the 1st century as a colony in the reign of Augustus. The cathedral was begun in XIIIth century .. It was built on a Roman temple and a Moorish mosque. But it was finished in the 20th century. From the Cathedral.. We arrive at Plaça Sant Jaume, which was….
(INSIDE 1. The romanesque chapel is called Capella de sant Llúcia built in the XIIIth century. 2. The romanesque cloister with the geese 3. Choir Stalls . XVth century carving 4. The Crypt- alabaster sarcophagus of St. Eulàlia ( XIVth century) , maryred by the Romans in the 4th AD.
Plaça Sant Jaume was the old Roman forum, today it houses Palau de la Generalitat and the Town Hall, still the administrative place of the city. Palau de la Generalitat is Catalonia’s seat of government . It is a Gothic building
We will see part of the Temple to August, we only have some columns but it is worth seeing it. After this, we will arrive at…..
These buildings are all Gothic buildings, they were medieval Palaces and the most important buildings are, Saló del Tinell, where the big feast were held and Capella de Santa Àgueda. Today you can find the city museum here where you can take a lift to the Roman times and visit the old city. As a curiosity, we would like to mention that Cristopher Columbus was welcomed here by the King and Queen after his dicovery of America in 1492
