Barcelona’s City Hall is an impressive example of Gothic architecture that has served as the local government’s headquarters since its construction in 1369. Like many other buildings in Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter, the city hall has been subject to various modifications and additions. However, despite all the changes, parts of the interior have remained unchanged since…
Tag: architecture
Casa de l’Ardiaca: The Archdeacon’s House
The Casa de l’Ardiaca is a small Gothic building tucked away in plain sight, near the main entrance to Barcelona Cathedral. The building, which is currently home to the city’s historic archive, dates back to the twelfth century when it served as the residence of the archdeacon, a high-ranking member of the clergy. Despite being…
Sant Pau del Camp: The Oldest Church in Barcelona
The church of Sant Pau del Camp (English: Saint Paul of the fields) is the oldest Christian church in Barcelona and was built between 897 AD and 910 AD. It is also one of the best examples of Romanesque architecture to be found in the city. Located in the multicultural Raval neighbourhood and off the…
Steel Pergolas on Avinguda d’Icària (Poblenou)
When Barcelona hosted the Olympic Games in 1992, they needed an area within the city to build an Olympic Village to house the approximately 10,000 athletes who took part in the games. Barcelona sits between the hills of Collserola on one side and the Mediterranean Sea on the other. The only area with enough space…
The Miralles Gateway By Antoni Gaudí (Portal Miralles)
Antoni Gaudí was the architect behind many of Barcelona’s best known and most iconic buildings. From the groundbreaking design of Casa Milà to the spectacular beauty of the Sagrada Familia, there’s no denying that he left his mark on the city. But Gaudí didn’t limit himself to designing palaces and churches; he also worked on…
10 Things That Barcelona Is Famous For
With an estimated twelve million visitors each year, Barcelona is one of the best-known and most visited cities in Europe. But what is Barcelona famous for? Barcelona is famous for its outstanding football team, stunning architecture, lively nightlife, sandy beaches, and world-class cuisine. Not to mention a vibrant cultural heritage and colourful neighbourhood festivals that…
El Capricho de Gaudí, Comillas
Born in Reus in 1852, Antoni Gaudí moved to Barcelona to study architecture when he was eighteen years old. After finishing his studies, he began working for some of the city’s wealthiest residents. In the years which followed, his ground-breaking and fanciful designs helped transform the city into what we see today. Despite the fact…
Estació de França Railway Station
Barcelona França railway station (Catalan: Estaçió de França) was built in 1926 in preparation for the Barcelona International Exhibition which took place in 1929. The Noucentista style station was designed by Pedro Muguruza and Andreu Muntaner as the main terminus for trains arriving from France. Nowadays, the station has largely been superseded by Barcelona Sants…
El Pont del Bisbe: Bishop’s Bridge
One of the most photographed sights in Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter, El Pont del Bisbe (Bishop’s Bridge) was built for the Barcelona International Exposition, which took place in 1929. The bridge was designed by architect Joan Rubió I Bellver, who suggested that all non-Gothic buildings in the immediate vicinity of Barcelona Cathedral should be demolished and…
The Umbrella House: Casa Bruno Cuadros
One of the most easily recognisable landmarks on Barcelona’s iconic Las Ramblas boulevard, Casa Bruno Cuadros is located half-way between Plaça de Catalunya and the Columbus Monument. Better known as The Umbrella House (Catalan: Casa dels Paraigües) due to the brightly coloured umbrellas which decorate the façade. The building dates back to 1858 and was…
The Cerdà Houses and the Origins of the Eixample District
In the 1850’s Barcelona was booming and the medieval walls which surrounded the Gothic Quarter were torn down to allow the city to grow. The city council asked several architects and city planners to submit plans for a new suburb which would envelope surrounding villages such as Gràcia, Sarría and el Clot. The councillors initially…
Barcelona Central Post Office
Passeig de Colom, the avenue which runs from the Columbus monument towards the Parc de la Ciutadella, is flanked by a series of elegant buildings dating back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries. One of the most interesting of them is the Central Post Office which was designed by Josep Goday i Casals and…
The 10 Most Emblematic Skyscrapers in Barcelona
The earliest skyscrapers were built in Chicago and New York during the second half of the 19th century and were between 10 and 20 storeys high. Technological advances during the 20th century meant that buildings could grow ever taller and modern skyscrapers are usually more than 100m and often reach heights in excess of 150m. The…
The First Building Designed by Antoni Gaudí
No matter how brief your stay in Barcelona, the chances are you will visit at least one building designed by Antoni Gaudí. A mixture of modernisme, surrealism and Gothicism combined with innovative engineering, Gaudi’s unique architectural style has shaped many of the city’s most famous landmarks and influenced generations of architects. Although most of Gaudi’s…
The Encants Vells Flea Market
Barcelona’s Encants Vells, also known as the Mercat de Bellcaire, is one of the oldest flea markets in Europe and dates back to the 14th Century. In 2013 Els Encants relocated to a stunning new purpose built 3 story structure opposite the Agbar Tower. The emblematic mirrored canopy houses 500 stalls; a mixture of junk shop, antiques…
Frank Gehry’s Golden Fish Sculpture
The 52-metre-long golden fish sculpture El Peix is one of the best-known and most striking landmarks on Barcelona’s seafront. Its gold-coloured stainless steel surface shines under the Mediterranean sun and changes appearance depending on the angle of the sun and the current weather conditions. The fish statue was built for the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. The gold-coloured…
The Caixa Forum
More than just a modern art museum, the Caixa Forum is billed as a Cultural Centre and stages temporary exhibitions as well as concerts, arts related educational workshops and films. There are 3 main exhibition halls, a cinema and a dedicated children’s activity area called Caixa Forum Kids. There is just one permanent exhibit; Joseph…
Monestir de Pedralbes – One of Barcelona’s Best Kept Secrets!
The Monestir de Pedralbes is a beautiful gothic monastery which was built in 1326 by Queen Elisenda in an effort to be forgiven for her sins. Some of the most famous architects of the time worked on the project including Ramon Despuig and Berenguer de Montagut who also designed the Bascilica de Santa Maria del…
The Roman Temple of Augustus
Tucked away inside a medieval building in Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter, there stand four, nine metre high Corinthian columns that are nearly as old as the city itself. The Roman Temple of Augustus dates back to the first century BC and was part of the Forum at the centre of the Roman city of Barcino. During…
Torre Glòries – Barcelona’s 21st Century Icon
Designed by Jean Nouvel, the 34 storey Torre Glòries, originally called the Torre Agbar, took 6 years to build and was inaugurated in 2005. Nouvel has stated that he was inspired by Catalan icons such as Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia and the nearby mountain of Montserrat. The tower was built for to the Agbar water company…
The Arc de Triomf
The Arc de Triomf was built in 1888 as the main entrance to the Exposición Universal de Barcelona. It was designed by the Catalan architect Josep Vilaseca i Casanovas and features sculptures by Josep Reynés, Josep Llimona and Manel Fuxa. The 30 metre high mudejar style brick arch is the focal point at the end…
Disseny Hub – Vector Prime Comes to Barcelona!
This week the hoardings surrounding the new Disseny Hub Barcelona came down. The Disseny Hub (or Design Hub in English) is billed as a combination of museum, centre and laboratory. I’m not exactly sure what that means but the new building is certainly impressive. Situated next to the Agbar Tower in the 22@ district of…