The Gothic Quarter remembers a lot: Roman sandals and the victorious procession of the French occupation, noisy parties and scurrying crowds of tourists, fun of taverns and modern nightclubs. The former center of the city, today the Gothic Quarter is the center of medieval Gothic sights, which attracts tourists from all over the world. The area consists of many streets (most of which are pedestrianized), intertwined in spider webs and connected in numerous squares. The Gothic Quarter is a great place to walk: on your own, as part of a guided tour or with an audio guide.
Gothic Quarter: historical background
The Gothic Quarter is the oldest district in the city, whose history began 2000 years ago. At the time, Barcelona was the small village of Barso, and the Gothic Quarter was the site of an oval-shaped defensive position. In the 5th century, the area was conquered by the Visigoths, from whose buildings several foundations remained. In the Middle Ages, the active development of the city began: most of the buildings were designed in the Gothic style, a small part belongs to the Baroque and Renaissance eras. In 1920, the Gothic Quarter got its current name; buildings in need of reconstruction were restored, many modern cafes, shops, clubs, etc.
TOP-10 attractions in the area
- Portaferissa street. In the Middle Ages, there was a gate that served as an entrance to the city. Today, the mention of the gate is kept in a fresco on the fountain at the beginning of the street.
- Built in 987, the Gothic Cathedral in honor of the Virgin - Santa Maria del Pi. The temple is famous for its facades and a ten-meter socket
- San Josep Oriol Square - a gathering place for local cartoonists and artists
- The new square and the Barcelona Cathedral located on it. To the left of the cathedral stands the Episcopal Palace, built in the 13th century in the neoclassical style. Another interesting place on New Square is the remains of a Roman wall and an aqueduct
- Bisbay street, where the building of the government of Catalonia is located with a preserved facade of the 15th century
- Piazza San Felip Neri, which reminds of a tragic story in the annals of Spain: 42 people died during the Francoist bombing, most of them children are students of a nearby school
- Temple of Augustus of the Romanesque era, from which 4 columns survived
- Royal Square, the paving stones of which have been preserved since the time of the Barso village
- Piazza Sant Jaume - during the Roman Empire was the main cultural and political place of the city
- Church of Saint Just and Pastor, built in the 13th century.
Interesting Facts
- The Cathedral is the most famous symbol of Barcelona
- The project of the Episcopal Palace is the work of Picasso
- Until the 15th century, only Jews had the right to live in the Gothic Quarter
- In every house of a Jewish family there was a door leading to an underground passage, which they used in case of danger
- The Gothic Quarter is where the Black Cat Cabaret is located. At one time, Pablo Picasso, Julio Gonzalez, Ramon Cass, Rusiñol were frequent guests here.
The object belongs to the quarters.
