This is, without doubt, one of the best places for lovers of old streets. The Gothic Quarter fits roughly in the area that lies between the Ramblas, the Vía Layetana, Plaça Catalunya and the city’s old port. The present administrative centre of Plaça Sant Jaume is also the geographical centre of Roman Barcelona, known to its colonists as Iulia Augusta Faventia Paterna Barcino. A stroll around these streets holds a number of surprises: apart from the Cathedral, you will find enchanting alleyways and medieval squares, as well as numerous Roman remains such as the walls and the Temple of Augustus. But looks can decieve: not everything is as old as it looks.
RECOMMENDATIONS:This is a very compact area, with narrow streets where cars just don't fit. Depending on the day and place, it can also get crowded, so bicycling is also not recommended. One can pay a fairly exhaustive visit to this corner of the city in three hours.
These were recovered in the middle of the 20th century, thanks to an extensive archaeological campaign that made two major discoveries: that part of the Gothic Quarter was built a few metres above the old Roman city; and that many of the later houses had used the Roman-Medieval walls as a source of building material. A series of demolitions, excavations and reconstructions have left the stones as we can see them today. The best conserved parts are Plaza Ramon Berenguer el Gran and Avenida Catedral-Plaza Nova.
This sombre Gothic style church, built in 1342, stands out for its stained- glass windows. In the pleasant square in front there is a fountain dating from the same period. In this relatively tourist-free area, there are many small and charming bars and restaurants. Pl. de Sant Just 5.
This square is home to two of the city’s most important institutions: Barcelona Town Hall and the headquarters of the Generalitat autonomous government. This makes the square a favourite location for demonstrations and sporting celebrations. Although both buildings conserve many medieval elements, the façade of the Generalitat building dates from the 16th century and that of the town hall from the 19th century. For centuries, the square contained two cemeteries and Sant Jaume church, demolished in 1825.
Located right beside Plaça Sant Jaume, the Call is Barcelona’s old Jewish quarter. It appears in documents dating from the 11th century until August 1391, when the neighbourhood was raided and destroyed. A little investigation can reveal a number of commemorative plaques and stones and the remains of the old Jewish baths can be seen in some of the shops on the street named Banys Nous, although this quarter was built in the same style as the rest of medieval Barcelona. It’s worth taking a stroll to see the antique Synagogue. C/ Marlet 5.
Located just behind the Cathedral apse, inside the headquarters of the Catalan Trekking Association. It was built in I BC at the top of Mt. Taber, a small hill whose existence can be deduced today from the sloping streets surrounding it. C/ Paradis 10.
An attractive square containing four emblematic buildings: the Palacio Real Mayor (Saló del Tinell), the palatine chapel of Saint Ágata, the Archives of the Crown of Aragon and the Casa Padellás. Of these four constructions, the latter is the newest: it was dismantled during the process of demolition preceding the creation of Vía Laietana and rebuilt in its present location. It has been the seat of the City History Museum since 1943. You can visit various layers of Roman remains in the subsoil (and in the square itself).
Built in Gothic style, Barcelona Cathedral is dedicated to the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia. The city has had a total of three basilicas: a paleo-Christian construction destroyed during the Muslim invasion in the 10th century; a Romanesque building, started in the 11th century and replaced by the present cathedral in the 13th century. It was without a façade for a number of centuries until the present one, which is currently undergoing restoration, was built at the end of the 19th century. Its interior, with three naves, is worth a visit. Highlights include the magnificent chairs in the choir (14th & 15th centuries), the Crypt of Saint Eulalia and the splendid cloister, the historical home of a flock of geese. Pla de la Seu, 3.
Shrapnel marks can still be seen on the façade of Sant Felip Neri church, resulting from a bomb dropped there during the Spanish Civil War. The square was reformed in the middle of the 20th century, giving it the old fashioned, tranquil appearance it has today. The two guild houses on one side of the square were not originally there: they were dismantled during the construction of the Vía Laietana (1907) and later reconstructed in their current location.
This church, built between 1322 and 1453, is a clear example of Catalan gothic architecture featuring a large single nave boasting a splendid rose window. The nearby squares (Pi and Sant Josep Oriol) are pedestrianized and usually bustling with passers-by, painters and on occasions with crafts stalls. A few steps away is the narrow and picturesque Carrer Petritxol, famous both for its art galleries and its small, traditional “granjas” and cafés serving hot chocolate.
Although it is located just behind Plaça Catalunya, this beautiful Romaesque structure finished in Gothic style usually goes unnoticed by both tourists and locals. Entrance is through a discrete portal on Carrer Santa Anna. The cloister dates from the 15th century and is an authentic oasis of calm in the city. Pasaje Rivadeneyra, 3.
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Guía del Ocio BCN The guide that puts all the entertainment in Barcelona in the palm of your hand. |
Address: Plaça Vila de Madrid, 4 Phone number: 93 318 77 29 Subway: Catalunya |
Open since 1986, this is a classic destination for Indian and vegetarian cuisine in Barcelona. It’s a beautifully decorated and atmospheric place to try food that can be as spicy as you like. Midday fixed price menu with three courses plus dessert for 9.50 € and weekend menu at 2pm. Lunch from monday to sunday, 1pm to 4pm and dinners from tuesday to thursday, 8pm to 11pm and friday and saturday till 11.45pm. Más info |
Address: Banys Nous, 14 (local 4) - Plaça de la fuente, 2 (76) Poble Espanyol. Phone number: 93 302 06 38 Web: www.amberart.es |
Amber Art's speciality are Baltic Amber jewels of innovative design. But Amber Art spaces are open to a wide range of contemporary art forms, including jewelry, painting, drawing, ceramics, sculpture and others. |
Address: Banys Nous, 5-7 Phone number: 93 301 34 76 |
Hand made creations and designs in iron since 1953. A stand out is their collection of iron lamps with hand stitched shades. Their designs aim to enhance the use of iron, raising it to the highest aesthetic level, treating each piece individually as a work of art. You will find tables, headboards, chairs and other accessories. Hand crafted Catalan products that make ideal gifts, such as blown glass, jewellery, fans, alabaster, etc. |
Address: Petritxol, 18 Phone number: 93 318 83 95 |
Dedicated to silver jewelry, we have spent more than 30 years travelling around the Italian peninsula in search of its “argento” and exploring all of the Asian subcontinent to find the finest pieces in both plain silver and silver combined with pearls, agate, onyx, Austrian crystal ware and semiprecious stones. The colourful combinations of this collection take us to a world of fantasy and warm subtleties. The Mediterranean is present in all the designs we make in Italian silver and it is precisely from beside the ‘Mare Nostrum’ that we make ourselves known to the world through our establishments in Cambrils, Salou, Reus and Barcelona. |
Address: Pl. Sant Felip Neri, 1 Phone number: 93 301 98 32 |
SOAP, WILL YOU HAVE A BATH WITH ME? Although Mother Nature does not supply everything in the soap making world, most of our products are of natural origin. |