Jul 28 2010
Barcelona
Barcelona is an element of the province Catalonia. The city always has been the center of Catalan separatism and the trying for independance. It is also the center of the largest commercial area in Barcelona, excepting Bilbao. And it is an important port. Prat is the international airport. There are two schools, masses of highschools, opera, many museums and two arena’s. In 2k there lived just about 1.5 million folks in Barcelona. Including the burbs it is just about 2.8 million. Very important is the Turismo Barcellona.
There are 5 districts in Barcelona ( not counting the suburbs ) :
- Gotic district : with the Roman walls, the cathedral de Santa Eullia, plaza del Rei, originally a patio of the palace of the earls of Barcelona and the historical city museum.
- La Ribera : also a medieval district, is situated just outside of the first city wall. Now it is a district of commerce and seamen.
- El Eixample : a modern district where Casa Batll and Casa Mil can be found, both build by Gaud. The famous La Sagrada Familia is also located here.
- The avenue La Rambla : consists of 7 different boulevards. The most charasteristic is the Rambla de les Flors. The world inheritance monument square Reial is worth a visit.
- In the tidal area : one can find the Olympic town, build for the olympic games of 1992. The Montjuc has turned into a large recreation area. The World Exhibition of 1929 was held here as were the olympic games in 1992.
The city was built north of the mouth of the brook Llobregat, surrounded by hills of granite and slate. The historic centre lies at the foot of the slate mountain Montjuc ( 191 m ) on which a fortress was build. South of the mountain ( or hill ) lies the Montjuic park. Until the 19th century this historic centre was trapped by walls, now there are Rondas and Ramblas, circular and rectangular avenues. Around this area there are residential and business areas. Some pieces of the city walls have been saved. A widely recognized shopping street is Paseo de Gracia, bordered by plantains.
Rambla
This is the most noted and most common street of Barcelona. The avenue, once a brook, stretches for two kilometers from the plaza de Catalunya to the harbor. La Rambla consists of 5 different Ramblas and two squares.
San Jaume
The square of San Jaume is the heart of the city, also the political centre. The palaces of the city council ( El Ayuntamiento or Casa de la Ciudad ) and the province council ( Palacio de la Generalidad ) are located here. In Roman times the piazza Romana or Forum was situated here, build in the following century B. C.
Santa Maria del Mar
This church is from the 14th century. It is a excellent example of Catalan gothic. There are giant pillars and the octagonal towers end in patios.
Sagrada Familia.
The most striking and still half finished building of Barcelona is the basilica of the Holy Family, designed by Anton Gaud. The construction of it started in 1884. The facades designate Birth ( west ), Life and Death ( east ) and the glorification of Christ ( south ). The eight towers stand for the apostles. There are 3 entrances in the front : religion, hope and love. In the crypt is the crypt of the famous architect Gaudi, who died in 1926. He also created remarkable buildings like Casa Batllo with ceramic roofing and Casa Mila.
Casa Batllo
The provoking pillars are like the feet of a mammoth and the roof gives the impression of a prehistoric reptile. The balconies look like bird’s nests hanging from a rock face. There aren’t any fixed lines or right angles this building and the walls appear to be undulating.
Casa Mila
This building got the nickname La Pedrera, the stone pit. It seems like a steep rock with cave-houses in it. The undulating front reminds one of dunes and beaches, or maybe a honeycomb.
In Parc Gell, also designed by Gaudi, is a museum dedicated to this great architect.
Specialities
Escudella i carn d’olla : soup with beef, veg and rice, vermicelli and potatoes ; cocido : a dish with white beans ; butifarra : some type of sausage ; pilota : a sort of minced beef ; zarzuela : paella with fish, shrimps, mussels and calamares.
Aeroporto Barcellona is located south-west of the city of Barcelona, between the city boundaries of El Prat de Llobregat, Viladecans and Sant Boi. It is just three km from the Port of Barcelona, one of the most vital ports in the Mediterranean for container traffic and the leader in the cruise market.
It is also located close to the Free zone Consortium, one of the most significant commercial and logistics centers in Spain.
.
