In one of the most famous sections of Barcelona, the oldest buildings are located not only of the Spaniards, but also of the ancient Romans. In addition to the palace of Octavian Augustus and the ruins of the Roman wall, many buildings are interesting here. The peculiarity of the district is also that the houses are located almost close to each other, forming small streets. They can only be freely traveled on a scooter or motorcycle, although cars manage to ride. This place is the heart of the city of Barcelona.
After reading the information in the article, you can find out a lot of interesting things about the historical Gothic Quarter in Barcelona: photos and descriptions of the sights of this territory will be presented later.
Bit of history
The history of the Gothic Quarter in Barcelona dates back to the time of the Roman domination over Spain. The collapse of the Roman Empire brought into decline not only the quarter, but the whole city. However, it bloomed again in the very glorious and bright days of Catalonia, when it was part of the Kingdom of Aragon.
Many of the surviving buildings date from the XIV-XV centuries. The subsequent turbulent events that took place in Catalonia and Spain in the following centuries could have repeatedly affected the preservation of architectural sights, but the quarter stood on its strong foundations.
General description of the quarter
The Gothic Quarter is one of the historical areas of Barcelona, known for its magnificent medieval buildings. There are several large architectural monuments. This place is perfect both for independent walks of tourists, and for sightseeing, accompanied by guides.
This place is the historical core of Barcelona. Although the layout of El Gothic, with its dark and narrow intricate streets, looks chaotic, there are many masterpieces of architecture and quite cozy corners.
What to see in the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona?
This is a densely populated and lively quarter. For hours you can wander among the remaining ruins of the Roman walls, among the magnificent medieval palaces. Here you can admire the ancient monasteries and churches. There are quite a few religious buildings in the quarter, and all of them cannot be listed. This is the House of the Archdeacon, the temple of St. Philip, the palace of the Bishop, the temples of the Saints North and Justus, as well as the temple of the Good Shepherd. Here you can see the Pribandezny house, the chapel of St. Agatha and the building of a charity.
Noteworthy secular structures: the building of local authorities - the city hall, the Governor's Palace. Each house has its own courtyard with arches decorated with beautiful carvings. It has fountains and palm trees.
The two-story building of the Gothic city hall was built in the 18th century. And since then, the management of the city’s affairs has been carried out from here. The entrance to the town hall is decorated with two statues. For tourists, daily visits to the district hall, the council chamber and the chronicles hall are open.
It should be noted that in the Gothic quarter is the chapel of St. Lucia. It is useful to visit her for people with vision problems. For the blind of Barcelona, an annual celebration is held at the monastery.
The following article presents some of the most noteworthy buildings located in the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona.
Cathedral of the Holy Cross and St. Eulalia
This is a famous representative of the historic quarter of Barcelona, located in the heart of the quarter. The cathedral began to be built by the will of Jaime II in 1298, and its construction lasted 122 years. For a century and a half, many great artists have worked on this excellent building. In the XX century, a tower of 70-meter height was erected. Near the cathedral is the no less famous Roman wall, built in the 3rd century AD.
The cathedral is named after St. Eulalia - the patron saint of the city. This is the official residence of the city bishop. Incorporated a magnificent cathedral the best examples of Gothic France and Spain. In the cloister (gallery) of the temple live white geese. Through the courtyard you can go to the Romanesque chapel of St. Lucia.
Saint James Square
This is the main and ancient square of Barcelona and, you can say, the whole of Catalonia. Around its small territory are administrative buildings. In shape, the square is square and decorated with palm trees and other green spaces. The site itself is designed for various holidays, processions and meetings. On Sundays, music is dancing and playing here. This is one of the most popular places for entertainment and meetings, especially in the evening. Restaurants, shops and popular night clubs are located on the outskirts of the square.
The famous art cafe called "Four Cats" was opened in 1897 in the heart of the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona. The creative city elite always gathered in it, including Pablo Picasso and Anthony Gaudi. The institution was destroyed by the dictator Franco, but after his departure it was restored.
Temple of the Roman Emperor Augustus
In the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona you can find a large number of interesting buildings of the Middle Ages.
The Temple of Emperor Augustus, although severely battered by time, still retains its former beauty and size. The surviving fragments of a medieval temple in the form of 4 columns are hidden in the pavilion from the weather.
The Royal Palace is a carefully and wonderfully restored complex that allows you to see the amazing medieval Catalan architecture. In it, as in many other constructions of Spain, Moorish and European architecture are embodied. Its distinctive feature is the internal facades and courtyards of arches, and a large number of windows of different sizes and shapes.
Church of Santa Maria del Pi
This wonderful architectural structure is a worthy representative of the French Gothic style. The main facade, at first glance, seems a little gloomy, but its entrance is splendidly refreshed by a pointed arch. Also transforms his large rosette and a statue of the Madonna. There are no domes on the main tower and the front tower. The church has a fairly simple interior, consisting of only one section and chapels adjacent to it.
The cathedrals in the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona are quite old and almost all of them, including this church, have undergone some kind of restoration work.
Royal Palace in Barcelona
Built in the XI-XVI century, the palace incorporated Gothic and Roman elements, as well as elements of the Renaissance. Construction management was conducted by Peter the Great. The facade design demonstrates the taste of Pap Avignon. From the main entrance to the left there are three smaller entrances, made in the Roman style and separated by windows. Three galleries with stone carved roses are located above the three arches.
These flowers are the idea of Peter IV (King of Aragon). This wonderful palace is one of the striking sights of the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona.
And the Catalan assembly hall, whose arches support the boardwalk ceiling, was built by order of Peter IV. Initially, 19 statues made of plaster were installed here, but they disappeared along with paintings during the period of intervention and unrest. The Assembly Hall witnessed the most diverse historical events of Catalan and Spanish history (1372-1935).
Part of the Royal Palace is the chapel of St. Agatha. Truly an achievement of architecture was at one time the dome (17 m wide) of Guillaume Carbonella. From the watchtower (five floors), the entire Gothic quarter is visible.
Old Jewish Quarter El Call
The Gothic section of the city hides a lot of secrets, one of which is the old Jewish quarter. Jews lived here until the 15th century. At the time of Torquemada they were expelled from Catalonia, but before they were subjected to pogroms and requisitions, from which they escaped using underground tunnels. Now there are guided tours, thanks to which tourists get acquainted with the life of the Jews who lived here in those days.
The history of the Jewish quarter is presented at the Kal Information Center.
Conditions for tourists
How to get there The Gothic quarter in Barcelona is located on the right side of the Rambla, if you stand facing Plaza Catalunya, not far from this place.
Living in this quarter, it will be very convenient to visit all the attractions and excursions. This is the city center, and even beaches are not far from it, and in the evenings it is not as noisy as, for example, on ul. Ramble. But, it should be noted that you will have to sacrifice a bit of comfortable accommodation, as many hotels offer not very large rooms.
The most convenient form of transport to get to the Gothic Quarter in Barcelona is the metro. The closest stations to this historic site are: Jaume I, Liceu.
Interesting Facts
- The building, where the local archive is located today, was built on the foundation of the 12th century. Previously, this building belonged to the archdeacon. At the gate there is a mailbox decorated with carved turtles and swallows. Turtles mean the speed of delivery of letters, and swallows - a quick response.
- The building, where the residence of the President of Catalonia is located today, was built on the foundation of the 11th century. In 1450, it was transferred into the possession of the clergy of the cathedral. This building hosted free lunches for local beggars.
- At the Cathedral (on the roof and walls) of Barcelona, the number of gargoyles (demonic creatures that adorned Gothic architecture) is 250 pieces!
About hotels
Barcelona hotels in the Gothic Quarter are convenient for tourists, as there is everything here: restaurants, cafes, shops, the beach, the promenade, historical sights. Nearby is the more noisy Rambla, as well as Plaça Catalunya, where there is a metro station. In this section of the city there is not only public transport.
Below are some of the hotels.
- Catalonia Catedral. Luxury four star hotel. Spacious rooms with an incredibly beautiful design and a rooftop pool (from 9800 rubles per day).
- Condal. Budget hotel with two stars. Chic location and quality service (from 4600 rubles per day).
- NH Barcelona Centro. Modern 3-star chain hotel in the heart of the historic quarter, 100 meters from the street. Rambles. Very comfortable rooms and delicious breakfasts (from 8,000 rubles).
Reviews
Among the reviews there are rumors that some hotels in the Gothic Quarter are damp and dark, and even have insects and small rodents. Although in the most expensive and central area of Barcelona in hotels this is hardly possible. In any case, before arriving in Spain, you should carefully study the reviews of tourists who have visited these places and choose a suitable and affordable housing.
According to most travelers, there are a lot of interesting things in the historical quarter. It’s nice to just walk around the unusual narrow streets, examining the windows of small shops and feeling the pleasant stone coolness on a sultry summer day. An interesting calm and unhurried walk among wonderful architecture and sculptures. Even the details of balconies and windows may be of interest. Almost all tourists note that it is easy to stroll during the day in the hot sun, and in the evenings it is pleasant to sit in a romantic setting in one of the bars or restaurants.
The Gothic Quarter is Barcelona's main attraction, so you should definitely visit it. Here you can feel the atmosphere of the Middle Ages. Acquaintance with the interesting history of the city will leave a deepest mark on the soul for a long time.