Barcelona

Barcelona is a city of contrasts, in which historical buildings coexist with more modern constructions. The history of Barcelona is reflected in its artistic and cultural heritage, which attracts millions of visitors every year.

The historical centre

The historical centre plays host to a hive of commercial and cultural activity which harks back to its former medieval days. Comprised of a complex network of narrow streets, the Gothic Quarter is where the majority of the important historical buildings of the Old City are concentrated and ever since Roman times this neighbourhood has been the epicentre of the city's religious and civil power. The Plaza del Rey, Barcelona Cathedral or the Basilica of Santa María del Pi are amongst some of the most important sites to visit.

The maritime city

Barcelona has been linked to the sea since the arrival of the Romans, who incorporated it into their great Mediterranean trade network; although its consolidation as a great overseas power came with the constitution of the Crown of Aragon.

However, the presence of its medieval walls and port facilities meant that its citizens were unable to make the most of the coastline. With the celebration of the Olympic Games in 1992 Barcelona no longer turned its back on the sea and underwent major urban developments that supposed the integration of the coastline into city life.

The later regeneration of the beaches and the construction of facilities such as Puerto Olímpico and the Maremagnum complex, has transformed the coastline into a highly valued space for public use and also constitutes the entrance way to the city for millions of visitors.

Modernist Barcelona

The artistic genre of Modernisme, emerging between the late nineteenth century and the early twentieth century was warmly received in Barcelona.

Modernist architecture became one of the main signs of social status for the Bourgeoisie, which backed the construction of large projects. Architects such as Antoni Gaudí, Josep Puig i Cadafalch, Lluís Domènech i Montaner and Enric Sagnier, amongst others, let free rein to their imagination in order to design facilities and residential buildings that, apart from radically altering the appearance of the urban landscape, became the identifying features of the more creative Barcelona.

The contemporary Barcelona

With the Olympic Games of 1992, the city underwent a lot of urban development, such as the regeneration of the seafront and the construction of new infrastructures for the metropolitan area. Following this modernisation process, Barcelona was able to reposition itself in the international panorama, establishing itself as a dynamic and attractive metropolis. The Disseny Hub building, the Torre Agbar, the Media-TIC building or the Torre Marenostrum are some of the most striking buildings of contemporary Barcelona.