Destinations / The best capital cities in the world / Barcelona

 

  Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia, is one of the most important cities on the globe. It is the largest city in Spain, comprising a population of about 1,605,602people as stated in 2006. Barcelona is the coastal of the Mediterranean Sea, that lies between Liobregat and Besos River mouths. Barcelona has a very good geographical position, with water bodies around, being a very attractive touristic destination of the country. It is also the Revenue centre of Spain for its tourism, and possesses the most important port of Europe, and having the largest airport of Spain. The city of Barcelona was founded as the Roman city and transformed into the Crown of Aragon and Counts of Barcelona’s capital. The capital of Catalonia is a bustling city, and offers many attractions, like many entertainment spaces, shopping, concert halls, many amazing museums to visitors. The gardens that beautify the city are perfect examples to the works of the architect Gaudi, including the house of Gaudi, which is now transformed into a museum that includes its own works. Barcelona also features some excellent beaches, which are well maintained and clean. The beaches are perfect for sunbathing, surfing, and other exciting water sports. Barcelona is full of unique architectural works, many modernized buildings and churches.

 

 

 

 The Sagrada Familia is the uncompleted masterpiece that belongs to Antoni Gaudi, which represents the most visited attraction in Barcelona. The construction of a new church was an idea  given by an organisation whose goal was to bring to an end  the de-christianisation of the Barcelona’s citizens . The organisation bought a lot of land in the Eixample district, in 1877. There was designed a neo ghotic church, built by the architect Francisco de Paula del Villar. The construction of the new church started in 1882. A year later, Antoni Gaudi took over the construction, and he dedicated all his life to this majestic church. Instead of continuing the original plans for the construction, he changed the design, totally. The neo ghotic style was changed on Gaudi’s modernist style, which was based on forms tooken from nature. He died in 1926, and  only one facade was finished, a tower, the apse and the crypt. Due to his several changes and improvisations of the design, he had left some models and designs, but most of them were destroyed during the Civil War. After the architect’s death the construction of the church slowed dramatically because of the lack of funds, and due to the Civil War. The process started to pick up again in the middle of 1950s, when two more facades and eight towers were completed. The first facade is known as the Nativity Facade, and was made by Gaudi himself. It appears in a Baroque style, with motifs of animals and plants. Even if it is not finished the remarkable church is worth to be visited. The guests can visit the crypt where Antoni Gaudi is burie. There is also a museum that relates the story and the history of the church.

 

 

  The Magic Fountain is a large fountain which was built in 1929. When the fountain is active it is constantly changing the shape and the color. The fountain was a part of a project built for the Universal Exhibition from  1929. The Universal Exhibition was oraganized on Montjuic, a hill situated southwest from the Barcelona’s center. The designer of the project was Carles Buigas i Sans, which formed it from a series of cascades and fountains, between the Palau Nacional, the most important exhibition center  on the Montjuic, and the Placa d’Espanya, situated at the foot of the hill. It took a year to complete the veritable project. The most fantastic scenery was given by the monumental Magic Fountain, which intended to show to people what could be created with filtered electrical light. After many years of disuse the fountain looked very bad. It was restored in 1992, for the Olympic Games, organized on the same hill. It offers an incredible spectacle of light, with the illuminated Palau Nacional, creating a majestic background, especially after the sunset.

 

 

  The colorful building is a remodeled 19th century structure, made by the well- known Gaudi. Casa Batlló is a very expressive masterpiece. The house was originally built between 1875 and 1877. It was bought in 1900 by a very rich industrialist, Josep Battló i Casanovas, who commisioned Gaudi to demolish the old house and to built  a new one. Gaudi however convinced Batlló to remodel the existing structure. Between 1904-1906 the architect renovated the facade and the roof, and added one more floor, and completely remodeled the entire interior of the house. The facade of the house is made of sandstone, covered with colorful trencadis. The first floor includes sculpted oval windows. The lower floors’s balconies feature bone-like pillars. The interior of the house as the exterior as well are simply fascinating. It has wooden doors, stained glass windows, colorful tiles,  a carved out fireplace, all creating an overwhelming structure.

 

 

The gothic church  is located  in the very heart of Barcelona, in the Gothic district. The church is also known as La Seu. The first stone of the cathedral was laid down in the 13th century, but it took until the early 20th century to complete the cathedral. The church was named after the patron of Barcelona, Saint Eulalia. The used name La Seu refers to the status of the church as the seat of the diocese. During the Roman Empire, in 343 A.D a basilica was built on the present site of the cathedral. In 985 the basilica was demolished by the Moors. Later it was replaced with a Roman Cathedral built between 1046 and 1058. Between 1257 and 1268 a roman chapel was added to the cathedral, named Capella de Santa Llucia. In 1298 it started the construction of the gothic cathedral, under the King Jaume II supervision. During the process of  the construction of the cathedral the existing Roman structure was demolished, and there was  only the Chapel Santa Llucia left. The new cathedral has 93 meters in length and 40 meters in width. The octagonal clock towers have over 50 meters height. The towers were built between 1386-1393. The interior features a wide nave with 28 side chapels. The crypt includes the sarcophagus of Santa Eulalia. The beautiful cathedral has a charming carved choir. The incredible cathedral is a famous attraction in the city of Barcelona.

 

 

  The Montjuïc is a hill located near the center of Barcelona. It has several attractions, including the Spanish Village and the Montjuïc Castle. The hill was used initially as a ceremonial place. Nowadays the hill features a large number of sights and attractions. One of these sights is the Palau Nacional which is the central pavilion of the International Exhibition. The magnificent structure is designed in a neo-ghotic style and  it is the ideal home for the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya . Its collection features Gothic, Roman, Reinassance and Baroque art and some works that belong to the 19th and 20th century. Another attraction on the hill is the Poble Espanyol, which represents an amazing collection of houses in different spanish architectural styles. The village was originally supposed to demolition after the end ofthe Exhibition, but due to its popularity it was kept untouched. The Spanish Village is a very excellent attraction in the city. Montjuïc is also the home for the Anella Olimpica, that comprises a a large number of sport facilities, constructed for the 1992 Olympic Games. The Olympic Stadium is in the heart of the ring. The exterior of the ring dates back to 1929, but the interior was completely remodeled for the olympics. Due to the olympics of the 1992,  splendid gardens were added to the hill of Monjuïc. Some of the most spectacular gardens are the Nou Jardi Botanic. It represents a botanical garden with more than 2000 species of plants, that was created in 1990s. The oldest and the most incredible sight on the hiil is the Montjuïc Castle, a large structure that belongs to the 18th century. It was built by the Bourbons, on the remains of a fort, that dates back to 1640.

 

 

  The parc is the most central park in Barcelona. The picturesque park includes a lake, a zoo, a large fountain and many museums. In 1714 Barcelona fell to the army of Philips V. The king built a fortress, the largest one in Europe, named Citadel or Cuitadella. Already in 1872 they started some works to convert the area into an urban park. But only in 1885 the teritorry was designated as the site of the 1888 Universal Exhibition. Many buildings were built on that site, and many of them still survive. A big part of the Ribera district was destroyed to make way for this impossing fortress. The immense park has over 30 ha and it is the home of the  Zoologic Parc where the Barcelona Zoo is. Around 400 different species and 7,500 animals can be seen in the zoo. The most famous animals of the zoo are the gorillas, orang-utans, dolphins, cheetas, wolves, crocodiles, snow leopards and alligators. The park includes a small attractive lake. It is an ideal place where the guests can hire a rowing boat and spend a very relaxant day. The Cascada, a triumphal arch with waterfall and a fountain, created for the Universal Exhibition is situated in the northern part of the park as well. The baroque structure was designed by Joseph Fontsere.

 

 

  The Arc de Triomf is a triumphal arch made of brick designed in a mudejar style. The overwhelming arch was built for the 1888 Universal Exhibition. The Arc is situated at the end of a wide promenade serving as the main entrance. The design made by Josep Vilaseca stands out from other famous arches. It is a unique and treasured masterpiece that highlights the beauty of the capital of Catalonia. The arch is decorated with stone carvings and is also adorned with twelve statue of women who symbolize the fame. The front frieze designed by josep Reynes shows Barcelona welcoming the guests. The other side, designed by Josep Llimona shows a prize giving ceremony. It is a great attraction for tourists while in Barcelona.

 

 

  The structure completed in July 2005 is  unique  and  it represents the newest sensation in the Barcelona skyline. The Torre Agbar was designed by the arhitect Frenchman Jean Nouvel. It is the new headquarters for the Aquas of Barcelona, the municipal water company. The amazing structure rises up with a height of about 142 meters, with 34 stories tall. The structure is made up of two non-concentric oval cylinders that are topped by a glass and a dome. The exterior is truly fantastic and charms the passangers that go near it. The first level that covers the concrete is a layer of polished aluminium in blues, greens and grays. There are 4.400 windows accompanied by louvers which tilt in different directions to block out any direct skylight.

 

Barcelona is a modern city, with many tremendous attractions that overwhelm every tourist. The city never dissapoints its visitors, it offers a remarkable combination of elegance and sophistication with its regional charm, delighting its guests. Here the tourists can spend unforgettable moments, surrounded by truly majestic sightseeing places, enjoying exciting adventures, and living unique experiences. Barcelona features chic restaurants, very populated and exciting nightclubs, where the guest will spend pleasant moments, keeping nice impressions.

 

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