Barcelona
Gothic Quarter
The Gothic Quarter: splendour and nobility in the old city
The master of Catalan prose writers, Josep Pla, wrote that "from the end of the 12th century until the end of the 15th century, with the city surrounded by its Gothic perimeter, Barcelona achieved the supreme point of its personality. The prodigious cathedral was surrounded by a constellation of temples of extraordinary severity and nobility. Civil architecture reached a singular splendour and an expression of stately elegance". Although Pla referred to many centuries ago, the fact is that the Gothic quarter still retains much of its former splendour and, of course, is one of the must-see visits for anyone wishing to visit Barcelona.
Not in vain, it is the oldest nucleus of the city, the historical centre of a city full of history. The cardus and the Roman decamanus were the first axes of the district in its highest part, the old mount Taber, where today is the Plaza de Sant Jaume. The architectural structure of the area remained intact until the nineteenth century, when there were major transformations in the structure and morphology of the neighborhood. The conversion of the parish cemeteries into public squares, the emptying of large buildings and the demolition of the walls were three of the most important changes and varied greatly the physiognomy of the neighborhood.
Neighbourhoods
Today, what is known as the Gothic quarter is actually the union of different districts that preserve their own personality: the Call, Santos Justo and Pastor, Santa Maria del Pi, the cathedral, Santa Anna, La Merè and the Palau. Getting lost in these narrow streets, always with the logical precautions in a big city, is one of the greatest pleasures that a visitor can experience eager to catch the breath of old Barcelona.
Architecture and history
The list of monuments is so complete that anyone wishing to delve into the architecture and history of the Gothic quarter will have to devote a few hours to it. In addition to the cathedral, you should not miss the La Mercè basilica, the squares of Sant Jaume and del Rei (which houses the Barcelona History Museum), the Portal de l'Àngel and the remains of the temple of César Augusto, to name but a few of the most interesting proposals.
Four Gats
Surely it is not necessary to translate its name, but this mythical restaurant (Cuatro gatos) was very frequented by intellectuals at the beginning of the twentieth century. It was very similar to the Parisian café-concerts of the time and one of its usual was Picasso, who made for this establishment a drawing that still appears on the menu of the restaurant.
The relics of Santa Eulalia
It seems that since they were located in 877, after having been hidden for fear of Arab incursions, these relics were moved to the original headquarters of Barcelona. From that moment on, the saint held the title of patron saint of the city and, parallel to her cult, the works of the Romanesque cathedral, consecrated in 1058, grew. The construction of the Gothic temple began in 1298 and work progressed at a good pace until the 15th century.
