The Gothic Quarter is located in the center of the city, and it is the oldest part of Barcelona. It is positioned between Laetana street, La Rambla and Catalonia Square. This quarter is characterized by narrow streets and medieval buildings. Most of the buildings are from the Middle Ages, but there is also a certain number of them that date back to the Roman period. Houses are made of stones, there are cafés on ground floors, small restaurants and shops. In this quarter, you may visit the Columbus Monument, the Cathedral of Santa Eulalia, the Royal Plaza, the Museum of History of Barcelona, etc.
The Columbus Monument was built in honor of the sailor Christopher Columbus. It located at the end of La Rambla. In 1888, the monument was built on the place where Columbus landed after discovering America. It is 60 meters high, decorated with numerous details. On the top, there is Columbus with a pointed finger.
There you may also visit the City Hall palace, as well as the Catalan Regional Government palace, as well as gothic Church of Santa Maria del Pi and the basilica of Saints Justus and Pastor. The Jewish Quarter, that comprises of a web of narrow streets where you may see a part of a former synagogue, is also located in this area.
Streets in the Gothic Quarter are positioned around many squares, the most interesting being Sant Jaume, El Rei and La Reial. The first represents the political heart of Barcelona, and the location of the City Hall and the Catalan Regional Government (Palau de la Generalitat). The architectural joint of Plaça del Rei offers the best examples of medieval buildings in Barcelona, with the Palau Reial Major (the Grand Royal Palace), a part of the old Roman Wall, the Palau del Lloctinent (the Viceroy Palace), and the Barcelona History Museum. Finally, La Reial is a beautiful square with portico, and it is a very popular place – especially in the evening – thanks to numerous cafés and bars.
This neighbourhood has been the heart of the city since the Roman times, and it is actually the place of Roman necropolis (Plaza Ville de Madrid), and close by there are remains of the Roman Temple of Augustus.
Author of the article:
Ana Lazarević - correspondent for the city of Barcelona
Contact: [email protected]
Photo by Brandon Gurney on Unsplash
