Page 300 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Europe

298  THE IBERIAN PENINSULA

Street by Street: Barri Gòtic

The Barri Gòtic (Gothic Quarter) is the true heart of Barcelona. The Casa de l’Ardiaca
This site was chosen by the Romans in the reign of Augustus (Archdeacon’s House), a
(27 BC–AD 14) to found a new colonia (town), and has been Gothic-Renaissance building
on the Roman city wall,
the location of the city’s administrative buildings ever since. now houses Barcelona’s
The Roman forum was on the Plaça de Sant Jaume, where the historical archives.
medieval Palau de la Generalitat, Catalonia’s parliament, and
the Casa de la Ciutat, the town hall, now stand. Nearby are the
Gothic cathedral and royal palace, where Columbus was
received by the Catholic Monarchs on his return from
the New World in 1492. Roman city
Plaça de wall
Catalunya

E
B
S
I TA P I N E R I A
B

L
E
D

R CARRER DELS COMTES DE BARCELONA
S A N T S E V E R E
R
R
A
A T C
. Cathedral R O
The facade and spire are 19th- N
century additions to the original O
building. The cathedral’s treasures H

include medieval Catalan paintings. T
N
A
S
Palau de la
Generalitat
The superb Gothic P L A ç A D E
features of the S A N T J A U M E
Catalan Parliament CARRER DE FARRAN C A R R E R D E J A U M E I
include the chapel
and a stone
staircase rising to
an arcaded gallery. T A T
U
I
C A
I
A R
L E
La Rambla E U
D G
A
R D
E
R R
R E
A R R
C
A
C
Casa de la Ciutat The Centre Excursionista
Barcelona’s town hall was built in the de Catalunya, housed in a
14th and 15th centuries. The facade is a medieval mansion, displays
Neoclassical addition. In the entrance Roman columns from the
hall stands Three Gypsy Boys by Joan Temple of Augustus, whose
Rebull (1899–1981), a 1976 copy of a site is marked by a millstone
sculpture he originally created in 1946. in the street outside.
For hotels and restaurants see pp330–32 and pp333–5
298-299_EW_Europe.indd 298 14/07/16 10:15 am