Barcelona - Historical Background

Our apologies: your internet browser is not yet fully supported by Schmap online guides. Pages in this guide may display incorrectly.

Schmap.com supports the following browsers:

PC

MAC Barcelona Barcelona - Historical Background Map
Download the Schmap Barcelona Guide
Barcelona Home
Schmap Barcelona guide and map


Barcelona is Spain's most modern, outward-looking and cosmopolitan city. It's a major Mediterranean port and the prosperous capital of Catalonia, one of Europe's most dynamic regions. There has been continuous human settlement here since before Roman times and the city has grown and adapted to meet new challenges throughout its long history. Hosting the 1992 Olympic Games was the most recent impetus for successful redevelopment and renewal.

Origins of the City

According to legend, the name Barcelona dates from Hercules's colonial expedition from Africa aboard nine boats - Barca (boat), nona (nine) - in 2000 BC. The Romans settled here in what they called Barcino during the first century BC. In Roman times, Barcino was a relatively minor settlement compared with the elegant and powerful capital of Rome's eastern Iberian province, Tarraco (modern Tarragona), 100km to the south. The rise of Barcelona's fortunes coincided with the decline of the Roman Empire and the invasion of the Visigoths.

The Medieval City

During the Moorish occupation of the early Middle Ages, Barcelona experienced a period of intense commercial activity and peaceful religious coexistence among Jews, Christians and Muslims. In particular, the Jewish community played an important part in cultural and commercial life. This peaceful coexistence crumbled when the Christians took Barcelona. They forced the Muslim population to live outside the city walls and confined the Jews to a ghetto. This ghetto, or Call, was located in the area between Plaça Sant Jaume and Calle Ferran. In 1492 the Jewish community was expelled altogether from Barcelona, and Spain.

The Christians called Barcelona La Ciudad Condal as it was the new capital of Catalonia's various condados, or counties. The city became a powerful naval base and trading centre from which the Crown of Aragon expanded its territory south towards Valencia and east to include the Balearic Islands. Catalonia and Aragon's naval and mercantile interests extended as far as Sicily, Sardinia, Malta, Naples, Albania, Corsica, Athens and other parts of Greece. The Catalans and Aragonese introduced their maritime regulations and other customs to the rest of the Mediterranean coastline.

Catalonia became a self-governing region in the 15th century and built its own parliament building, the Palace of the Generalitat (Palau de la Generalitat), which stands opposite the Casa de la Ciutat (Town Hall), in Plaza Sant Jaume.

The city's continued growth during the medieval period coincided with a boom in Catalan Gothic architecture. The cathedral and the churches of Santa Maria del Pi, Santa Maria del Mar, Sant Just and Sant Jaume are good examples of the Gothic style.

The Kingdoms of Castile and Aragon Unite

The marriage of the Catholic Monarchs, Isabella and Ferdinand, in 1479 united Spain's two most powerful kingdoms. Barcelona experienced a period of political and economic decline from the 16th until the 18th century as Spain's economic focus turned away from the Mediterranean to the exploitation and colonization of the Americas. At the same time, Turkey eroded Barcelona's domination of Mediterranean shipping. Finally, Catalonia lost its autonomous status and privileges when it backed the loser in the Spanish War of Succession and the Bourbon, Phillip V, came to the throne.

Cultural Renaissance and Modernism

Barcelona began to recover when the prosperity generated by the 19th-century industrial revolution brought about a cultural renaissance. The Catalan industrial bourgeoisie, influenced by nationalist movements in other parts of Europe, promoted the Catalan language and Catalan artists, and opposed political centralization in Madrid.

The Catalan Modernist movement began in the 19th century as an offshoot of Art Nouveau. Ildefons Cerdà designed the Eixample district in a grid pattern to house the wealthy and cultured middle classes. Modernist architects like Antoni Gaudí designed the district's apartment buildings. Examples of Gaudí's work include Pedrera, also known as Casa Milà, Casa Batlló, Sagrada Familia and Parc Güell. Today, Catalan Modernist art and architecture are Barcelona's international trademark.

Modern Barcelona

During the last 25 years of democratic government, the city has recovered from the political and cultural repression imposed by the Franco dictatorship, which lasted from the end of the Spanish Civil War until 1975. The popular mayor, Pasqual Maragall, skilfully managed the regeneration of the city after winning the bid to host the 1992 Olympic Games. Facilities like the strikingly modern Olympic Village (Vila Olímpica), the Anella Olímpica (Anillo Olímpico, or Olympic Ring), and the Port Olímpic (Puerto Olímpico, or Olympic Port) are now tourist attractions. Barcelona's football club, Barça, has also enjoyed great success over the last few years.







Copyright 1999-2009 Wcities, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Wcities

The Eixample
Barcelona
The Eixample
Cathedral


Central to Barcelona's history
 Pla de la Seu
Barcelona 08002
+1 34 93 3151554
Cathedral
Church of SS. Justo and Pastor


An old church
 Plaça Sant Just 6
Barcelona, Barcelona 08002
Church of SS. Justo and Pastor
Palace of the Provincial Government


Catalan government's headquarters
 Carrer Sant Honorat 1-3
Barcelona, Barcelona 08002
+34 90 24 0012 / +34 90240 0012
http://www.gencat.net/
Palace of the Provincial Government
Town Hall


A Gothic and neoclassical Town Hall
 Plaça de Sant Jaume
Barcelona, Barcelona 08002
+34 93 402 7000
Town Hall
Plaça Sant Jaume


Governmental centre with Roman history
 Plaça de Sant Jaume
Barcelona, Barcelona 08002
Plaça Sant Jaume
Jewish Quarter


Ancient Jewish neighborhood
 Plaça de Sant Jaume
Banys Nous
Barcelona 08002
Jewish Quarter
Port Olímpic


Opened for the 1992 Games
 Capitanía Port Olimpic
Barcelona 08005
+34 93 225 9220
http://www.pobasa.es/
Port Olímpic
Olympic Ring


Where the Olympics were held
 Avinguda de l'Estadi - Rambla Raval
Barcelona, Barcelona 08038
+34 (0)93 285 3834 (Información turística)
Olympic Ring
Church of St. James


14th Century church
 Carrer de Ferran 28
Barcelona, Barcelona 08002
Church of St. James
Barcelona
Barcelona - Art & Entertainment
Barcelona - Where to Stay
Barcelona - Neighborhood Guide
Barcelona - Dining & Drinking
Schmap.com
About
News & Reviews
Travel Store
Privacy
Terms of Use
Contact Us
© 2008 Schmap, Inc. All rights reserved.