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Barcelona, capital of Catalonia
Published by EF041008 on 2009/7/7
Created by the Romans, this city is one of the most dynamic of the Mediterranean. It is built on a promontory, protected by the Collserola mountain range.
The first wall was created in the time of Philip Augustus (27 B.C., 14 A.D.) and the city grew within the walls until the 4th century. One can find remains in what is now called the Gothic Quarter. Includes a video of Barcelona Latest news in Barcelona 3GSM Mobile World in Barcelona Webcame Barcelone http://www.lemeridienbarcelonaview.com/ Created by the Romans, this city is one of the most dynamic of the Mediterranean. It is built on a promontory, protected by the Collserola mountain range. The first wall was created in the time of Philip Augustus (27 B.C., 14 A.D.) and the city grew within the walls until the 4th century. One can find remains in what is now called the Gothic Quarter. When the Muslims conquered, the city was in decline and was not worth retaking until the Franks arrived in 801. Commanded by Louis the Pious, the Franks created an outpost south of the Pyrenees that would become the Spanish March. Charlemagne raised armies and feudalized the region. The Church of the Counties of the March passed under the dependency of Narbonne. But Carolingian domination weakened gradually and young County dynasties were created locally.   Click on the images Thus, Wilfred the Hairy (Guilfre El Pelos), Count of Cerdagne and Orsonna, constituted the patrimonial base of the House of Barcelona. He founded the Monastery of Ripoll, “El Bressol de Catalunya.” Wilfred died in 897 fighting the Arabs. The city of Barcelona was sacked by Al Mansour in 895. This allowed Count Borrell the 2nd to distance himself from Carolingian power which did not come to their aid, and he established independence for his county in 988.T he great rise of Barcelona began in the 11th century. Catalonia and Aragon found themselves united in the 12th century. Alphonse the 1st became the first Count-King. James the 1st enlarged the borders toward the South and to the Mediterranean (cf the Conquerors) and developed commerce and great institutions.   It was starting in these periods that great monuments originated, like the Maritime Consulate and the Llotja (the stock exchange). Jews were of great importance in this commercial development.But a wave of anti-Semitism developed and Jews were shut into a ghetto, known as El Call. A single entrance led from the ghetto to Sant Jaume Square, but this did not prevent the Jews from maintaining close commercial links with North Africa. The ghetto was finally closed in 1401. Martin the 1st, known as Martin the Humane, had no inheritors. So the “Sentence of Caspe” in 1410 entrusted the Crown to the Castillian Dynasty of the Trastamare and Barcelona experienced an era of decline. This period lasted throughout the Renaissance. With the outbreak of the War of Succession, Barcelona took the side of the Archduke of Austria. After the victory of Philip the 5th of Bourbon (of the opposing clan), Barcelona lost a few more privileges and led a siege of 13 months. It was forced to surrender in 1714. In order to control the city, Philip the 5th had the Citadel built.To achieve this, the Duke of Berwick had a large part of the Ribera Quarter demolished. Work began in 1715 on the project designed by Verboom, a Flemish engineer.One hundred years later, in 1841, the Surveillance Committee wished to demolish this symbol, and work began to dismantle it. But General Espartero halted demolition and ordered reconstruction. Finally, this edifice was ceded to the city in 1869 in order to be reconverted into a public park. During this period, in 1859, a major part of the fortified wall preventing urban development was removed. Numerous battles between the city and the central authority emerged to choose an urban plan to allow the city a bit more breathing room.   Photo Josep Moragues It was civil engineer Ildefons Cerda y Sunyer who reorganized the city and created the Eixample Quarter. This new style appeared at the moment when a generation of architects invented a Catalonian movement within Art Nouveau known as Modernism.Architects like Gaudi, Domenech i Montener gave a new look to this town...This style is inspired by Gothic and Moorish influences, and it boasts an exuberant decoration highly inspired by nature. Catalonia introduces architects like Gaudi and Domenech i Montaner to the world. The Palau de la Musica Catalana and the Santa Creu and San Pau Hospital are two spectacular creations from this opulent period.The Universal Exposition of 1888 took place in the Park of the Ciutadella and it was Josep Fontsere and Elies Rogent who designed the park as it is laid out today. All that is left of its military past are the Palace of the Governor, the Chapel and the Arsenal. In the beginning of the 20th century, Barcelona’s strengths were in its creative ingenuity and its commercial bourgeoisie, but the loss of the colonies of Cuba and the Philippines led to much tribulation. An independence movement was created, in particular through Prat de la Riba who created the ManCommunitat, a move that federated the administrative entities of Barcelona, Gerona, Tarragon and Lerida.  When the Civil War broke out, and while fascism was rising around Europe, Barcelona became a refuge for many opposition movements. Its proximity to the sea and its relations abroad helped it become an exit port in case of danger. And danger did arrive in the form of Franco. The Generalissimo established his dictatorship in blood. Important Catalonian leaders were forced to flee. But Europe hardly offered real protection. Companys was captured in France and returned to the Spanish forces. He was condemned to death and executed in the Château of Montjuic. After some years, artists were looking to reclaim a mode of expression. In this framework, the movement known as Dau Del Set (the 7th side of the die) appeared. Antoni Tapiès and Modest Cuixart, inspired by Miro, founded links with existentialist currents and European surrealists. Thus, they connected with Aimé Maeght , who welcomed artists in the bosom of his Foundation in Saint-Paul, Provence. Foundations were created, including one devoted to Dali, and one devoted to Picasso. Politically, the country opened itself to foreign influence throughout the 60s and 70s. Political parties transformed as did the Catalan movement. The 90s offered an incredible chance to Barcelona to modernize. The 1992 Olympic Games literally boosted the economy forward. Pascal Maragual was the iniator. The San Jordi Palace was constructed in 1990. The household waste management system was overhauled. An entire quarter of the city was reconstructed to host the Olympic Village.   Torre Agbar by Jean Nouvel and Sagrada Familia seen from Torre Agbar It was in this framework that the Poublenou quarter was born. In the 1960s, this quarter totally razed the factory smokestacks that were once there. Since then, the area was totally abandoned. In 1992, a great drive forward allowed for its restoration, turning it into a trendy area of the city. Here, a French architect built the Torre Agbar, a cylindrical Tower with a 33-story dome.
  
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