City of Barcelona. What country? Where is Barcelona located? Open left menu barcelona

As of 2018, the population of Barcelona is about one and a half million people. If we add to these figures the population of the so-called “big Barcelona”, that is, its numerous suburbs and satellite cities, such as Hospitalet de Llobregat, Badalona, ​​etc., then the real number of inhabitants of Barcelona will come out - more than 5 million people. Therefore, Barcelona is one of the largest cities Spain and a fairly large city by European standards.

National composition and history

Barcelona is a cosmopolitan city, both because of its history and the influx of immigrants, international students and expats who work in the city's many international companies. Historically, Barcelona has always been the capital of Catalonia and was dominated by the Catalan population, but the industrial boom in the second half of the 19th century attracted workers from other regions of Spain and even Italy to the city. The ups and downs of the 20th century also affected the fate of Barcelona: in the middle of the 20th century, the city was actively built, thousands of Spaniards came from the less prosperous Andalusia to work on the construction sites of the city, and most remained in Barcelona. In the 80s of the XX century, a period of prosperity began in Barcelona and immigrants from less prosperous countries poured into the city. It is believed that from 1992 until the crisis of 2008, Barcelona experienced its golden era. The city hosted the Olympic Games, improved the beaches, and attracted immigrants from all over the world, attracted by the possibility of high-paying jobs and the simple procedure for obtaining a residence permit.

According to statistics, 4 out of 10 people living in Barcelona were not born in Catalonia. As of 2017, 17.81% of the population of Barcelona are foreigners. Barcelona's largest foreign communities are Italians, Pakistanis, Chinese, French, Americans, Bolivians, Peruvians, Filipinos and Colombians. The city also presents the rarest diasporas of the world, ethnic composition Barcelona is extremely rich.

Miro mosaic on the main street of Las Ramblas. As conceived by the author, this is a sign of tolerance and greetings to everyone arriving in Barcelona from the sea.

Culture and traditions

Such a diverse ethnic composition has had an impact on the culture and customs of Barcelona. For example, the famous Catalan rumba is music created in Barcelona in a gypsy environment with obvious elements of both Catalan and Moroccan motifs. Now it is one of the most popular genres of music with many performers, including both gypsies and Catalans. The traditional dance of the Catalans is the sardana, which is often danced on summer evenings in the squares and embankments of the city. The dance is simple, so often foreigners join the circle of dancers. Another dance, the famous flamenco, came to Catalonia from Andalusia and gained a lot of admirers. There are many places in Barcelona where you can see his performances with your own eyes.

In this amazing city, Catalan festive traditions - processions of giants, live castellers and fire shows are combined with exotic holidays of other nations, for example, foreign communities often arrange Italy Day or Brazil Day. In Barcelona, ​​the Catalan dish "pan con tomate" peacefully coexists with kebabs and Italian pizza. In the city you can often see people from other countries in their national costumes, which gives it a special flavor. The motto of the people of Barcelona is tolerance, respect for other nations and at the same time honoring their roots and traditions.

Procession in national costumes at the La Merce festival.

Language in Barcelona

Respect both for their ancestors and for other nations was reflected in the language richness of the city. The main language in Barcelona is Spanish, spoken by more than 90% of the population. It is Spanish that is the language of communication in Barcelona, ​​including between foreigners. Compared to other cities in Catalonia, Catalan is the least spoken in Barcelona, ​​it is the language of communication for only 28.80% of the city's population. However, the Catalans are trying to keep their language, one of the measures is free courses for everyone. In addition to Spanish and Catalan, English is gaining strength in the city, as the language of not only tourists, but also numerous foreign specialists.
The most popular foreign language in Barcelona after English is French. Many Barcelona residents speak French better than English. There are reasons for this - both the proximity of France and the influx of French tourists, as well as the obvious similarity of the Catalan language with French.

Religion in Barcelona

Spain is a secular state, but the majority of the population is traditionally Catholic. At the same time, Catalonia in general and Barcelona in particular are considered the most atheistic region in Spain, especially among young people. In addition, there is a significant percentage of the population who consider themselves Catholics, but do not take part in religious ceremonies. For example, among Barcelona residents aged 18-30, 3.5% are devout Catholics present at every Sunday mass, and 47.7% are atheists. If we look at another generation - Spaniards over 65 years old - the situation changes completely: 26.7% of active Catholics and only 8.4% of atheists. Despite such sentiments in society, the church continues to play a significant role in the life of the people of Barcelona. So, many traditional names - Eulalia, Montserrat, Mercedes, are associated with Catholic saints and patrons of the city.

Barcelona, ​​thanks to its religious freedom, also favors a few denominations. The city recorded a significant number of Evangelical churches, Protestant, mosques, there are Buddhist and Hindu temples. By and large, the people of Barcelona are respectful of all religions, even if they are devout Catholics.

The main cathedral of Barcelona is named after the main patroness of the city - Saint Eulalia

It is a beautiful, unusual and one of the most popular tourist cities in the world. It occupies part of the Mediterranean coast. The capital of Catalonia is located in the southern part of Spain and has geographic coordinates 2°11′00″ East and 41°23′00″ North.

Location of Barcelona on the map

On the map European continent the city is located in its southwestern part. France is located 120 km from Barcelona.

On the map of Spain, the capital of Catalonia occupies the southern part. Malaga is located 990 km from it, - 623 km, and - 351 km.

urban areas

The city administratively consists of 10 districts, of which the most visited by tourists are three - Montjuic with the hill of the same name, Eixample with the main architectural masterpieces of Gaudi and the historical center of Barcelona - Old city with the Gothic Quarter.

Interactive city map

An interactive map of the city has civic and tourist objects printed on it - cafes, restaurants, attractions, museums, hotels, squares, streets, etc. It can increase and decrease.

City map with attractions

The capital of Catalonia is filled with amazing historical and architectural objects- The Gothic quarter, the houses of Mila and Batlló with bizarre shapes, the Picasso and Miro museums, the Montjuic tower and fortress on the mountain of the same name, the art museum, singing fountains, the unusual Sagrada Familia, the famous Parc Güell and many others. The site barcelona.city-tour.com has a map with all the most famous sights of the city. You can also order there bus tour across Barcelona.

Subway map

You can walk for many hours in the capital of Catalonia, but to see all its sights you need the metro, which is inexpensive, fast and convenient public transport. Many famous sights of the city are located near metro stations. On Monday-Thursday it operates from five in the morning until midnight, on Fridays - until two in the morning, and on Saturdays - until Sunday morning. On holidays, the subway may operate differently. The schedule in this case must be specified separately. Ticket for 45 min. metro rides cost 2.15 euros. It can also be used for travel on any other public transport in Barcelona. The metro map of the Catalan capital can be carefully studied on its official website www.tmb.cat.

Airports

Barcelona has 3 airports. Reus is 105 kilometers away, Girona 95 kilometers and El Prat 15 kilometers. The latter is the largest and busiest Catalan airport. It receives 20 million passengers annually. The airport is equipped with two terminals - T1 serves domestic and international flights, and T2 are low-cost airlines. A map of El Prat can be viewed on the portal www.barcelona-airport.com.

Barcelona from A to Z: map, hotels, attractions, restaurants, entertainment. Shopping, shops. Photos, videos and reviews about Barcelona.

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Proud, narcissistic, explosive, full of geniuses and mediocrity, falling in love and in love, tiring and tired ... all this about Barcelona is one of the most beautiful cities not only Europe, but the whole world. When Muscovites are asked what the capital lacks, 9 out of 10 answer - the sea! So, Barcelona is Moscow with the sea, Dali's crazy energy, Gaudí's freaky architecture, stunning outfits of the LGBT community, active cycling traffic, awesome parties and endless sangria. It would be madness to start listing at least some of its sights in the introduction to the Catalan capital: they are found here literally at every step, the ancient Roman port breathes history, every stone is ready to tell its legend, and all modern monuments worthy of at least an anthem or an ode. In short, Barcelona is a city of art. Arriving here gray, boring, tired and devastated, you leave the city of love with such a charge of creative energy, sun, strength and good mood that the border guards at the airport squint apprehensively. The sparkle of Barcelona will remain with you for a long time, illuminating the cozy Russian evenings with a Mediterranean flair.

How to get to Barcelona

Flying to Barcelona is convenient and quite budget friendly. Every week, Barcelona's main airport receives at least 10 direct regular flights from Russia. Connecting flights can come out cheaper, the most convenient of them are a / c Iberia via Madrid, a / c Alitalia via Milan or Rome, a / c Lufthansa via Frankfurt or Munich, a / c LOT from St. Petersburg via Warsaw. And if we consider the airports of cities neighboring Barcelona, ​​then the trip becomes even more economical.

The two terminals of Barcelona airport, T1 and T2, are connected by a free bus, the trip lasts 5-7 minutes.

Find flights to Barcelona

Districts of Barcelona

Barcelona is divided into 10 administrative regions. All the main attractions are concentrated in three: the Old Town (aka the Gothic Quarter), which is the historical center of the capital of Catalonia; Eixample, or New Town, built in the 19th century and showing the main works of Gaudí, and the Montjuic area, located on the slopes of the hill of the same name. It is impossible to see the most interesting places to visit and visit museums in one day. It is best to come here for a week.

The heart of the city is Plaza Catalunya, from which the main pedestrian street goes towards the sea and, in combination, a local attraction - La Rambla. This boulevard is the border between two quarters: Gothic and Raval. Around central square a great many attractions are concentrated: the monument to Columbus and the medieval shipyards of Drassanes (now the Maritime Museum), Exhibition Center Barcelona, ​​National Palace, Marcet Palace.

The heart of Barcelona is Plaza Catalunya.

For those with enough time, check out the atmospheric Gràcia district, home to Barcelona's artists and students. This area is very different from the rest of Barcelona with narrow streets with a chaotic layout and many small cozy places where you can take a break. The famous Parc Güell is located in the northern part of Gracia; in addition, the area is known for the annual city festival "Fiesta Major", which takes place here during the last two weeks of August.

Transport

to the general system public transport Barcelona ATM includes metro, buses, trams, city trains Rodalies (RENFE) and FGC trains. For most tourist routes There is enough metro in Barcelona. But by purchasing a general ATM pass, you can use all the modes of transport listed above within the tariff zone indicated on it. This travel card actually saves not only money, but also nerves, since it is not surprising to get confused in Barcelona trains alone.

Metro

The metro is very convenient to get around Barcelona. It opens at 5:00 and closes at 24:00, on Friday at 2:00, and from Saturday morning it is open continuously until Sunday at 00:00. The only inconvenience for visitors to the city is that most of the lines are operated by TMB, but lines 6,7 and 8 are operated by the FGC, and to transfer between branches of different companies, you need to additionally go through turnstiles and pay an entrance fee, unless you use travel.

The cost of a one-way trip is 2.15 EUR, so it is more profitable for a tourist to purchase a ticket for 10 trips (T-10) for 11.55 EUR for tariff zone 1, in which most attractions are located. The same tickets can be used on buses, trams, in the Catalan railway FGC and RENFE main trains. Also convenient are single travel cards for 2-5 days, which entitle you to an unlimited number of trips by metro and bus and cost from 12 EUR. Prices on the page are for September 2018.

Travel cards such as T-10 and T-50/30 imply a limited time for a transfer within the same trip. For example, in the tariff zone, one transfer is considered to be a change of transport within 1 hour and 15 minutes after ticket activation: then it will be a new trip.

city ​​trains

In addition to the metro, in Barcelona there are other types railway transport. This is sometimes confusing, as they often also use underground stations, although they are not part of the subway system. Such stations are marked at the entrance not with the letter M, but with the logos of the management companies - FGC or Rodalies. It makes sense to use these trains not so much to explore the city, but to travel around the surrounding area. For example, the coastal railway line that runs through many resort suburbs to Blanes (tariff zone 6) is owned by Rodalies.

Other types of urban transport

There are only 6 fairly long tram lines in Barcelona. Trams operate almost according to the metro schedule, they are fast and pass one stop every couple of minutes on average. With buses, the situation is not so simple: their schedule depends on the day of the week, there are a lot of routes and they are quite confusing. In addition, buses have to be caught by hand at a stop and stopped by pressing a button if you need to get off. Despite the fact that many have a board indicating the numbers of the stops, it is highly recommended for a tourist to use the buses of Barcelona to stock up on the appropriate mobile application. In general, the bus network starts at 5:30 am and stops at 10:30 pm, although there are a few night buses. The cost for metro, buses and trams is the same.

Taxi

Taxis in Barcelona are not difficult to find: they are black and yellow cars that are found everywhere. There are 4 tariffs for moving around the city, depending on the hours of the day and the day of the week. The starting price is about 2.10 EUR (it increases for taxis booked in advance). Further, the cost of the trip is calculated by the meter in increments of 1.30 EUR. The vast majority of Barcelona taxi drivers are honest, but to be absolutely sure, you can warn in advance when getting into the car that you will need a receipt. A taxi from Barcelona airport to the city center will cost 35-40 EUR.

Bicycles

You can rent a bike in Barcelona from one of the private companies (the Barcelona Bicing bicycle system operates in the city, but it is not available to tourists). Prices vary greatly depending on the location of the rental company, the type of bike and the terms of the rental; on average, you can find a bike for 9 EUR per day. You can also find an electric bike for about 16 EUR. Some rental companies organize bike tours around the center lasting 3-4 hours and costing from 40-50 EUR.

Barcelona tourist bus

Perhaps the best chance to see and imagine the city, its architecture and areas is tourist bus. By purchasing a ticket for 1 or 2 days (27 and 38 EUR respectively), the tourist gets the opportunity to travel non-stop from 9:00 to 20:00 on three routes laid almost throughout Barcelona - from Montjuic to the Olympic Port and from Tibidabo to the Old cities. The bus makes stops at the most famous sights (National Palace, Sagrada Familia, Miro Foundation, etc.), where you can get on and off the bus as many times as you like throughout the day (or two). The frequency of following is 5-10 minutes. In addition, during the journey, you can listen to an audio guide in Russian using free headphones, which are also issued when buying a ticket (and this does not count the map and discounts for museums and restaurants).

Rent a Car

What to try

Absolutely incredible seafood will be found in Barcelona restaurants in abundance. More often than other species, cod, anchovies, whiting, flounder and monkfish will come across. In addition to seafood delicacies, the Catalans have great respect for meat, especially grilled meat and especially pork. As in Valencia, in Catalonia rice is highly respected: rice with herbs, rice with meat, rice with fish or shellfish. The most famous local rice dish does not come from Catalonia at all - we are, of course, talking about paella. But “black rice” with cuttlefish ink is a Catalan dish.

Tapas can be found everywhere in Barcelona, ​​although this is not a local, but an Andalusian invention (the Catalan analogue of tapas is called pintxos). But it’s easier to buy such popular delicacies among tourists as dried jamon ham, spicy sausages with red pepper chorizo ​​or homemade pork sausage Fuet with noble white mold in the store. Authentic Catalan cuisine consists of simple, even coarse dishes that are heavy on the stomach. If this does not scare you, try the traditional village sausage "butifarra" with beans.

Along with ice cream in the street stalls of Barcelona, ​​​​the traditional soft drink “horchata” from the “chufa” plant is sold - a plant analogue of milk that is rather specific in taste.

Cafes and restaurants in Barcelona

Guides in Barcelona

Entertainment and attractions

Barcelona - architectural marvel Spain, whose sights attract great amount tourists throughout the year. This is a museum under open sky, where Gothic masterpieces of the Middle Ages, experimental Art Nouveau buildings and modern trends in art, such as high-tech, are wonderfully harmoniously combined.

The main attractions of Barcelona are concentrated in three areas: the Old Town, Eixample and Montjuic.

Views of charming Barcelona

Old Town and Gothic Quarter

Any list of the best attractions in Barcelona will include the oldest quarter of the Old Town with the telling name Gothic. Most of the buildings here date from the 14th and 15th centuries. In addition, here you can find buildings from the time of the ancient Romans. Main attraction - Cathedral, or the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and St. Eulalia, which is considered one of the most beautiful not only in Barcelona, ​​but throughout Spain. It was built from the end of the 13th century to the middle of the 15th century, and today it is he, and not the Sagrada Familia, that serves as the residence of the archbishop.

White geese live in the chapel of the cathedral. Their color symbolizes the purity of the Holy Martyr Eulalia, in whose honor the temple was built.

Within the area are the Real Mayor Palace, the Ayuntamentum, the Santa Agata Chapel and Historical Museum on Rey Square, right next to the walls of which archaeological excavations are being carried out. On Sant Just Square, the gothic fountain, the Moisho Palace and the Santos Just y Pastor Church attract the constant attention of tourists. It is worth paying attention to the Centelles Palace, the Jewish quarter of Cal, museums and theaters in Barcelona.

The most visited museum in Barcelona and one of the best in Spain is the Picasso Museum on Montcada Street in the Old Town. The exposition occupies 5 Gothic buildings and includes many works of the great artist. In particular, those that belong to the "blue period" in his work.

10 things to do in Barcelona

1. Climb on the first day observation deck to the Sagrada Familia and take an inquisitive look around.
2. Take a sip of water from the fountain in Plaza Catalunya, so you will definitely come to magical Barcelona again.
3. Watch the mimes on the streets, not forgetting the rewards.
4. Try young Spanish wine (2-3 EUR per bottle) and be pleasantly surprised.
5. Visit the best aquarium in Europe (yes, it is located in Barcelona!)
6. A day to lie on the fine sand of the beach near the El Maresme-Forum metro station - there are fewer people than on Barceloneta, and the sea is magical.
7. To make a cultural run around museums: to leave Barcelona without visiting the Picasso Museum is a crime.
8. A look at the Camp Nou stadium will impress even those who are far from football.
9. Slowly walk along Montjuic mountain.
10. And finally - to admire the performance of magical fountains in the Plaza de España.

Eixample

The Eixample district was designed in the 19th century when it became clear that the city needed to be expanded. Straight-line planning had never been used in Barcelona up to this point, and thanks to it, the architects were able to achieve not only convenience, but also external effects. Now in Eixample there are a large number of unique buildings, among which the buildings of Gaudí gained fame. Its famous Sagrada Familia, 170 meters high, is one of the symbols of the city.

Sagrada Familia and Gaudí

The multi-tower Sagrada Familia (Holy Family) Cathedral Antonio Gaudi began to build in 1883, but the construction of the temple has not yet been completed, which does not prevent him from remaining the most famous architectural structure in the city. Gaudi himself is rightly considered the most famous and truly outstanding architect Spain, being also a prominent representative of Catalan Art Nouveau. Unique buildings, created by him, is one of the most colorful faces of Barcelona. Such creations of the great Gaudí as the Palau Güell on Carrer Nou de la Rambla and the park of the same name, the Sagrada Familia, Casa Vicenç, Casa Batllo on Passeig de Gracia and Casa Mila, nicknamed the Quarry, are under the protection of UNESCO and a must visit for everyone who comes to Barcelona. Among other things, the Calvet mansion and the graceful lanterns on the Plaza Real stand out. Read more on the Gaudí and Barcelona page

The city tourism office invites everyone to join unusual excursions on Cinema Barcelona in Spanish and English, which start every Saturday at 17:00 from the Columbus Monument in Portal de la Pau. In the assortment: a walk "together" with Pedro Almodovar, Woody Allen or Manuel Huerga through the most cinematic places in the city, entertaining stories about the filming of such films as "Perfume" by Tom Tykwer, "Salvador" by Manuel Huerga, "Spanish Inn" ("Spanish Woman ”) by Cedric Klapisch, Vicky Cristina Barcelona by Woody Allen and All About My Mother by Pedro Almodovar.

Tour duration: 2.5 hours. Cost - 14.50 EUR, children under 8 years old - free of charge. You can book a ticket on the website of the tourist office or purchase at the meeting point of the group no later than 15 minutes before the start of the tour.

Port Aventura, one of the best in Europe. You can get there by first taking the train to Salou in less than 2 hours, and then reaching the park itself by bus in 10-15 minutes.

The greatest concentration of interesting places in Barcelona for children is observed near the port. Firstly, this is an aquarium where there is a tunnel for watching sharks. Secondly, there is a zoo where dolphin shows are held. Third - the Chocolate Museum and the Maritime Museum. Another equally busy place is northern Barcelona: the amusement park on Mount Tibidabo and the entertaining science museum CosmoCaixa. In principle, Park Güell also falls into the category of suitable places for children, if you do not go too far into it.

Weather

Average monthly temperature, °C day and night, water

(NE Spain), on the shore mediterranean sea. 1506 thousand inhabitants (1998), in the agglomeration 3.5 million people. (the second largest city in Spain after Madrid). Founded on the site of the settlement of the Carthaginians (230 BC), then the Romans under the name Barcino (whence the name Barcelona). In the IX-XII centuries. is the capital of the county of the same name. Cult. center of Spain. Numerous architects. monuments of the 10th–19th centuries: a cathedral (Gothic), churches (Santa Maria del Mar, San Pablo del Campo); stock exchange, palaces (bishop's, former count's, etc.); parks, fountains, sculptures. There are many buildings built according to the designs of the world-famous architect Gaudí: Palace Güell (1885–89), the Sagrada Familia church (begun in 1884, being completed) and others. The Barceloneta fishing quarter, the Tibidabo peak with a funicular from which a magnificent panorama of the city opens. Monument to X. Columbus (60 m high). 3 un. Opera and ballet theatre, conservatory, bullrings. Museums: archeological, maritime, fine arts, modern. art, the village-museum of archit. appearance of all regions. (Spain in miniature), etc. World Exhibitions of 1888 and 1929. (palaces, pavilions, gardens). Modern B. - large prom. agglomeration. Machining; text., chemical, cell.-paper., leather., food., optical, glass., cement. prom. Transp. node, port, intl. airport. Metropolitan. Intern. trade-industrial trade fairs. Tourism center. On SW. is prom. the suburb of Badalona is an important center of the text. industry and machinery; seaside resort.

Dictionary of modern geographical names. - Yekaterinburg: U-Factoria. Under the general editorship of Acad. V. M. Kotlyakova. 2006 .

Barcelona

Barcelona (Barcelona) - main city Catalonia (cm. Catalonia) and the province of Barcelona, ​​the most important port and the second largest city in Spain (cm. Spain)(about 2 million inhabitants). This is one of the most beautiful Mediterranean cities. It is surrounded by mountains in a semicircle, on the slopes of which there are parks, recreation areas and places for viewing the panorama of the city, and from the east they are opened to the sea. The history of the city goes back many centuries. In 218, the Romans founded the colony of Barcino near Mount Montjuic. At the same time, excavations carried out in the 20th century showed that the Roman colony was not the first settlement on the territory of Barcelona. The Romans built fortress walls, the ruins of which have survived to this day. The walls surrounded the territory on which the cathedral is now located, San Jaime Square (Plaza de San Jaume) and Pi Square (Plaza de Pi). Around the Old Town in the Middle Ages, walls were erected twice more; until the end of the 18th century, Barcelona was considered a city bounded by them. Outside the walls, villages arose, which then became full-fledged areas of Barcelona - Sants (Sants), Sarria (Sarria), Gracia (Gracia). The exhibitions of 1888 and 1929 gave impetus to the development of the city, but the period of Franco's rule became a time of crisis for Barcelona. The 1992 Olympics held in Barcelona gave the city a new impetus.
The central part of Barcelona is divided into the Old Town - the historical center of the city, the Montjuic area and the Eixample - an area that arose in the 19th century as a result of the expansion of the city to the north. Barcelona architecture combines the most diverse trends, but it gained worldwide fame thanks to the rapid development of Art Nouveau or Art Nouveau, the brightest representatives of which were the architects Josep Puig i Cadafalch, Domènech i Montenar and, perhaps, one of the most famous architects of the last two centuries , Antonio Gaudí i Cornet.

Old city
The old city, stretching along the Ramblas (Las Ramblas) is one of the most extensive and well-preserved architectural ensembles medieval Europe. The Gothic Quarter (Barri Gothic, Barri Gotic) with the Barcelona Cathedral, La Ribera district with the Picasso Museum, Parc de la Ciutadella, stands out especially here. The main architectural, including temple, monuments of the Old Town are located within the Gothic Quarter.
The very first cathedral on its territory was built in 985, during the conquest of the city by Almanzor. The construction of the Gothic cathedral with the Romanesque chapel of Capella de Santa Lucia (Capella de Santa Lucia) began in 1298 under Jaime (Jaume) II on the site of an old Visigoth settlement. The facade of the majestic cathedral was completed only in the 19th century, and the central spire - in 1913. All work was carried out according to the drawings of the French architect Charles Gaultier (1408). Two octagonal bell towers (1386-1393) stand out in the ensemble of the cathedral, the central nave, made in the style of Catalan Gothic, Capella del Santissim Sagrament (Capella del Santissim Sagrament) (chapel of the Holy Sacraments) with a 16th century crucifix "Christ Lepanto", Capella -de San Benet (Capella de San Benet), dedicated to the founder of the monastic order of the Benedictines. Under the main altar of the cathedral is a crypt with an alabaster sarcophagus (1339) of St. Eulalia, a Christian martyr of the 4th century, to whom the cathedral is dedicated. In the interior of the cathedral, one should note the seats in the choirs, the upper tier of which is decorated with images of the coats of arms of 12 knights.
One of the most revered churches in Barcelona is the Basilica de Santa Maria del Mar, designed in the Catalan Gothic style. Due to the excellent acoustics of the temple, concerts are often held in it. The church was built about 55 years. The stained-glass window of the western rose window (15th century) depicts the coronation of the Virgin Mary, the windows of the central and side aisles are decorated with stained-glass windows of the 15th - 18th centuries.
The most interesting monument of the Gothic Quarter is the House of the Archdeacon (Casa de l "Ardiaca), built in the 12th century on the foundation of a Roman fortress wall, and then rebuilt several times. The Archdeacon's House adjoins the cathedral. The architecture of the House fancifully combined the features of Gothic and Renaissance. In the Art Nouveau era a marble mailbox carved with swallows and a tortoise by the architect Domènech y Montaner appeared at its entrance.
The Royal Palace (Palau Reial Major) on Plaza del Rei (Plaza del Rei) was created in the 13th century as the residence of the Counts of Barcelona. A significant example of the Gothic of the 14th century is the Tinel Hall. Here Ferdinand and Isabella received Columbus, who returned from America. Later, the Most Holy Tribunal met in this hall.
Within the Gothic Quarter are the government buildings of Barcelona and Catalonia. The building of the town hall (Casa de la Ciutat) began to be built in the 14th century opposite the palace of the government of the Palau de la Generalitat, on the Plaza de Sant Jaume. At the entrance to the building there are two statues - one depicts Jaime (Jaume) I, who in 1249 granted the inhabitants of Barcelona the right to choose a city council, and the other - Joan Fiveller, who forced in the 1500s. city ​​nobility to pay taxes. Salo de les Croniques was created especially for the 1929 World's Fair.
The Catalan government has occupied the building of the Palau de la Generalitat since 1403. The facade of the building is designed in the Renaissance style, above the main entrance there is a statue of the patron saint of Catalonia - St. George. The late Catalan Gothic courtyard is decorated with sculptures by Marc Safont. The interior of the building is distinguished by the Sant Jordi chapel and the Salo de Sant Jordi hall, decorated by Pere Blai in the Italian spirit.
The oldest monument of civil architecture in Barcelona is the stock exchange (La Llotja), built around 1380 for the guild of Catalan merchant sailors. The building was rebuilt in 1771, until 1994 it housed a trade exchange. In 1849 - 1970. the upper floors of the building were occupied by the Academy of Fine Arts, whose audience included Pablo Picasso and Joan Miro.
Once in the Old Town, you can not miss Carrer Montcada Street, which has preserved all the features of medieval architecture. Above the pavement, the ledges of the roofs almost close, from which fantastic gargoyles look. Behind the massive wooden gates of the houses are delightful patios. In the 13th century, during the prosperity of Catalonia, the street was built up with Gothic mansions, almost all the buildings were rebuilt in the 17th century.
The center of the Old Town is the Ramblas (Las Ramblas), where life does not stop day or night. The Arabic word "rambla" means a dry riverbed - such channels in Catalan cities often turned into streets and that is why streets with the name "Rambla" are often found here. The Ramblas of Barcelona consists of several separate parts, the Rambla, including the Rambla de Canaletes, named after the fountain, and the Rambla dels Estudis, which was named after the first university in Barcelona - Estudis General (Estudis General). The Ramblas is 1.2 km long. The Ramblas is to Barcelona what the Arbat is to Moscow or Montmartre is to Paris. On the Ramblas is located Opera theatre Liceo (Gran Teatre del Liceu), La Boqueria market (La Boqueria, translated as “Abyss”), also known as the Sant Josep market (Mercat de Sant Josep) and several old mansions. At the beginning of the Ramblas, on Plaza de Catalunya (Plaza de Catalunya), there is the Canaletes Fountain (Font de Canaletes), cast in the last century from iron, and its completion is the 87-meter-high Columbus Monument (Monument a Colom), which dominates the entire port area, World Exhibition in 1888.
A little away from it stands the Church of Mercedes - the Mother of God "Mercy", the patroness of Barcelona. Among the buildings of the Ramblas, the Palau Guell mansion stands out, built in 1889 by Antoni Gaudí for his patron, the manufacturer Count de Güell. Inside the mansion, carved partitions, galleries and niches create a feeling of spaciousness. All furnishings have been preserved to this day. Among other attractions of the Ramblas, it is necessary to mention the Royal Academy of Sciences and Arts (Reial Academia), Virreina Palace (Palau de Virreina), the Classicist Palace of Mozha (Palau Moja) with a magnificent courtyard, as well as the Plaza de la Broqueria (Plaza de la Broqueria), the pavement mosaic of which was made according to the drawings of Miro, and the Royal Square (Plaza Reial, Plaza Reial), whose lanterns were designed by Gaudí. In front of the Royal Square, there is Ferran Street (Carrera de Ferran), which goes into the Gothic Quarter, in one of the houses of which Joan Miro was born. Behind the Sant Josep market is Calle de Hospital, where the building of the oldest hospital in Barcelona, ​​the Hospital of the Holy Cross (Hospital de Santa Creu), built in 1401, is located. Currently, the hospital houses the richest collection of Catalan books.
To the west of the southern part of the Ramblas are the districts of El Raval (El Raval) and Chinatown (Barri Shines, Barri Shines). The 16th-century mansion Casa de la Caritat (House of Mercy) houses the Cultural Center. Next to it rises the building of the Barcelona Museum of Modern Art, built in 1995 by Richard Meyer. Just behind the old customs, if you go down the Ramblas, begins old port city ​​(Port Vel, Port Vell), converted into a harbor for pleasure craft. On the waterfront of the Moll de Barcelona (Moll de Barcelona) there is a marina for passenger ships and the World Trade Center. The Ramblas connects to the Moll d'Espanya promenade drawbridge and the Rambla de Mar pedestrian dam. The Maregagnum is built on Mol d'España - a complex of restaurants, shops and cinemas, one of the best aquariums in Europe is located here. You can see the Barcelona harbor at the Old Port thanks to excursions on small ships called golondrinas ("swallows "") They dock at the steps of the embankment at the Plaza del Portal de la Pau. Golondrinas pass Montjuic mountain and enter the industrial port.
A significant monument of modern architecture in Spain is Olimpic village(Vila Olimpica), built in Barcelona specifically for the 1992 Olympics on the site of the former port quarter. New houses were built on the lands of the former factory district, and the Nova Icaria park was laid out. Two 44-story skyscrapers were erected by the sea, one of them is occupied by offices, and the other by the Arts Hotel. A yacht club was built nearby (Port Olympic, Port Olimpic).
There are many museums and cultural monuments in the Old Town. One of the most significant is the Palace of Catalan Music (Palau de la Musica Catalana), located in the north of the Gothic Quarter. The architecture of the building and its decorative elements are made in the Art Nouveau style. This is the only one in Europe concert hall with natural light. It was designed by Luis Domenech y Montaner and built in 1908 on the site of a monastery that closed in the 19th century. The house is surrounded by mosaic columns with busts of Palestrina, Bach and Beethoven. The hall on the second floor is illuminated through a magnificent mosaic dome. The arch of the proscenium is decorated with two sculptures - Wagner and the Catalan composer Josep Anselm Clave, who participated in the creation of the Orfeo-Catala choral society.
One of the main attractions of the Old Town and Barcelona as a whole is the Picasso Museum (Museu Picasso), which occupies five mansions on Montcada Street - Meca, Berenguer d "Aguilar, Mauri, Finestres and Baro de Castellet. The basis of the museum, which opened in 1968 , was a collection of Picasso's friend Jaime Sabartes.Picasso's life has been connected with Barcelona from the moment when he moved here from his native Malaga at the age of 14. Picasso left for Paris at the age of 20, repeatedly returned to Barcelona, ​​but after the victory of Franco did not came to Spain. After the death of Sabartes, Picasso himself transferred many of his works to the museum, the collection of which was also replenished with the artist’s graphics and 141 works of his ceramics, a gift from his widow Jacqueline. Of particular interest in the museum’s exposition are the early works of Picasso. -Meninas", which is a grotesque interpretation of the painting of the same name by Velasquez.
In the Ciutadella Park area (Parc de la Ciutadella) is the Museum of Modern Art (Museu d "Art Modern), which contains works by masters of Catalan art of the 19th and 20th centuries, including paintings by Santiago Rusiñol and Ramon Casas, the pioneers of Catalan impressionism. In the collection The museum also presents works by Joaquim Mir, Isidre Nonel, Miquel Blei.
Noteworthy is the Barcelona Museum of the History of the City (Museu d "Historia), located in a Gothic building and the Frederic Mares Museum (Museu Frederic Mares), located in gothic quarter. In the first, valuable archaeological exhibits are of interest, for example, the remains of a Roman aqueduct, fragments of Roman pavements and walls. The second one was created by the famous sculptor and collector Mares; the museum building was previously part of the ensemble of the royal palace. In the collection of the Mares Museum, expositions of works of religious art from the Romanesque and Gothic periods stand out in particular.
Other museums in Barcelona include the Geological Museum (Museu de Geologia), the Zoological Museum (Museu de Zoologia), the Maritime Museum (Museu Maritim) in Drassanes. The latter is based on the Drassanes dry docks. Barcelona's docks are the largest surviving medieval docks in the world. Among the oared ships built at Drassanes was the Real, the flagship of Juan of Austria, whose fleet defeated the Turks at the Battle of Lepanto in 1571. Among the exhibits of the museum is an authentic travel map of Amerigo Vespucci.
Within the Old Town are the Ciutadella Park and the Zoo (Parc Zoologic). Ciutadella Park was created on the site of a former fortress built under Philip V after a 13-month siege of the city, which refused to recognize the rights of the Bourbons to the Spanish throne. In 1787, the fortress, which became a political prison, was demolished, the park was transferred to the city, it hosted the World Exhibition of 1888. Of the fortress ensemble, only three buildings have survived - the arsenal, which now houses the Parliament of Catalonia and the Museum of Modern Art, the Governor's Palace (now a school) and a chapel. The park is particularly attractive thanks to the cascade of fountains created by the architect Josep Fontsere with the participation of the young Gaudí. The cascade is topped by the Arc de Triomphe, the general view of the fountains resembles the Trevi Fountain in Rome.
Barcelona Zoo, one of the best in Europe, is located in the southern part of Ciutadella Park and was built in the 1940s. according to a special project - the animals are separated here not by cages, but by ditches with water. At the entrance to the zoo there is a sculpture of Roig y Soler "Lady with an umbrella", which has become a kind of symbol of Barcelona. The zoo's aquarium hosts dolphin and whale performances, of particular interest are the zoo's monkeys, including the famous albino gorilla Capito de nieves (Snowflake).

Eixample
The Eixample district arose after the decision was made in 1854 to expand Barcelona (“eixample” in Catalan means “expansion”). Here are the greatest monuments of the Art Nouveau era. According to the plan drawn up by Ildefons Cerda y Sunyer, the streets of the new quarters were to intersect at right angles, with the exception of Avinguda Diagonal and Avinguda de Gaudi, connecting the Plaza de la Sagrada Familia ( Plaza de la Sagrada Familia) and the Hospital de la Santa Creu I de Sant Pau built by the famous Catalan architect Domenca i Montaner.
The most famous creation of European Art Nouveau and the most famous architectural monument of Eixample is the Sagrada Familia Church (Church of the Holy Family, Sagrada Familia) by the great architect Antonio Gaudi. The construction of the church began in 1889, but only the Nativity façade was completed during Gaudí's lifetime; after the architect's death, construction continued according to his drawings, however, the civil war prevented its completion. By 1954, the original plans of Gaudí were restored and work on the temple continued, but to this day there are disputes about the reliability of the reconstruction. The façade of the Nativity, completed by Gaudí in 1904, embodies the images of Faith, Hope and Mercy. The sculptural compositions on the portals depict scenes of the birth of Christ and his childhood. The opposite facade of the temple - the facade of the Passion of Christ was completed in 1980 under the direction of Josep Maria Subirax. The buildings made during Gaudí's lifetime include the apse, the altar canopy and the crypt. In the crypt is the grave of Gaudi, a service is held here. An altar has not yet been installed under the altar canopy. It is planned to complete the construction of the temple with the construction of the nave and the southern facade of Glory, which should become the main entrance. The finished building should take the form of a Latin cross in plan, and the upper galleries should be supported by many carved columns.
Most of the Eixample Art Nouveau architectural monuments are concentrated in the so-called Golden Square (Quadrat d "Or), formed by blocks around Passeig de Gracia Avenue. In the southwestern part of the Golden Square is the Discord Quarter (Illa de la Discordia) , a real open-air museum with a variety of monuments of Art Nouveau, including Casa Lleo Morera (Casa Lleo Morera) - the first residential building built by Luis Domenech i Montaner, Casa Amatller (Casa Amatller) by the architect Puig i Cadafalchi (now The building houses the Amatller Institute of Spanish Art, as well as the Casa Batllo, Gaudí's creation, with its characteristic rounded façade lines and convex lattice balconies.
One of the most famous monuments Art Nouveau of the Golden Square, Eixample and Barcelona in general is Casa Mila (Casa Mila, or La Pedrera, La Pedrera - a quarry) - Gaudí's most important contribution to the architecture of the city. The building is located on the Passeig de Gracia and was built between 1906 and 1910. The design of this eight-story corner building included two circular courtyards for ventilation and the first underground garage in Barcelona. There is not a single even wall in the whole building, the outer walls are not decorated with anything, they are decorated only with bizarre balcony lattices created by Josep Maria Jujol. The roof of the house is crowned with amazing chimneys and ventilation pipes, which the inhabitants of the city jokingly call "a scarecrow for witches."
On Avinguda Diagonal Street there is another significant monument of Eixample architecture - the Casa Terrades residential building, built in 1903-1905. designed by Puig i Cadafalca. Because of the six pointed towers at the corners, the house is often called the "House of Needles" (Casa de les Punches). This is the largest of all the buildings erected by Puig i Cadafalch. The style of Casa Terrades is eclectic - it combines the features of Gothic and Renaissance. Typical for Art Nouveau is the combination of red brick and lighter stone, from which the carved floral ornament on the facade is made.
In the northeastern district of Eixample is the Hospital de la Santa Creu y de Sant Pau, which began to be designed by Domènech y Montaner in 1902 and completed by his son Pere in 1930 . Instead of the usual hospital wards, the architect conceived to build 26 graceful pavilions in the Mudéjar style, surrounded by trees. Service rooms and corridors are located underground. The pavilions are richly decorated: the towers are decorated with ceramic tiles, the waiting room is decorated with mosaics and sculptures by Pablo (Pau) Gargallo.
On the territory of the Golden Square is one of the most interesting museums Barcelona - Tapies Museum (Fundacio Antoni Tapies), which exhibits the work of one of the most famous modern abstract artists, Antoni Tapies. The building of the museum is quite remarkable - it is the first house in Barcelona built of metal structures. Passeig de Gracia, which runs along the Golden Square, is home to the most famous fashion houses, clothing stores and boutiques. For example, Adolfo Dominges is a store of classic men's and women's clothing, while Arman Basi sells high-quality footwear for recreation and sports. Vincon is also located here - one of the largest shops in Barcelona selling interior items. It is easy to choose a gift for every taste here.

Montjuic
Montjuic Mountain area (the name, according to one version, means "Jewish mountain", since there was once a Jewish cemetery here, and according to another version, it is connected with the fact that the Romans built a temple of Jupiter on it, giving it the name Mount Iovis - Mount Jupiter), located in the southern part of the city near the trading port, is a concentration of significant cultural monuments, museums, attractions and nightclubs. In 1640, a castle was built on Mount Montjuic; for a long time, no housing was built here due to difficulties with water supply. In 1929, Montjuic became the center of the World Exhibition, then Aviguda de la Reina Cristina Avenue was laid, in the center of which is the famous Magic Fountain with colored illumination. Behind it is the National Palace in the Museum of Art. On Montjuic, there is the so-called Spanish Village (Poble Espanyol) - a complex of rural houses that house various souvenir shops and craft workshops. For the 1992 Olympics, modern sports facilities were built on Montjuic.
Montjuic is a great walking place, from here you can see a beautiful view of the city. The architecture of Montjuic is characterized by eclecticism, for example, the traditional rural architecture of Spain dominates in the Spanish Village, and the building of the Fundacio Miró Museum is built in an emphatically modern style. At the top of Mount Montjuic is a castle (Castell de Montjuic)) of the 18th century. For the first time, the castle was built on this site in 1640, then it was demolished in 1705 by order of Philip V. The modern castle was built under the Bourbons. After civil war it was used as a prison and currently houses the Museum of Military History.
The Spanish village was created with the aim of presenting the architectural styles and folk crafts typical of Spain. All of its 116 houses represent a miniature model of Spain. Famous artists and architects worked on the creation of the Spanish Village. In its stores and shops they sell glassware, ceramics, figurines and damaskinados - Toledo jewelry with a gold notch. In the "Towers of Avila" (Torres de Avila), through which you can get to the Spanish village, is placed the famous night club with interiors designed by renowned designers A. Arrabis and H. Mariscal.
On Passeig Olimpic there is the Olympic Stadium (Estadi Olimpic de Montjuic), built by 1992 on the basis of the former stadium created by Domenech i Roura for "alternative" Olympic Games 1936, which did not take place due to the civil war. The modern stadium can accommodate 70,000 people. Next to it is the Palace of Sant Jordi (Palau Sant Jordi).
wonderful architectural monument of the modern era is the Pavilion Mies van der Rohe (Pavello Mies van der Rohe), created as the German Pavilion for the World Exhibition of 1929 by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, head of the avant-garde school of artists and designers "Bauhaus". In the pavilion stands the famous Barcelona chair of his work. The building was demolished after the closing of the exhibition and then rebuilt on the centenary of the birth of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.
The National Museum of Catalan Art (Museu Nacional d "Art de Catalunya) is located in the magnificent building of the National Palace (Palau Nacional), which was built for the World Exhibition of 1929. The museum houses the largest collection of Romanesque art in Europe. Frescoes of the 12th century are especially impressive, transferred from the churches of the Pyrenees.The exhibits of the Gothic period are collected from all over Spain.The works of the Catalan masters Luis Dalmau and Jaume Huguet (15th century) are of considerable value.In the expositions of the museum, which tell about the art of the Baroque and Renaissance, the works of El Greco, Velazquez and Zurbaran stand out In front of the Palau Nacional is the Magic Fountain on Avinguda da la Reina Maria Cristina Avenue, which is dominated by two 47-meter bell towers designed by R. Raventos, between which was the entrance to the World's Fair in 1929.
Another significant museum on Montjuic is the Fundacio Joan Miro, associated with the work of the famous Catalan artist Joan Miro. One of the founders of surrealism, Miró has always been a fan of Catalan art. In 1975, after the decline of Franco's regime, Miro's friend, the architect Josep Luis Sert, designed a building with natural light for a permanent exhibition of paintings, graphics and sculpture. Miró donated many of his works to the museum, including the Barcelona Cycle (1939-1944), consisting of 50 black and white lithographs.
The Ethnological Museum (Museu Etnologic) and the Museum of Archeology (Museu Arqueologic) on Montjuic are also of interest. The first contains exhibits from Africa, Asia, Latin America and Oceania. The exposition of the Museum of Archeology, located in the Palace of Graphic Arts, covers the period from prehistoric times to the rule of the Visigoths. The oldest exhibit of the museum is a statue of the 4th century BC. "Lady of Ibiza" from the excavations of the Carthaginian necropolis on the island of Ibiza.

Outskirts
The outskirts of Barcelona are the most modern areas of the city, they were built up in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Then it was refurbished main station Sants, next to it were the parks of Industrial Spain (Parc d "Espanya Industrial) and Joan Miro Park (Parc Joan Miro). The Parc El Clot Park behind the New National Theater is distinguished by its ultra-modern layout.
On the western outskirts of Barcelona is the Royal Palace of Pedralbes (Palau Reial de Pedralbes), named after the famous Barcelona monastery. This building, formerly the estate of Eusebio Güell, was rebuilt in 1919 as a royal residence. The palace has been open for tours since 1937. It houses the expositions of the Museum of Decorative Arts and the Museum of Ceramics.
In the northwest of Barcelona is architectural complex Monastery of Santa Maria de Pedralbes. The monastery was founded in 1326 by Elisenda de Moncada de Pinhos, the fourth wife of Jaume II, King of Aragon and Catalonia. The cells, refectory, kitchen and hospital of the monastery have been perfectly preserved. Particularly interesting is the Chapel of Michael the Archangel (Capella de Sant Miquel, Capella de Sant Miquel), where the wall painting depicting the Passion of Christ and the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary was made by Ferrer Bassa (1346). In 1989, 60 paintings from the Thyssen-Bornemisza collection were donated to the monastery, which are currently on display in the former monastery dormitory.
On the outskirts of Barcelona are parks and other attractions loved by the residents of the city and its guests. Any fan of contemporary art must visit the Joan Miro Park, also known as the Parc de l "Escoshador, from the name of the city's slaughterhouse -" Escoshador ". The park is divided into two levels, on the top is Miro's famous sculpture "Woman and Bird" (1983). No less interesting is the Industrial Park of Spain, broken in 1986. The park, which attracts with its composition, exhibits the work of six contemporary sculptors, including Andreas Nagel.
In 1922, Parc Guell was opened, created by Gaudi and declared by UNESCO as part of the world cultural heritage. Gaudí was going to build 60 buildings in this park, especially the Hundred Columns Hall, which, according to the project, was supposed to serve as a place for the market. Fans all over the world know the Camp Nou football stadium and the Museum of the Barcelona football club - one of the most popular in Europe. The museum displays portraits and statues of Barcelona's most famous players commissioned for the Blau Grana Biennial, an exhibition honoring the club in 1985 and 1987.

Encyclopedia of Tourism Cyril and Methodius. 2008 .

In 2017, according to official figures, there were 1.6 million people. It is the next largest city in Spain after Madrid and the 10th in the European Union. 3.2 million people live in the suburbs, including them, the population of Barcelona is about 5 million inhabitants.

According to the city council of the Catalan capital, on January 1, 2015, the population of Barcelona was 1,593,075 people, the population of greater Barcelona was 5,292,354 people (as of 2016). The population density is 15,779 people per km². 95 percent of the population understood it, 76.4 percent of the population spoke it, 75 percent of the population read Catalan, and 47 percent spoke it.

Population of Barcelona: religion

For the most part, the population of Barcelona is Catholic (there are 208 churches in the city). In the Catalan capital there are small groups of evangelists, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Buddhists.

Catalonia has always been the most open Spanish region for foreigners.

The French prefer Catalonia for recreation, as it is budget and convenient here, and the resorts of Spain are extremely close to them. The Germans find here a separate rest without uncomfortable associations. Representatives of these countries appeared in a fairly long time and did not ask for special attention.

Despite all the historical troubles, they managed to preserve quite a lot of moral qualities in their disposition, which made it possible for them to always be friendly to foreigners. have a respectful attitude towards representatives of other nations living on their territory, they are also benevolent towards all tourists.

For all that, laws appear from time to time that try quite hard to regulate the position of foreigners in Catalonia, however, the Catalans have adapted to separate the domestic part of life from the political.

The inhabitants of the Italian nationality represent the largest foreign community in Barcelona. They are in the majority in the 4 regions with the highest per capita income: Sarria-Sant Gervasi, Les Corts, Eixample and Gracia.

14.2% of the population of Barcelona (273,121 people) were immigrants from (by number): Italy, Pakistan, China, Morocco, France, Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, Philippines.