The Gothic Quarter is located in the historical and geographical center of Barcelona. It is bordered by Laietan Street to the northeast, Ramble Boulevard to the southwest and the Mediterranean Sea to the southeast. The political, cultural and tourist life of the capital of Catalonia is gathered here: meetings of the city and provincial governments are held in St. James Square, musicians, singers and dancers perform in churches, restaurants and in the open air. Thousands of tourists crowd the narrow medieval streets of the quarter. They visit its museums, make long stops in shops and relax in cafes after a successful shopping spree.
The Gothic Quarter got its name because of the buildings that were built here in the XIV-XV centuries and have survived to this day. We can say that the Gothic Quarter is the heart of Barcelona. More than 2000 years ago, the settlement of Barsino was located here, from which both the city and its name arose. During the time of the Roman Empire, in particular Octavian Augustus, classical structures characteristic of Roman architecture were built on this site: forums, aqueducts, thermal baths. Remnants of the Roman wall can still be seen on the streets, and many buildings stand on ancient Roman foundations.
In the V century, after the conquest of these lands by the Visigoths, most of the buildings were demolished. In their place, new palaces and temples were built, partially destroyed again in the Middle Ages. Due to the crisis at the end of the 13th century, almost nothing was built in Spain, so the buildings of the Gothic quarter were preserved. Although their main style belongs to Gothic art, subsequent reconstructions introduced elements of neoclassicism and baroque. In 1920, the quarter was completely reconstructed, after which many cafes, shops and museums appeared.
It should be noted that most of the streets here are pedestrian and cars cannot pass through.
To see the magnificent architectural ensemble of the Gothic Quarter, it is better to arrive in the early hours of the day, since due to the narrow streets and closely located buildings it soon gets dark.
Sometimes the Gothic Quarter is also called the “Temple Quarter”. The reason for this is that the main cathedral of the city is located here - Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia, although tourists often mistakenly think that the main cathedral of Barcelona is the “Sagrada Familia”.
According to legend, Saint Eulalia was martyred by pagans at the age of 13, and in memory of this event, 13 geese live in one of the chapels.
In 1867, Pope Pius IX granted Sodor the status of a minor papal basilica. It was built in the medieval Gothic style. Its massive walls and 93-meter spire are decorated with pointed arches and intricate designs.
More about the Holy Cross and the Cathedral of St. Eulalia =>>
The main square of the Gothic Quarter is Plaça Nova (“Plaça Nova” - New Square).
Despite its name, it is the oldest square in Barcelona, existing since 1358. Until the XIV century, a city gate stood on this site, part of which, in particular, two four-story Roman towers and the remains of a Roman wall, have survived to this day. To the right of the towers is the archiepiscopal palace of XIII century with a Baroque facade, and the courtyard looks like this:
On the left - house of Archdeacon Louis Despleix (casa de l'ardiaca), which currently houses the historical archive of Barcelona. Here are the ruins of an old aqueduct from which water was supplied to the city. Next to it is the Romanesque chapel of Santa Lucia, dating from 1275.
If you follow Carrer del Bizbe you will reach Saint James's Square (Plaça de sant Jaume):
Here is the building of the Government of Catalonia (Palau de la Generalitat):
On the opposite side - Barcelona Town Hall (Casa de la Ciutat):
The Town Hall has a magnificent interior. You can visit it on weekends (free of charge). You will see two statues to the left and right of the entrance. These are King Jaime I, who in 1249 allowed the people of Barcelona to elect a city council, and Joan Fivler, who made a name for himself by forcing the nobility to pay taxes.
People gather in this square to celebrate important events.
The House of the Government of Catalonia and the House of the Canons, that is, the house of church officials (Casa dels Canonges), are connected by the original "Bishops' Bridge" ("Lace Bridge"), built by the architect Joan Rubio in the 20s of the XX century. It is located between Plaza Jaime and the new square on the street Bisbe (Carrer del Bisbe):
A little further you will see the large royal palace (palau reial major):
The palace is located on Royal Square - Plaça del Rei (not to be confused with the Royal area - Plaça Reial).
The Royal Palace was called the Great Palace because they did not interfere with the small Royal Palace, which until 1847 was located in Plaza San Miguel.
The Grand Royal Palace is one of the beauties of the Royal Square. Its history begins in the 11th century, and in the 13th-15th centuries it was the residence of the counts of Barcelona.
In the far right corner of the square you will see a massive semicircular staircase. It will lead you to the pointed vault and the entrance to the Tinelli Hall of XIV century.
The length of the rectangular Gothic-style building is 34 meters, width – 17 meters, height – 12 meters. The hall has six large arches supported by columns. Span length 16 meters.
The Tinelli Hall was used for ceremonies of representatives of the royal family, receiving important state advisers and ambassadors of foreign countries. It is interesting that Queen Isabella of Castile, together with her husband Ferdinand of Aragon, heard here from Christopher Columbus, who returned from America, that he opened a new route to India. In the XVI century, the Inquisition and the royal administration were located here. In 1555, a new five-level watchtower was built above the left side of the hall.
Nowadays, the hall hosts exhibitions, various events, presentations, conferences, and concerts.
To the left of the Grand Royal Palace you will see the Palace of the Crown Prince (Palacio del Lloctinen) to the right - bell tower of St. Agatha of XIV century.
On the facade next to the bell tower there is a pillar on which criminals were executed.
The viceroy's palace currently houses the archives of the royal dynasty of Aragon.
The remarkable plaza complex also includes the Casa Clariana-Padellas. It houses the Museum of the History of Barcelona (MUHBA). There, right under the Royal Square, you can see the remains of ancient Roman buildings and a fragment of the foundation of a temple from the Visigothic period.
This is what it all looks like from Ramon Berenger Square:
The complex is open every day except Monday, January 1, May 1, December 24 and 25.
External inspection is free, internal inspection is paid.
Ticket price:
- for adults - 7 euros;
- for students and people over 65 years old - 5 euros;
- up to 16 years old - free.
In the Gothic Quarter, mention should be made of the Church of St. Justus and Pastor (Justus and Pastor are saints of the Catholic Church. In IV century they were tortured and killed for the Christian faith, at the ages of 13 and 9 years, respectively).
This church is still mentioned in documents from the IX century, and the last reconstruction was carried out in the XIV-XV centuries.
The church looks modest from the outside, but is magnificent inside. The basilica chapel is decorated with beautiful relief images, the windows are decorated with exquisite stained glass, the main altar between marble columns is decorated with images of saints painted by the best Portuguese artists. In the Sanctuary of St. Felix, two original Ayazm fountains are noteworthy.
It is also worth noting that this basilica is the only one in Barcelona that has the right of indulgence, which means that any wish of a person who died within its walls must be fulfilled unconditionally.
Address of the basilica: Plaça Sant Just 6 (San Just Square).
One of the main attractions of the Gothic Quarter is the Iglesia de Santa María del Pi (Iglesia de Santa María del Pí):
The church is located between the beautiful squares of Pi (Plaça del Pi) and San Jose Oriol (Plaça San Josep Oriol ). It is believed that the first temple appeared on this site in 413, and in 987 a new church with the same name was built. The current temple was built in 1319-1391. It was damaged several times, and in 1936 it was destroyed by fire during the Civil War. Later the church was rebuilt in a more modern Gothic style.
A pine tree grows on the square in front of the temple (there used to be a pine forest here). So the name of the church is translated as “Church of the Virgin Mary from a pine tree (or near a pine tree).”
The facade of the basilica is decorated with a large rose window. Below is the main entrance in the form of a pointed arch, in the upper part of which you can see a statue of the Virgin Mary, the coats of arms of Catalonia and Barcelona, and in the lower part - bas-reliefs with images of the Virgin Mary and the Apostles.
Next to the church an octagonal bell tower 54 meters high was erected. "Antonia" is the largest among the bells. Its diameter is 1.4 meters and its weight is 1.6 tons.
This is what the temple looks like inside:
Admission to the basilica is free.
Address of the Basilica of Santa Maria del Pi: Plaça del Pi, 7.
To get there, use:
- green L3 metro line, stop Liceu;
- bus No. 14, 59, 91.
Another attraction is the Basilica of la Mercè, also known as the Church of Our Lady of Mercy (Basílica de la Mercè):
The Basilica of La Merce stands on the square of the same name in honor of the Virgin Mary on the site of the Gothic Cathedral of St. Michael the Archangel, which belonged to the Mercedarian Order (the order was founded by monks after the appearance of the Virgin Mary to one of them, St. Pedro Nolasco, in 1218 and called upon to establish an order whose goal would be the liberation of Christians from Muslim captivity). In the XVIII century the temple was destroyed and a new temple was built in its place in 1765-1775.
The interior of the basilica is distinguished by a slightly heavy monumentality, which is softened by the refined and luxurious decoration of the Rococo style.
The main relic of the temple is a wooden statue of the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus, created in 1361. According to legend, it was the Virgin Mary who saved the population of Barcelona from a plague epidemic in the XVII century.
In 1918, Pope Benedict XV granted the Church of La Merce the status of a minor papal basilica. Every year on September 23, Barcelona hosts a grand celebration in honor of Our Lady of Mercy.
The address of the basilica is Carrer de la Mercè, 1.
The next attraction is Santa Maria del Mar (Santa Maria del Mar):
The full name of the cathedral in translation is “Church of St. Mary on the Sea.” It was built between 1329 and 1383, when Catalonia achieved great success in trade and navigation. This also influenced architecture. Santa Maria del Mar is a fine example of Catalan Gothic and stands out for its purity and unity of style.
St Mary's Cathedral was first mentioned in 988, although its construction began only in 1329 and was completed in 1383. A fire that broke out in 1428 caused great damage to it. In 1923, Pope Pius XI granted the church the status of a minor papal basilica.
On both sides of the arched entrance portal there are statues of Saints Peter and Paul. There are also sculptures on the tympanum: Jesus is sitting, and in front of him is the kneeling Virgin Mary and John the Baptist.
When you enter the temple, you will be surprised how there can be so many bright spaces behind such heavy and dark stone walls. The reason for this is that the main and two side boats have almost the same height - 33 meters and 27-27 meters respectively. In the basilica you will not find massive columns - there are octagonal graceful pylons at a distance of 13 meters from each other. The interior is distinguished by severity, modesty and beauty.
Entrance to the basilica is free, climbing to the roof and viewing from there is paid.
Address of the Basilica of Santa Maria del Mar: Plaça de Santa Maria, 1.
How to get there:
- on the yellow L4 metro line, stop Jaume I;
- by bus No. 17,19, 40, 45, stop Pla de Palau.
Finally, let’s clarify the location of the Gothic Quarter. It is located in the center of the old town between Plaza Catalunya and the coast. To the left is La Rambla (Las Ramblas), to the right is Laietan Street. There are several metro stations around, from which you will have to walk for about ten minutes. The closest ones are: Jaime I (L4 yellow line), Drassanes (L3 green line), Liceu (L3 green line), Catalunya (L3 green and L1 red lines), Barceloneta (L4 yellow line). You can also take bus No. 14, 17, 19, 40, 45, 59, stop Barri Gòtic.
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