Barcelona, it might be said, is a city obsessed with design and style. Perhaps its sense of style is rooted in the evocative Barri Gotic (the Gothic Quarter) - the greatest concentration of medieval architecture in Europe. Or possibly it is the legacy of architect Antonio Gaudi and his followers - whose lyrical, flowing buildings are the image of Barcelona to millions. Young architects from all over the world come to see for themselves what books and photographs cannot convey - from the poetic Cathedral of Sagrada Familia to the playful Parc Guell to hundreds of lesser-known buildings all over Barcelona (many listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites).
If the soul of Barcelona is Gaudí, its heart is Las Ramblas: the central spine of Barcelona, filled with flower kiosks, outdoor cafés and restaurants and colorful street performers. Take a seat in an outdoor café in the evening and you will see all of Barcelona promenading in front of you: young couples courting, married couples with baby strollers, grandparents with their grandchildren.
Until Fascism, Barcelona has always played a prominent role among the great cities of Europe. In 1888 and again in 1929, it was the host city of two great International Expositions - heralds of the future that brought millions to this city on the Mediterranean. Lovers of design might note that the Exposition of 1929 produced two great icons of modernism: Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona Pavilion, recently reopened, and Mies’ Barcelona chair. |
