Barcelona's districts, this month: Gothic quarter

The Gothic quarter makes up a big part of the Ciutat Vella (old city). With its winding, narrow labyrinth like streets and peaceful squares, Barri Gotic exudes a mystical feeling. Walking through this district, you will encounter buildings and remnants from the Roman period.

Here are the main sights in Barri Gotic:

Barcelona's Cathedral

Illustration 1 Cathedral of Barcelona by Sun-Hwan Pyo | flickr

Barcelona's Gothic Cathedral, or also called Barcelona La Seu, is located in Plaça de la Seu. The cathedral, as well as the square, is usually full of bystanders, street vendors, street musicians and tourists.

The beautiful cathedral is dedicated to Santa Eulàlia, the patron saint of Barcelona, who was martyred in the late Roman period. Her body is still buried in the cathedral's crypt. In remembrance of her death, the cloister still houses 13 geese for each year of Santa Eulàlia. Back in the days, the main tasks of the geese were to warn against intruders and thieves.

The cloister is a small hidden gem in Barcelona. It is especially nice during summer, where you can hide from the buzzling city in the cool shades.

Right next to the cathedral, one can find one of the most visited bridges in Barcelona. The bridge is located in Bisbe Irurita Street, which connects Plaça de la Seu and Plaça Sant Jaume (features the City Hall and government buildings).

Illustration 2 Carrer del Bisbe

For more inforamtion about the Cathedral, please visit the official website.

Plaça del Rei

Another beautiful square in Barri Gotic is the Plaça del Rei, translated to King's Square. This 14th century square houses the Museum of History of Barcelona (MUHBA).

Opened in 1943, after the Civil War, one can explore Roman excavations – streets, villas and storage vats of oil and wine. It was discovered by accident during the construction of the central avenue of Via Laietana.

If you are a historian fan, check out this museum in Barcelona.

Admission free every Sunday from 3pm and all day on the first Sunday of every month.
Address: Plaza del Rey, s/n, 08002 Barcelona, Spain
Website: http://ajuntament.barcelona.cat/museuhistoria/en/

Plaça Reial

Illustration 3 Plaza Real by Camilo S.B. | flickr

Plaça Reial is probably the most sought-out square in this area. With its charming, vibrant and lively atmosphere, many tourists and locals are flocking to this square. It is famous for its huge palm trees, beautiful fountain, and a Mecca for excellent restaurants, bars and clubs.

But keep your eyes open, and admire the street lamps at Plaça Reial, one of the first projects of Gaudí, the famous Catalan architect.

Las Ramblas

La Rambla is a hot spot for tourists and many more. The avenue is the border in between Barri Gotic and El Raval, and goes all the way down from Plaza Catalunya to the Port Vell (old port).

It can be dissected into different parts:

Rambla de Canaletes – it is located in the highest part of Las Ramblas (Plaza Catalunya). Legend says, that if one drinks from the fountain, one will always come back to Barcelona.
Rambla dels Estudis – called the Street of Studies, since Jetsuit University used to be housed in this part. Another name is La Rambla de los Pájaros (Bird’s Street), also called after a former birds market on Las Ramblas.
Rambla de Sant Josep – or also known as Rambla de les Flors, it is the most colourful part, with its plenty floral and plant shops. La Boqueria can be found on the left side of Las Ramblas.
Rambla dels Caputxins – on this part one can find some of Barcelona’s landmarks, such as Palau Güell and Gran Teatre del Liceu.
Rambla de Santa Mònica – at the end of Las Ramblas, shortly before the Old Port, visitors can find numerous cafés and restaurants, as well as street artists and painters. On one side is the Wax Museum, whereas on the opposite one can find the Museum Centre d'Art de Mónica, which displays different contemporary art exhibitions.
For more information on Arts Santa Monica, please click here.
And for the Wax Museum, here.