Barcelona
Recent Articles
Ramon Berenguer III
As I walked through Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter, I stopped beside the equestrian statue of Ramon Berenguer III to learn more about the man it commemorates. The bronze rider stands against a backdrop of old stone walls and medieval buildings. It is a place where several periods of the city’s history meet, giving one monument a […]
The Sailor in Stone
Walking through Barcelona, I noticed a carved stone panel beside a storefront entrance. A sailor stood next to a large anchor, with the outline of a ship rising behind him and a star above. The relief was incorporated into the building itself, an architectural detail that could easily be overlooked while passing the shop windows. […]
The Monument to Francesc Soler i Rovirosa
Along Barcelona’s Gran Via, we came across a reclining marble woman holding a rose. Her relaxed pose and quiet expression contrasted with the traffic moving past the surrounding gardens. On the pedestal beneath her was a portrait medallion and a name: Francesc Soler i Rovirosa. The monument honors an artist whose work helped audiences enter […]
Cases Rocamora
Walking along Passeig de Gràcia, we noticed a building whose slender turrets and reddish roofs gave it an almost castle-like appearance. Rows of balconies stretched along the stone façade, while projecting windows and carved ornament added detail above the busy sidewalk. These were the Cases Rocamora, a group of residences that reflect the ambitions of […]
A Symbol Above the City
Walking along Passeig de Gràcia, I noticed a domed tower rising above the trees. At its summit, a winged figure stood against the sky. It was a detail that invited a closer look, and learning its purpose revealed a connection between architecture, mythology, and the business that commissioned the building. This was the Barcelona headquarters […]
Palau Marcet: From Private Palace to Cinema
While walking through Barcelona, we came across a building whose ornate façade stood out against the activity of the surrounding streets. Tall arched windows, carved decoration, and a triangular pediment gave it the appearance of a grand residence. The Comèdia name above the entrance suggested another purpose. This was Palau Marcet, a private palace that […]
Homage to the Book
At a busy intersection in Barcelona, an oversized book rises above the pavement. Its red cover opens around a fan of pale pages, balanced on a blue rounded base. Surrounded by traffic, pedestrians, and substantial stone buildings, it brings an unexpected touch of playfulness to the street. Looking more closely reveals that this unusual sculpture […]
The Monument to Joan Güell i Ferrer
On a landscaped strip along Barcelona’s Gran Via, a stone figure stands above the surrounding traffic and pedestrians. Beneath him, carved figures and symbols decorate a tall pedestal. The monument honors Joan Güell i Ferrer, a nineteenth-century industrialist whose story connects Barcelona’s textile factories, political life, and one of its most familiar family names. Born […]
Old Ritz
While we were staying at the Cotton House in Barcelona, Marty and I visited the nearby hotel still remembered as the Ritz. Now called El Palace Barcelona, it offered another opportunity to step inside the city’s history. Its grand interior caught our attention, but learning what had happened within these walls made the visit much […]
The Wallace Fountain
Among Barcelona’s grand buildings and busy streets, a small drinking fountain carries a story of public service expressed through art. At the intersection of Passeig de Gràcia and Gran Via, four sculpted women support an ornamental dome above a cast-iron pedestal. Its dark green surface and elaborate decoration make an everyday necessity into something worth […]
The Original Ticket Windows
Built between 1905 and 1908, the Palau de la Música Catalana was designed by architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner as the home of the Orfeó Català choral society. Its original entrance was formed by two large arches opening directly from the narrow street into the vestibule. Between them stood a substantial brick column containing two […]
Fossar de les Moreres
Beside the Basilica of Santa Maria del Mar is the Fossar de les Moreres, a former burial ground that has become one of Barcelona’s most important places of remembrance. The memorial honors those who died defending the city during the final siege of Barcelona in 1714. The siege occurred during the War of the Spanish […]
