Short Trip to Barcelona

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Wednesday, 28 June 2017 - Arrived in Barcelona after an overnight flight, dropped bags at a boutique hotel, then explored the city on foot using Rick Steves' walking tours, photographing the Barcelona Head statue, Post Office, Church of Santa Maria del Mar with its Gothic architecture and Catalan ship, La Capella d'En Marcus, Santa Caterina Market, the Barcelona Cathedral with its chapels and tomb of Santa Eulalia, and finally walked down La Rambla to the waterfront and La Boqueria Market observing the vibrant street life and historic sites.

barcelona2017 — After an all night airplane ride we arrived in Barcelona in the morning. The room was not ready so we dropped the bags and grabbed the camera - along with Rick Steves guide to Barcelona. The hotel was great - a small boutique hotel in the old part of town nicely located near the main sites of the city - including the waterfront.

Decided to walk several of Rick Steves' walks back to back. This is the Barcelona Head statue by Roy Lichtenstein. It was created for the 1992 Summer Olympics.

barcelona2017 — Nearby is a very pretty building housing the Post Office

barcelona2017 — The Church of Santa Maria del Mar - "del Mar" means "of the sea". Near the waterfront this is where seaman and merchants came to worship. It is a Catalan Gothic church and is not very ornate.

barcelona2017 — Very large rose stained-glass window over the entrance to the church

barcelona2017 — The sailors would leave models of their ships at the foot of the main altar seeking Mary's protection. You can see a classic Catalan ship today at Mary's feet.

barcelona2017 — The church sided with Franco during the civil war and so the leftest supporting the Spanish Republic burned all the wood furnishings and decor.

The tree like columns inspired Gaudi and you can see their influence in the Sagrada Familia Church (which is visited on day 4 of our trip).

barcelona2017 — Outside the Church of Santa Maria del Mar the walls are decorated with saints.

barcelona2017 — One of many shrines high up on corners of the streets

barcelona2017 — La Capella d'En Marcus, built in the 1100s is the oldest church in Barcelona.

This much-meddled-with Romanesque chapel was once a wayfarer's stop on the road northeast out of medieval Barcelona. It stands at the northern end of Carrer de Montcada, on the corner of Carrer dels Corders.

barcelona2017 — Santa Caterina Market is less famous than the market on the Ramblas. So not as many tourists. Built on the ruins of an old monastery

Fresh fish

barcelona2017 — And fresh vegetables

barcelona2017 — Next on the tour was the Cathedral of Barcelona. Barcelona's holiest spot for 2,000 years. The Romans built their Temple of Jupiter on this spot. In 343 the temple was replaced with a Christian cathedral.

The current Gothic cathedral was started in 1298 and finished in 1450. Construction continued with various ornamentation added and finally in 1913 the central spire was added at 230 feet.

barcelona2017 — Some of the statues on the outside walls of the Barcelona Cathedral

barcelona2017 — The ornate doors to the cathedral

barcelona2017 — It takes awhile to adjust your eyes after entering the church. Very low light from the windows and chandeliers.

The church is 300 feet long and 130 feet wide.

barcelona2017 — There are 28 side chapels along the walls. They range from simple to over the top.

barcelona2017 — Near the altar is a basement with grand steps to view the Tomb of Santa Eulalia

The marble sarcophagus (1327-1339) contains the remains of Santa Eulalia, for which the cathedral is dedicated. Thirteen-year-old Eulalia was martyred by the Romans for her faith in 304. Legend says she was subjected to 13 tortures.

barcelona2017 — The High Alter Crucifix

barcelona2017 — Fresco on the cathedral wall. Note the bat high in the artwork - Barcelona likes bats.

barcelona2017 — Statue out horizontally from the Cathedral

barcelona2017 — One of many gargoyles on the cathedral

barcelona2017 — Placa Sant Felip Neri is in a small courtyard near the Barcelona Cathedral. There is still bomb damage on the church of Sant Felip Neri when bombs from the Spanish Civil war fell in the square.

barcelona2017 — Building on the edge of a square - very ornate.

barcelona2017 — Casa de l'Ardiaca was once the Archdecon's residence and is not the city archives. The real draw for the tourists was the elaborately carved mail slot created in the 1800s.

barcelona2017 — The front door of Casa de l'Ardiaca opens to a courtyard with a fountain

barcelona2017 — What remains of the Roman fortifications. There are two actual Roman towers remaining and this section of a reconstructed aqueduct. You can see one of the towers behind the aqueduct.

At one time the city of 4,000 was surrounded by a mile wall 25 feet high.

barcelona2017 — The Catalan flag flying over the Bank of Spain.

barcelona2017 — After the Barcelona Cathedral Rick sent us to Placa de Catalunya to begin a walk down the Ramblas.

This is a fountain in the large park which is Barcelona's Times Square.

barcelona2017 — This odd statue is representative of the shape of Catalunya and honors a former president, Francesc Macia i Liussa who declared independence for the region in 1931.

barcelona2017 — Street near Placa de Catalunya

barcelona2017 — La Rambla is the popular tourist street wandering from the Placa de Catalunya to the waterfront. About a mile and an easy downhill walk. The street is made up of five different streets all called Rambla something. So often the street is called Ramblas - the plural of Rambla.

barcelona2017 — The Ramblas is very wide and has beautiful trees on either side forming a canopy overhead.

barcelona2017 — The Fountain of Canaletes is near the head of the Ramblas and has been there for more than a century. A drink from the fountain means you will return to Barcelona.

Rambla means "stream", originally there was a drainage ditch from the old city to the waterfront along this street.

barcelona2017 — La Boqueria Market is the main market and is just off the Ramblas. A market has been here since the 1200s.

Note the bat over the crown in the sign - not a real live bat.

barcelona2017 — Catalan speciality sausage

barcelona2017 — Fresh eggs

barcelona2017 — Cherries

barcelona2017 — Calamari

barcelona2017 — Lots of fish in the market

barcelona2017 — Handmade chocolates

barcelona2017 — Octopus

barcelona2017 — A colorful butcher trimming a tuna

barcelona2017 — Apartments along the Ramblas

barcelona2017 — More beautiful residences and a small park with a statue

barcelona2017 — This is the official clock for Barcelona - or rather the official time

barcelona2017 — The trees and residences of the Ramblas

barcelona2017 — Near the shore front end of the Ramblas are street characters posing for photos and having fun with the tourists.

barcelona2017 — The Ramblas ends with the Columbus Monument - a tribute to Columbus who was here in 1493 after the journey to America. It was erected in 1888.

barcelona2017 — Detail of the Columbus Monument

barcelona2017 — Top of the local tax building

barcelona2017 — Maritime museum

barcelona2017 — Spanish flag in the shore breeze

barcelona2017 — Tourism building for Barcelona

barcelona2017 — For the second half of the day we headed to Park Guell in the foothills at the edge of Barcelona. It was designed by Gaudi and presents one fanciful view after another. Also built in the foothills gives it a great view of Barcelona.

Originally the Park was to be an exclusive residential area like an English "Park". Sixty homes were planned for the location. But poor access and lack of resources made the project fold after 14 years. Later Guell's heirs offered the property to the city of Barcelona. It was declared a UNESCO Cultural Heritage site in 1984.

barcelona2017 — The Gaudi House Museum is also in the park.This is one of the balconies looking over the trees on the hillside. The museum has a collection of the furniture he designed and a history of the park.

barcelona2017 — A hanging lamp in the Gaudi house which he designed.

barcelona2017 — In a garden near the Gaudi home is a small park with these stone arches. He used the park to try various building techniques.

barcelona2017 — Gaudi's technique with tile was to use broken pieces and not complete tiles - trencadis mosaics. Many of the walls, benches, and ceilings include designs out of broken or small pieces of tile.

barcelona2017 — Weather vane on top of the Gaudi home

barcelona2017 — The unusual chimney of the home

barcelona2017 — The view from the Guadi house across Barcelona to the hill with Castle of Montjuic on top.

barcelona2017 — Another set of stone arches in the park.

barcelona2017 — High on a hill at one end of the park is a stone tower topped with three crosses representing the Hill of Calvary where Jesus was crucified.

Gaudi envisioned the park as a metaphor for the soul's journey starting at the lowest part and toiling upward to reach spiritual enlightenment

barcelona2017 — Gaudi had a great view of his church project - Sagrada Familia - which is still under construction.

barcelona2017 — Hail Mary in tile

barcelona2017 — Dramatic clouds and a cross towers up over the trees

barcelona2017 — Portico of the Washerwoman is the support for a road above. A woman with laundry is in rock at one end of a dramatic covered walkway.

barcelona2017 — The Washerwoman walkway with graceful curved rock arches made from huge rocks.

barcelona2017 — Another example of Gaudi's broken tile technique - trencadis mosaics. This is the backrest for a bench.

barcelona2017 — Hall of 100 Columns (well maybe a few less)

Originally meant to be a market area for homes to be built in the park - there are 86 columns holding up the ceiling.

barcelona2017 — The Doric columns are holding up a ceiling made of white ceramic pieces and includes several colorful mosaic rosettes.

The artistry on the ceiling was planned by Jujal one of Gaudi's frequent collaborators.

barcelona2017 — These mosaics represent the four seasons with smaller designs representing the heavens.

barcelona2017 — A fountain at the top of the stairs which has no specific meaning left by Gaudi

barcelona2017 — This fountain is supposed to be the dragon slain by Barcelona's patron saint - St George. It is a symbol of Catalan pride.

Looks like a lizard to us - maybe a gecko.

barcelona2017 — A red and gold striped shield represents the Catalan flag and a serpent head spits water at this fountain.

barcelona2017 — There are two fanciful houses at the main entrance to the park

barcelona2017 — A window sill. Note the broken tile used in a pattern.

barcelona2017 — These were sample residences for a planned community Gaudi envisioned for the park

barcelona2017 — Stone gingerbread house built between 1901 and 1903.

barcelona2017 — Broken tile wall decoration

barcelona2017 — Interesting decoration around a small window

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