Barcelona is located in the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula, adjacent to the Mediterranean Sea. It is the second largest city in Spain, the capital of the Catalan Autonomous Region, and the capital of the province of Barcelona (which is part of the Catalan Autonomous Region). The Catalan Autonomous Region Parliament, administrative body, and high court are all established here.
The city covers an area of 101.9 square kilometers, with a population of approximately 1.61 million according to statistics in 2012. If combined with peripheral areas, it is 4 million, second only to the capital Madrid, and also one of the most densely populated cities in the world. Its main ethnic group is the Catalan people.
Barcelona became the capital of the Kingdom of Catalonia and Aragon in 1137, and in the early 15th century, Barcelona and its territories were incorporated into the Kingdom of Spain.
Barcelona is a port city in Catalonia, a world-renowned Mediterranean scenic tourist destination and a world-renowned historical and cultural city. It is also Spain’s most important trade, industrial, and financial base. Barcelona Port is the largest port and container terminal along the Mediterranean coast, as well as the largest comprehensive port in Spain.
Historical evolution
The name Barcelona comes from the ancient Phoenician language Barkeno. During the Middle Ages, Barchinona, Bar ç alona, Barchelona, and Barchinona were also used as place names.
There are two views on the establishment of cities, but both are related to Hamilka Baka. The first theory suggests that the city was established by the ancient hero Hercules in Rome 400 BC (approximately 1153 BC), and later rebuilt by Hamilcar Baca in the 3rd century BC and named after himself. The second theory suggests that Hamilka Baca directly established Barcelona.
Around 15 BC, the Romans reorganized the city into a Roman barracks centered around Mount Tiber (now a small hill near the City Hall). Later, Barcelona became a colony of the Romans and was known as Colonia Faventia Julia Augusta Pia Barcino or Colonia Julia Augusta Faventia Paterna Barcino.
The origin of the city can be traced back to over 2300 years ago when the Carthaginians established colonies on this land. In 201 BC, the Romans conquered Basino during the Second Carthaginian War. In the 1st century BC, troops were stationed here and an oval shaped colony was established, with city walls built around it, becoming the prototype of the old city of Barcelona today.
Starting from 415 AD, Barcelona became the capital of the Principality of Carthage. In the 8th century, Moors from Africa became the rulers of this area. Until the 12th century, the Moors built Camp Barcelona into one of the largest ports in the Mediterranean region.
Barcelona truly became active during the reign of King Charman in the 9th century AD. During this period, the autonomous region of Catalonia had broken away from the prehistoric era of Iberian rule. Before the rule of the Iberians, this area was a colony of Phoenicians and Greeks. The Romans also occupied this area, and the successive invasions of the Goths and Arabs forced the Franks to establish border defense zones, giving rise to an emerging country on both sides east of Pyrenees. With the passage of time, this country composed of different countries became the first to become independent, and with the merger of Catalonia and Aragon, a kingdom of Aragon with Barcelona as its capital was born. After the Moors, Barcelona finally had a prosperous economy and stable politics for the first time, which brought Barcelona to its highest state in history in the 14th and 15th centuries.
At the end of the 15th century, the autonomous regions of Catalonia and Aragon merged to form the Kingdom of Aragon. When the Kingdom of Aragon and the Kingdom of Castilla merged into the Spanish Empire, Barcelona lost its prominent position as a capital and moved its capital to the central city of Madrid, thus losing some privileges in construction and development; However, as the central city of Catalonia, Barcelona still possesses the strong spirit of Catalan independence, and the pace of urban progress has not slowed down slightly.
After the War of Succession in the early 18th century AD, Philip V of the Bourbon dynasty abolished the autonomous system of Catalonia for many years and established a central government. At this time, Barcelona developed into the most modern city in Spain with its commercial and survival driving force.
In the 19th century, Spanish industry began to develop. Barcelona established a steam engine textile factory in 1832, becoming the most advanced city in the country’s industry and the earliest city to rise in the Spanish labor movement.
Administrative division
Since 1987, the city has been divided into 10 administrative districts in Catalan (districts Spanish, distritos), each with its own member of a city council leadership committee. The main urban areas include the old city area (Ciutat Vella) near the central coastline and its northern expansion area (L’Eixample), the Sants Montju ï c district in the western part of the city, and the Gr à cia district in the northern suburbs.
The old city is the oldest and most popular tourist area in Barcelona, and it is also the heart of the entire city. It is further divided into Barri G ò tic, La Ribera, and El Raval districts. The Gothic district is the core area of the old city, originally a Roman fortress village, named after many Gothic style ancient buildings. In the old city area, outside the original first city wall, lies the coastal area, which is adjacent to the Gothic district from Via Laietana Street and also originated from medieval urban areas. Labar District was a former red light district, where the streets were lined with artist galleries, clothing stores, bars, and record shops. Interestingly, many people refer to this place as “BarrioChino”, which means “China District” or “Chinatown” in Chinese. In fact, there are not many Chinese people here, and there is no bustling scene of other big foreign cities like Chinatown. Instead, there are many immigrants from African countries living here.
The famous La Rambla Street in the old city area leads to the expansion area (L’Eixample) at its northernmost point, which was a product of urban expansion projects in the 1860s. The streets here are arranged in a neat grid shape, and the intersections are diamond shaped. The area is home to many Gaudi buildings. At the southern end of Lambra Street is the Peace Gate Square in the harbor area. In the center of the square stands the Mirador de Colom. Climbing the observation tower at the top of the tower, you can enjoy the beautiful scenery of the port and the Montju ï c district, where the “green lungs” of the western city are located.
Almost all of Barcelona’s attractions are concentrated in the old city and expansion areas. The northern Gr à cia district is located in the suburbs of the city, which used to be a breeding ground for revolution and a great place for people’s nightlife.
The other satellite cities under the jurisdiction of the city are mostly located in the eastern coastal and inland eastern and western regions, and further development is needed.
- Ciutat Vella
- Expansion area (L’Eixample)
- Sants Montju ï c
- Gr à cia
- Les Corts
- Sarri Sant Gervasi
- Horta Guinard
- Nou Barris)
- Sant Andreu
- Sant Mart
Geographical environment
Regional location
Barcelona is located in the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula at latitude and longitude of 41 ° 23 ′ N2 ° 11 ′ E, facing the Mediterranean Sea. The main body of the city is built on a highland in the Corsica Mountains, with an area of approximately 160 square kilometers, of which the city occupies 101 square kilometers. The Lobrigat River flows through the southwest of the city, while the Basos River flows through the north of the city. The Pyrenees mountain range is approximately 160 kilometers away from the French Spanish border.
Corcerola Mountain is a part of the coastal mountain range, adjacent to the northeast of the city. Its highest point, Mount Tibetabo, has an elevation of 512 meters and provides a bird’s-eye view of the entire city. In the vast majority of the city, you can see the wireless communication base station Corcerolata, which is 288.4 meters high on the mountaintop.
topographic features
Barcelona is located in a hilly area as a whole, and many blocks of the city are named after nearby hills, such as Carmel (267 meters above sea level), Putsete (181 meters above sea level), Lovira (281 meters above sea level), and so on. The famous Montehuichi Cliff is located in the southwest of the city, with a height of 173 meters. From the mountaintop, one can overlook the entire port of Barcelona. Due to its superior geographical location, the people of Barcelona built the Montehuichi Castle in the 17th and 18th centuries, which could control the entire city’s lifeline and replaced the Castle of Seudadra. Nowadays, Montehuiqi Castle has become a museum, and the Montehuiqi District is a gathering place for many sports and cultural organizations.
Climate characteristics
The city of Barcelona, known as the “Flower of Europe”, is located on the Mediterranean coast in northeastern Spain, surrounded by mountains and the sea, with a majestic terrain. It is the gateway to the Iberian Peninsula and has a Mediterranean style climate, with hot and dry summers and mild and rainy winters. Suitable for tourism throughout the year; The average temperature in winter is 11 ℃, and November and January are the coldest months of the year, with an average of 10 ℃; The average temperature in summer is 24 ℃. The best season to go to Barcelona is summer, where you can fully enjoy the sunshine of the Mediterranean. The crowd sunbathing on the beach is eye opening.
Natural resources
Barcelona has a forest coverage area of 58.3% and is famous for its numerous and distinctive parks. Its main plant resources are distributed in 5 plant theme parks, 45 urban parks, and 6 forest parks throughout the city.
The largest park in Barcelona should belong to the Parque Natural de Collasera, which covers an area of over 8000 hectares. Subsequently, there is Parque de Montjuic, located on the Monthuichi Mountain and covering an area of 257.9 hectares. It also includes Parque de la Ciudadela, which covers an area of 31 hectares and includes the City Council Hall, Zoo, and several museums. Parque de la Ciudadela, which covers an area of 15.9 hectares, Guinard ó, Parque G ü ell, which was designed by Gaudi to cover an area of 17.2 hectares, and Parque del Castell de l Å Oreneta, which also covers an area of 17.2 hectares, covers an area of 14.3 hectares. The Parque de Diagonal Mar, which opened in 2002, the 13.2 hectare No Barris Central Park, the 11.9 hectare Candragon Sports Park, and the 9.1 hectare Poblenou Park (meaning New City Park Parque del Poblenou), named after its garden like maze, are all part of the Parque del Laberinto de Horta.
Cultural environment
As of August 2012, Barcelona had a permanent population of 1.61 million people. There are three official languages in Barcelona. Catalan, Spanish, Aryan, and English are also widely used. The historical and cultural city of Barcelona is also the birthplace of Catalan culture, with deep roots in the development of French culture and language. There are higher education institutions such as Church University and Catalan Medical College. There are more than 20 museums in the city, including the Catalan Art Museum, Picasso Museum, History Museum, and Nature Museum. It was the first city in Spain to establish a printing office and also the first city in Europe to distribute newspapers. The Barcelona International Music Festival, held every October, is a grand event in the music industry. The 25th Olympic Games were held in the city in 1992. The old city center has a cathedral built in the 13th century and medieval palaces and houses. Barcelona is actually a city where two cities merge into one. The old city has a beautiful Gothic area and many architectural ruins, as it has many unforgettable gray stone Gothic buildings, including magnificent cathedrals. The new city is a model of urban planning, with wide avenues, rows of trees on both sides, and large squares. There are many churches and palaces among the interesting medieval buildings. Barcelona is an elegant city, with suburban slopes slowly rising to connect the surrounding hills. You can enjoy excellent views of the city from the nearby Tibidabo Mountains and the slopes of Montejuisi. In the distance is the Montserrat Mountains, with peaks protruding like needles, and the famous Montserrat Monastery is located close to the mountainside. Barcelona is recognized by the international architectural community as the city that perfectly combines ancient and modern civilizations, and is also a temple for artists. The city is filled with the works of world-renowned art masters such as Picasso, Gaudi, and Miro. In Barcelona, there are ruins of Roman city walls, ancient palaces and houses from the Middle Ages that complement modern architecture, and many streets still retain ancient stone paved roads. The Gothic Catholic cathedral, built in the 14th century, is located in the center of the old city. The Holy Family Cathedral: The Holy Family Cathedral is the largest church in Spain. On December 9, 2021 local time, the second tallest tower of the Basilica of the Holy Family in Barcelona was officially completed. This tower is one of the 18 high towers of the Holy Family Church, with a height of 138 meters. The Church of the Holy Family was designed by Spanish architect Antonio Gaudi and began construction in 1882. It is currently under construction and is known as the “oldest construction site in the world.”. The building was originally scheduled to be completed in 2026, but the construction period was delayed due to the pandemic. The Lambra Street, which connects Peace Gate Square and Catalonia Square in the city center, is a famous “Flower Market Street”. The Bright Spring on the Spanish Square is exquisitely crafted and colorful. The fountains, zoos, botanical gardens, and cascading waterfalls of West Udadara Park are renowned. There are more than 20 museums in Barcelona, including the Museum of Modern Art, the Frederick Marcus Museum, the Picasso Museum, and the Ocean Museum. The University of Barcelona has a history of over 500 years, and its autonomous university and technical college are also very famous. The International Music Festival held in October every year is a grand event in the world music industry, and the local Saldana ballroom dance and guitar songs are world-renowned folk songs and dances. The Rose Exhibition, Bullfighting, and International Expo held every April are very attractive. The Catalan desserts here are renowned worldwide.
Travel
This place has a pleasant climate, beautiful scenery, and numerous historical sites, known as the “Pearl of the Iberian Peninsula” and is the most famous tourist destination in Spain. It is a cultural ancient city in Spain, known as Manhattan in the Mediterranean. The ancient buildings with Gothic style and high-rise buildings complement each other, together forming the enchanting skyline of Barcelona. The disorderly alleys closely adhere to the edge of the new urban area, while the antique old city area suddenly bursts with industrial era chimneys. In Barcelona, all of this disharmony seems natural. Of course, Barcelona’s greatest pride lies in the masterpiece of modernist genius architect Gaudi, who made this peninsula pearl even more dazzling. Six works of a person have been listed as World Cultural Heritage, which is also an unparalleled miracle in the world. Barcelona has brought many people here and never left. The dream world created by Gaudi has become a reality here. Countless young people with artistic dreams have set foot on this land, pursuing their artistic dreams. Whether it is painting or architecture, there are too many masters nurtured here. Old, modern, and many soon to be famous, as long as you have been to Barcelona, no one will question why so many art masters have emerged here. Woody Allen’s movie “Midnight Barcelona” has made many people choose to travel here. The romantic atmosphere in the movie has captivated countless people.
Scenic spots
Museums and art galleries
There are numerous museums and art galleries in Barcelona, covering works from different regions and periods.
The Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (MNAC) houses artworks from the 11th to the 20th century, including a large number of works resembling Roman art.
The Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA) is dedicated to collecting Catalan and Barcelona art from the mid-20th century to the present day.
Casa Museu Gaud í
The Museu Picasso houses works from Picasso’s early to blue period, pink period, Cubism, and ceramics.
The Fundaci ó Joan Mir ó, which houses works from early to late Milo.
The Museu de la Fundaci ó Antoni T à pies houses the works of Tabias.
The Museum of Urban History (Museu d’Hist é ria de la Ciutat) houses archaeological artifacts from Barcelona.
The Museu d’Arqueologia de Catalunya houses Catalan artifacts.
The Museu Mar í tim in Barcelona houses maritime artifacts.
The private Egyptian Museum (Museu Egipci) houses Egyptian artifacts.
Museu del Futbol Club Barcelona.
world heritage
Barcelona has eight buildings listed as World Heritage Sites:
The building designed by Antoni Gaud í i Cornet was listed as a World Heritage Site in 1984:
- Vincent’s House CASA VICENS (1883-1888)
- PALAU G Ü ELL (1886-1889)
- Park G Ü ELL (1900-1914)
- Casa BATLL; (1904-1906)
CASA MIL DE PEDRERA (1906-1912) - TEMPLE EXPOTORI DE LA SAGRADA FAMILIA (1883-1926)
The building designed by Llu í s Dom è nech i Montaner was listed as a World Heritage Site in 1997: - Catalonia Concert Hall Palau de la M ú sica Catalana (1905-1908)
- Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau (1902-1930)
Economic
Summarize
Barcelona is a port city in Catalonia, a world-renowned Mediterranean scenic tourist destination and a world-renowned historical and cultural city. It is also Spain’s most important trade, industrial, and financial base. Barcelona Port is the largest port and container terminal along the Mediterranean coast, as well as the largest comprehensive port in Spain.
primary industry
Barcelona has a long commercial tradition, but in contrast, it is not well-known as one of the earliest industrialized regions on the European continent. The ironmaking technology in Barcelona has been relatively advanced since the Middle Ages, capable of producing a variety of sophisticated firearms. In addition to the developed trade related to weapons, the leather processing products here were also very well-known at that time.
Industry is known for its machinery, textiles, printing, food, and more, with shipbuilding and textile industries having the longest history, making it the largest shipbuilding and textile industry center in the country. After World War II, industries such as automobiles, chemicals, precision instruments, and plastics developed rapidly. The total industrial output value accounts for 1/5 of the country and is the largest industrial center in Spain. Abundant in wine production, with a wide variety of varieties, especially known for its aged wines. There is a liquor museum. There are also world-renowned precious foods such as Catalan egg, milk, sweets, and pasta. Agriculture, especially Mediterranean style fruit horticulture, is quite developed in the suburbs and surrounding areas. The largest seaport and important railway and aviation hub in the country. Import and export trade accounts for over 40% of the national total. Export textiles, ships, chemical raw materials, canned fruits, etc; Import machinery, oil, cotton, grains, etc.
Secondary industry
Thanks to its artistic and creative traditions, Barcelona’s industrial design advantages are very obvious. At the same time, due to its numerous characteristic buildings, Barcelona can host numerous expos around the world, which on the other hand drives the development of tourism and hotel industries. The Port of Barcelona is an important port on the west coast of the Mediterranean, both in terms of freight and passenger transport.
Barcelona has a total of nine buildings listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Barcelona is an elegant city located in a narrow plain between two small mountains. The city is surrounded by hills on three sides and a harbor on one side. The Mediterranean coast embraces the city in a V-shape. This place has convenient transportation with various parts of Europe and is an ideal short-term tourist destination. The charming Barcelona seaport, with its excellent geographical location and complete facilities, has become a beloved destination for cruise companies. In 2002, the Port of Barcelona welcomed a total of 633 cruise ships and 843000 tourists, an increase of 28% from 2001. The terminal of the cruise ship is directly connected to the city center and shopping belt, allowing tourists to quickly explore various scenic spots and historical sites in the city center or shop on the largest 5-kilometer shopping line in Europe.
On the one hand, Barcelona maintains the ancient style of the old city area, and on the other hand, it has a newly built area lined with modern architecture. Possessing Catalan paintings left over from the Roman era. The Sagrada Fam í lia and Gaudi’s distinctive modernist buildings have become symbols of the city, attracting millions of visitors each year to showcase its charm. The beaches in the harbor area are suitable for summer vacations. At the high point of the city, Montju ï c or the nearby Tibidabo Mountains, one can enjoy a panoramic view of Barcelona.
Main attractions
- Bartholow Palace: One of the representative works of the famous architect Gaudi, a modernist style building with bright colors and irregular exterior walls, giving people a strange feeling.
- Mira Palace: Another work by Gaudi, which often uses streamlined structures and inherits Gaudi’s usual eccentric style.
- Picasso Museum: Like painter Dari, architectural genius Gaudi, and architect Miro, Picasso is a proud artistic giant in Barcelona, and he walked the world from here. The Picasso Museum houses the main works of Picasso during his blue period.
- Church of the Holy Family: It is the posthumous work of the great Spanish architect Anthony Gaudi (1852-1926). At first, construction began under the command of architect Villars, but he only built a portion of the basement before exiting. In 1883, Gaudi officially took over until he died in a car accident 43 years later. The Holy Family Redemption Church originated from an organization called Josehines. They were dissatisfied with the decline of society and planned to build a church for redemption where believers came to pray and seek forgiveness for the guilty. After Gaudi’s death, he left behind a lot of materials, design drafts, and models, but most of them were destroyed by anarchists during the Spanish Civil War, and the project was not resumed until 1952. This building has been completed by nearly 60%, mainly through social donations and ticket revenue. The official estimated completion date is 2026.
From Gaudi’s design of such a complex and extremely difficult building, it is not difficult to see his high piety and respect for religious beliefs. After taking over the construction of the Holy Family Redemption Hall, Gaudi devoted all his energy to it and did not design any other buildings. For Gaudi, the Apostolic Church of the Holy Family is not just a house built for God, a place of worship, but also a book that every visitor can read – the Doctrinal Q&A Handbook. The various scenes in the Bible are displayed one by one in the entire building like pictures, lifelike. The facade of the building is undoubtedly the stage that best reflects these religious scenes. The church has three magnificent facades: birth, death, and glory, each with a theme representing one aspect of Jesus’ ministry: as a person on Earth, as the savior of humanity, and as a judge of life and death on the Day of the Last Judgment. At the time of Gaudi’s death, the Eastern facade depicting the birth of Jesus as a human on Earth had been largely completed, with extremely intricate decorations and carvings covering the walls, mostly based on characters and scenes from the Bible, demonstrating unparalleled architectural skills. The light that plays a very important role in Gaudi secular architecture has symbolic significance here. The East is the place where the sun rises, and it is also the starting point for people to receive the first ray of sunshine and symbolize salvation. - El Park: In 1900, Count Guerreal commissioned Gaudi to design a middle-class suburban residential area located in the northern suburbs of Barcelona at that time. The plan for this residential area was not implemented, but a park was built – Guerreal Park.
At the entrance of the park, there is a guard designed by Gaudi and two small buildings for office use. After entering the park, a uniquely designed large staircase with openings and openings leads people towards a multi pillar hall, followed by an ancient Greek style theater. The large steps continue to lead people up to the rooftop platform of the multi pillar hall. The platform is vast, with a width and depth of about thirty meters each, surrounded by low walls and chairs, making it a great place for tourists to relax, gather, take walks, and dance.
The architecture in Juer Park is a representative work of Gaudi’s mature creative career, which fully embodies his aesthetic ideas. There are also many small towers and protrusions on the roofs of the two small buildings at the entrance of the park, with very strange shapes. Its exterior is inlaid with broken porcelain pieces of white, line, brown, blue, green, orange, and other colors, with strange patterns. The columns in the multi pillar hall are well-organized and arranged in an orderly manner, which is rare in Gaudi’s works. The low walls around the rooftop platform are winding and winding, with colorful porcelain tiles sticking to the walls, forming strange and inexplicable patterns, like a bent and curled python. - SAN PAU Hospital, facing the Holy Family Cathedral from afar, is said to be a contrast between the architect’s technique and Gaudi, and the two buildings are also opposite.
The part of Saint Claude Hospital that has been listed as a “heritage” was built in 1902. It was originally planned as a small city and occupied an area of 9 blocks. Twelve independent modernist buildings heavily utilize Christian traditional symbols and are arranged in a clear and organized manner throughout a large garden. About one-third of the northwest corner has recently been built with modern new hospitals, and the old buildings are used as blood banks, laboratories, wards, or logistics service departments. For the medical community, being listed as a World Heritage Site may not be a big deal, but more importantly, this second oldest hospital in the world was formed by the merger of six small hospitals in 1401, possessing the world’s most important medical archive heritage. - MONUMENT A COLOM
At the end of Lambra Street stands the Columbus Memorial Tower, in memory of the navigator who discovered the American continent. To some extent, this discovery marked the beginning of Spain’s colonial rule over South America. However, today, a large number of South American immigrants speak Spanish and come here again, making history seem like a cycle after another. - Gold Coast and Bell Harbor
Some people say that if there is a heaven in the world that attracts men’s attention, it must not be Thailand, not Cuba, but Barcelona. In this southern European resort, the beach crowded with bikini girls is the most nostalgic place, and the hot crowds on the beach are the most eye-catching treasures for men. Catalan girls seem to be born with all the essential elements of female beauty: sexy figure, healthy skin tone, golden shawl long hair, gorgeous face… More importantly, they possess the passion and unrestrained spirit unique to the Catalan nation, and their beauty is a vibrant and joyful beauty. I lay on the golden, soft, delicate, and warm beach, holding a drink in my hand, quietly admiring everything in front of me, breathing in the fresh and slightly salty air. The white waves sandwiched between the golden and blue colors reminded me of my hometown, that beautiful coastal city. Looking up, there is an endless, vast, and magnificent sea view, from near to far – golden beaches, white waves, green seawater, and deep blue oceans. The mood fluctuates with the waves, and the gaze unfolds with the sea color. The sunset generously caresses this scenery, and the warm and humid sea breeze blows on the face, making people unable to bear to leave for a long time.
Following Columbus’s fingers to the bronze statue of the sea, I arrived at Columbus’s distant voyage to the sea. This is a deep-water pier in the port of Barcelona. The densely packed private yachts make me envious. In the deep blue sea, there is a replica of the “Rania” sailboat that Columbus used when he set sail, for visitors to visit. On the shore of the Ramble del Mar pontoon in the romantic sea breeze, the wavy curves outline the most romantic scene of Barcelona like a picture frame. The long coastline is paved with a unique colorful slate pedestrian path, separated from the enchanting blue ocean by a romantic and charming golden beach that is only a dozen meters wide. Every other section of the road has stone seats for couples facing the sea, highlighting the tenderness of Barcelona beyond their passion. Tall and upright palm trees are planted on both sides of the road, with emerald green leaves swaying in the sea breeze, as if sending various mysterious messages to pedestrians. I found a wooden chair, leaning against the sea and facing the wind. Nearby, there are dense ships docked at the harbor, while in the distance, the dim sky blends with the sea. On this side, enjoy the blue ocean with white waves crashing on the shore, and on the other side, admire the green city with lush grass. It is beautiful, harmonious, delicate, and elegant, making people feel happy and joyful.
Social undertakings
Culture
Over the course of over 2000 years of history, Barcelona has developed its own unique culture. Unlike other regions in the Catalan region where Catalan is dominant, Barcelona has two official languages: Spanish and Catalan, both of which are widely used. The Central Catalan language in Barcelona is very close to the Standard Catalan language. Since Spain achieved democracy in the 1970s, local culture in Catalonia, which was suppressed during the dictatorship, has flourished. Old art forms have regained vitality, and new art forms continue to emerge. The Globalization and World Cities Study Group and Network (GaWC) has listed Barcelona as a third type of global city.
Music and Performing Arts
Barcelona has many music halls and opera houses, such as the world-renowned Gran Teatre del Liceu, the Teatro Nacional de Catalunya, the Teatro Lliure, and the Palau de la M ú sica Catalana. Every June, there is also the Sonar Music Festival in Barcelona.
The Barcelona and Catalonia Symphony Orchestra (OBC) is the largest symphony orchestra in the Catalan region. The new concert hall was opened in 1999 and the orchestra holds approximately 75 concerts annually.
Featured architecture
Many famous buildings in Barcelona are concentrated in the central Gothic district of the old city, where there are many medieval and even Roman era buildings. The numerous modernist style buildings built between the mid-19th and mid-20th centuries have added many highlights to Barcelona, especially the architectural works designed by Anthony Gaudi, eight of which are listed as World Heritage sites. The most famous work of Gaudi is undoubtedly the Holy Family Church, which was built with private donations. The Shengjia Church was first built in 1882, with a grand and magnificent scale, but it has not yet been completed.
Barcelona won the Royal Architecture Gold Award from the Royal Society of Architects in 1999 for its diverse and distinctive architecture, which is the only time this award has been presented to a city as a whole rather than individual buildings.
Olympic Games
Barcelona hosted two World Expos in 1888 and 1929, laying the foundation for the city’s takeoff. In 1992, Barcelona successfully hosted the 25th Olympic Games, which further made Barcelona famous and made more people around the world understand Barcelona.
Education
University of Barcelona: The University of Barcelona was established in 1450 by the order of King Alfonso El Magnanemo (1416-1458) of Aragon and Naples. In the subsequent wars, King Philip V closed this university. After 126 years, the University of Barcelona was rebuilt in 1842. Among the twelve universities in Catalonia, the University of Barcelona is the oldest and oldest existing university, ranking 87th in the latest 2013QS World University Rankings 101-200. Its number of students and faculty is also unparalleled, cultivating a large number of talents for Catalan society.
The University of Barcelona (UB – Universitat de Barcelona), which has campuses throughout the city center, is one of its representatives. In addition, there are UPC – Universitat Polit è cnica de Catalunya (Chinese homepage), UPF – Universitat Pompeu Fabra, and others. URL – Universitat Ramon Llull is famous among private universities for its subsidiary ESADE – Escola Superior d’Administraci ó i Direcci ó d’Empresses. The Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB – Universitat Aut ò noma de Barcelona) located in Bellatella (part of the Barcelona metropolitan area) is another well-known public university.
Infrastructure
Sports venues
Camp Nou Stadium: Located in the city of Barcelona, Spain, it is the home stadium of La Liga team Barcelona. The NouCamp Stadium is the largest stadium on the entire European continent, originally capable of accommodating 98000 spectators. However, during the 1982 World Cup in Spain, the seating capacity of the stadium increased to 120000. It is also the second largest sports stadium in the world, second only to the legendary Maracana Stadium in Brazil. Modern universal equipment makes it the best football field in Europe. In the 1998-1999 season, UEFA awarded it the title of “five-star” stadium.
F1 Barcelona Track: The track was built in 1991 and has a total length of 4.725 kilometers. It is widely recognized as the closest perfect track and is often used by various teams for testing, so both teams and drivers are familiar with this track. The Barcelona circuit is also a great track for the live audience. The designer takes into account the audience’s perspective, and the transportation is convenient, so even in the Sunday final, there will be no traffic congestion. This track is also a favorite venue for many drivers, belonging to the technical type, with long straight lines and long-distance high-speed and low-speed curves. Its starting point straight line is almost the longest in the F-1 track, which is a big test for the engine.
Traffic
Aviation
Barcelona Platte Airport is an international airport with convenient flights to various parts of Europe. There are direct flights to Barcelona from Beijing and Shanghai, and Barcelona International Airport is located 13 kilometers southwest of the city center. There are three exits at the airport. There are daily direct flights between Barcelona and over 30 international cities. Madrid Barcelona: The two cities are 621 kilometers apart, and there are countless flights between the capital city of Madrid and Barcelona between 6:30 and 22:30 every day.
railway
Barcelona is the intersection of the Madrid Barcelona Railway and the railways built along the Mediterranean coastline, allowing passengers to travel by train to cities in other European countries such as Madrid, Valencia, or Paris. The Spanish national railway is RENFE, and there are two main train stations in the city of Barcelona: Estacio Sants station is mainly the starting and ending station for long-distance trains in Spanish domestic cities. The station is fully equipped, and there is also an underground railway station to Estacop de France, which is the main train station for traveling to and from France. Some domestic trains also stop at this station.
Sands Main Railway Station
Most international trains, long-distance trains, and suburban trains depart and arrive here. This place is not inferior to the Chamaluti train station in Madrid, and is very modern. In addition to a tourist information center, banks, coin lockers, restaurants, etc., various facilities such as travel agencies, department stores, and entertainment centers are also available here.
highway
Long distance buses: Barcelona has two long distance bus stations, and the vast majority of buses depart from North Station. There are relatively few buses at Sants Station next to the train station.
Barcelona Madrid: The journey is about 7 hours and the ticket price is about 25 euros. Barcelona – southern cities such as Granada and Sevilla: a drive of more than 15 hours, not recommended. Terminal D’Autobusos Nord: Over a dozen passenger transport companies have set up their stations here. Sants Station: There are 5 passenger transport companies setting up stations here, including buses to Montserrat and Valencia, as well as international routes to Paris.
The buses in Barcelona are all single story, with spacious seats and numerous routes, and each bus stop has a route map, which is easy to understand. Most buses operate from 5:30 to 23:00 in the morning.
It is best to take a sightseeing bus when traveling to Barcelona. One ticket allows you to freely get on and off at 24 major tourist attractions in the city. The sightseeing bus runs from 09:00 to 21:30 and runs every 20 minutes, with a daily ticket of 10 Euros and a two-day ticket of 14 Euros.
The taxi body is black and yellow in color, and there are many of them, which can be seen everywhere. An empty taxi will display “Lliure” or “Libre” on the windshield, and a green light will be lit on the roof at night. Take off at 1.6 Euro, with an additional charge of 0.4 Euro per kilometer. In addition, late at night, on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, there will be an additional fee of 1.8 Euros when traveling to the airport. Additionally, each piece of luggage charges 0.6 Euro.
water transport
Barcelona Port is the largest port in Spain and also along the Mediterranean coast, with a passenger terminal that can accommodate 9 cruise ships simultaneously. It is an important stop on many luxury cruise European routes. Barcelona is 132 nautical miles away from the capital of the Balearic Islands, Parma. Several shipping companies operate routes between Barcelona and major cities in Balearic, with daily flights and generally uniform pricing. It is best to book a regular seat in advance. Temporary purchases may only be able to buy high-level seats, and the ticket price is 2-4 times that of a regular seat.
In addition, there are international air routes between Barcelona and Italy.
The Barcelona Dock is located in the southeast of the city and is the terminus of the Basket Cable Car Arma Plaza – Barcelona Port. You can also take the L2 subway line to the Parallel Level or Drasanes station and walk there. The sightseeing bus South Line (Blue Line) also goes to the Port of Barcelona.
City Honors
In November 2018, the World City Rankings were released, and Barcelona entered the ranks of first tier cities in the world.
In September 2019, it ranked tenth on the 2019 World Tourism City Development Rankings.
In 2019, Barcelona ranked 11th among the top 20 global sustainable competitiveness.
On December 26, 2019, it ranked 43rd on the 2019 Global Cities 500 list.
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