Narrow medieval streets within a never-ending labyrinth, this is the historic Gothic Quarter of Barcelona. Situated just off La Rambla the narrow streets give a sense of being transported back in time.
Historic Gothic Quarter of Barcelona (Barrio Gótico) is the historic centre of the old city of Barcelona. It stretches from La Rambla to Via Laietana and from the seafront to the Ronda de Sant Pere. It is a part of Ciutat Vella district of Barcelona.
The History of the Gothic Quarter
History of this district started around 133 BC with construction of city walls by the Romans who ruled Barcelona until 410 AD. In 714, the city surrendered to the moors, who controlled Barcelona for around a century. The Roman name for this area of Barcelona is Barcino, and the old city of Barcino founded around 15 BC by Emperor Augustus.
The quarter encompasses the oldest parts of the city of Barcelona, and includes the remains of the city’s Roman wall and several notable medieval landmarks. Much of the present-day fabric of the quarter, however, dates to the 19th and early 20th centuries. El Call, the medieval Jewish Quarter located within this area.
The Gothic District has many building that actually does not date back to the Middle Ages due to transforming the district in to a tourist attraction in the early 19th and 20th centuries mainly to give the city a positive image for the 1929 International Exhibition. Restoration of buildings in this district was ongoing until the 1960s. Despite this, the area is well-preserved with some picture-perfect narrow streets for taking some great photos. The best part of visiting the Gothic Quarter area is that it really does feel you are back in time as you explore many of the streets and squares.
NOTABLE ATTRACTIONS –
The Roman and Medieval Walls
Roman Temple Remains
Placa del Rei
Placa Reial
Basilica of La Mercè
The Gothic Quarter has most of the cities defining historic landmarks in one area, making it perfect to explore on foot. You can also vists La Rambla which joins the Gothic Quarter at the same time. This area is great for daytime shopping as the area has a range of small and unique shops. Also, the district comes to life at night where there are many small bars and restaurants to enjoy. Exploring the Gothic Quarter is an enjoyable experience due to the maze of small medieval streets. Many of the streets lead on to large squares, at times with some interesting historic finds. There is always a sense of adventure exploring the Gothic Quarter, as you never know what you might find exploring the maze of narrow streets..
How to get to the Gothic Quarter?
To get to the Gothic Quarter area of Barcelona take the line 3 metro to Liceu station. This will take you out on to the famous La Rambla street, from here you can access the Gothic Quarter from Carrer de la Boqueria. You can also walk slightly down La Rambla and enter the Gothic Quarter from Plaça Reial which is also an interesting historic square. You can catch any bus that takes you to Plaça Catalyuna or Via Laietana.
