Barcelona


The city of Barcelona exudes art and style. Originally a medieval city with buildings piled close together, the more recent parts have an air of elegance and spaciousness. Though Barcelona made its money through mercantile activities, all you tend to see is the fruit of those labors.

Click for a larger version Art!

Fundació Antoni Tàpies, featuring a gallery with Tàpies, Catalunya's most well-known living painter, and other modern artists.

Not only are the tufts of wire good advertising, they're practical also. No second-storey jobs here.

The building is by Domènech i Montaner.

Click for a larger version Museum of Modern Art

Designed by American architect Richard Maier. Ironically, the featured exhibit was Josep Lluís Sert, the Barcelona architect who worked for a time in New York. Sert was a friend of Miró.

Click for a larger version Anachronism

Centre de Cultura Contemporània butted against a 19th century cloister with stenciled walls.

Click for a larger version Pithy Catalán proverb

Painted on the side of the cloister:

Si mai vols dir mal d'algú
Primer mira qui ets tú

or

If you want to criticize
First take a look at yourself.
Click for a larger version Art school

Very well-attended in a place like Barcelona.

Click for a larger version Palau de la Generalitat

The seat of the Catalan government since the 15th century.

Click for a larger version Customs house

Where mercantile loot was levied. The building is labeled Port de Barcelona. It appears that the Spanish-language version was scratched out and replaced with Catalan.

Click for a larger version Port Vell

The awnings are restaurants which share the building with the Museu d'Història de Catalunya. The museum may be historical, but the restaurant prices are futuristic. I couldn't taste the gold in our paella, but it must have been in there.

Click for a larger version Car art

The mountain in the background, I believe, is Tibidabo. There's a cable car to get you there.

Click for a larger version Liechtenstein sculpture

near the Post Office.

Click for a larger version Avenue

Leading to the Columbus monument

Click for a larger version The Columbus monument

Actually, he's pointing toward Italy.

Click for a larger version Pasage Sert

The birthplace of Barcelona architect Josep Lluís Sert, and coincidentally, the street where I stayed.

The gate is locked at night, and the residents carry big, iron keys.

Click for a larger version Palau de la Mùsica

Very close to Pasage Sert. It's a 19th-century rococo, neo-Moorish affair, with a gallery of brightly colored columns upstairs. Very nearly garish. This building is also by Domènech i Montaner.

This street is the space between buildings.

Click for a larger version Heroic front

Detail of the Palau de Mùsica