Old Town of Barcelona

Barcelona was founded by the Romans about 2,000 years ago under the name Gerona. Not much remains from the Roman tmees, but one significant section of the Roman wall and city gate is part of the cathedral walls (see another post for the cathedral).. That is the 1st picture. 2,000 year old stone work still being used. The Roman engineers were amazing. The 2nd picture is directly across the square from the 1st. This art, that wraps around the building, is claimed by Pablo Picasso as his work. It may be the only free to view Picasso anywhere.
The 3rd picture is the Music Palace, another Catalan Modernist building. The 4th picture is what remains of one of the oldest synagogues in Europe. The Shephardic Jews were expelled in 1492. So this predates that.
The 5th picture used to be a large public market. However, during some construction, a lot of ancient ruins, including some dating to the Romans, were found. So the market was closed and moved. The result is a large archaeological museum.
The next 3 pictures are in a significant church in the old town. This is Saint Mary of the Sea. The church dates to the 14th century during the height of Barcelona's maritime prosperity. The building is Catalan Gothic. The door is a rear entrance, not the main door.
The last picture is a typical street from the time when the city was confined within the walls. Limited land for new construction caused buildings to be built above, such as over the street, like this one.Read more