Unique buildings
The Gran Teatre del Liceu was built in 1847 and is a unique cultural facility in Barcelona and one of Europe"s leading opera houses. Located on the Rambla, every year it hosts major opera and ballet productions and symphony concerts. The building was destroyed by fire in 1994 and reopened in 1999 after a magnificent reconstruction.
This small Romanesque church along the Carrer de Sant Pau is a haven of peace, away from the noise and bustle of Barcelona"s Raval neighbourhood. Its thick stone walls enshrine the mysteries and wonders of a primitive architectural style steeped in symbolism which tells us about the past when convents dotted the Barcelona landscape.
Strangely enough, the Palau de la Música Catalana, the so-called "building that epitomises Catalan art nouveau" wasn"t designed by Gaudí, but by his contemporary
Lluís Domènech i Montaner (Barcelona, 1850-1923). This concert hall in Barcelona, which is a designated
UNESCO World Heritage Site, is an artistic landmark of outstanding beauty and a highly prestigious music venue.
Plaça de la Vila de Madrid, located very near La Rambla and the Plaça Catalunya of Barcelona, is well worth stopping to see. Surrounded by buildings with elegant façades, the square contains the most important burial site from the
Roman city of Barcino. An area of the old town, Ciutat Vella, which reveals the city"s Roman past.
Catedral de la Santa Creu i Santa Eulàlia watches impassively the passing of time in a constantly moving and changing Barcelona. The Cathedral also reflects the different generations who have left their imprint and the blend of architectural styles in this predominantly Gothic building which needs to be viewed inside in order to fully understand its splendour.
