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This square is so beautiful, it"s no wonder it was named "royal" (reial Catalan for royal). The elegant ambiance of the Plaça Reial is accentuated by the fountain, streetlamps and palm trees, and it is one of Barcelona"s busiest, most vibrant spots, particularly at night. This is Barcelona"s best-loved porticoed square.
As you explore the narrow streets of the old Barceloneta neighbourhood in Ciutat Vella, you"ll discover the charm and atmosphere of a working-class district, which attracts many tourists to its beaches, fine restaurants and bars.
Ildefons Cerdà had already planned to open this artery in the southern part of the Raval. At the beginning of the 20th century, the "barri xino" was a densely populated area that offered harsh living conditions. Cerdà considered the need to create squares that would clean up the neighbourhood. But it was not until 1995 that Barcelona City Council decided to remodel the Raval. This is when this new Rambla was created. It runs from Carrer Sant Pau to Carrer Hospital, and has become one of the meeting points for the communities of immigrants who live in this part of
Barcelona. The construction of the avenue led to the demolition of a number of streets and insalubrious buildings. The street collaborates in the social integration of disadvantaged groups, and has also become a perfect public space for all kinds of cultural events.
Barcelona"s Carrer Montcada is lined with a succession of medieval, Renaissance and baroque palazzos, their majestic doorways opening to reveal their beautiful courtyards of venerable stone. They bear witness to the rich and glorious past of
medieval Barcelona"s main street which was home to the city"s nobles.
The centre of the Roman city, today"s
Gothic Quarter, was marked by the point where the two main streets, the Cardo and Decumanus, converged. Today the Carrer del Bisbe and Carrer Llibreteria stand on this site. Nearby, we can still see the remains of the Roman temple of Augustus. In fact, the original centre of
Roman and medieval Barcelona still forms the core of 21st-century Barcelona. Its maze of narrow streets and squares is steeped in the city"s past and present.
