The Gothic District

It's the traditional historical centre of the city. A walk through this district can start in the Plaza de San Jaime; Barcelona's political centre for the last two thousand years.

San Jaime square was in Roman days the forum of the city. Today, around it, we find the City House, the town hall, with elements from the 14th-century and a sober neoclassic façade. Among its interest elements, the Salón de Cent, constructed as a reunion centre for the municipal councillors.

The Generalitat Palace is in front of it, with a façade from the renaissance and a gothic patio, joined to a neighbouring building by a Venetian inspired neogothic bridge. This palace is the seat of the central government of Catalonia.

If you continue through the narrow Carrer del Bisbe you get to the cathedral, gothic building, with a stunning 19th-century façade which concentrates diverse interesting elements.

In front of the cathedral, to the left, we find the Casa de L'Ardiaca, house of the archdeacon, today historical archive. Both this house and the house opposite are built on the Roman rampart, as you will see from the yard in front of the cathedral.

Walking back through the Condes de Barcelona Street there is a block with the very interesting Frederic Marès Museum, the Llocinent Palace and the magnificent Palau Reial. In the Palau Reial, very reccomended, the Salón del Tinell, huge gothic room from the 14th-century, and the Santa Àgata chapel, just on top of the Roman ramparts.

The visit to the gothic distrcit also includes de History Museum, sited there in 1931 in a gothic building.

What to see in Barcelona Barcelona's heritage Las Ramblas The Gothic District The Cathedral Plaza del Rei Santa María del Mar Carrer Montcada Sagrada Familia La Pedrera Other modernist sites in Barcelona Montjuïc Pueblo Español Viejo Puerto Puerto Olímpico Parks El Tibidabo Other modernist sites in Barcelona

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