ITINERARIES

GOTHIC QUARTER

It is an old town district known as the Gothic Quarter because of the treasure house of Gothic monuments found here, today it occupies what was an ancient fortified Roman village, it homes nowadays historic monuments and modern institucions. The itinerary begins at the Plaça Nova with the twin semicircular towers of the well - preserved Roman walls.

Near to the the Cathedral, there is another portion of the wall as well as the beginning of the aqueduct which transported water from the Collserola hills.Taking Avinguda de la Catedral, we arrive at the Pla de la Seu with its steps leading up to the Cathedral, a Gothic structure dating from the 14th and 15th centuries with a 19th century neogothic façade. The Cathedral complex also comprises three medieval palaces: Cases dels Canonges, Casa del Degà, and Casa de l'Ardiaca.

Returning to the Av. de la Catedral, we take C.Tapineria along a section of the Roman wall to get to Plaça de Ramon Berenguer el Gran, one of the most spectacular places in Old Barcelona, with its Roman walls and broken section of the old Palau Reial Major wall with a 40 meter bell tower. In the square we can find an equestrian statue of Ramon Berenguer III. Beyond the square, the street of C. Sots-tinent Navarro takes us via C. Llibreteria to the Plaça del Rei which was designed as a complete unit and now is the most noble square in Old Barcelona. Facing the square are the Palau Reial Major (Royal Palace), Chapel of Santa Ágata , and the Museu d'Història de la Ciutat (City's History Museum).

The Palau Reial Major (11th-14th centuries) was originally a Romanesque building with Gothic additions. Our attention is drawn to the great hall called the Saló del Tinell, supported by six stone semi-circular arches.
Then, we can proceed to C. Paradís, where we find an old millstone which points to the summit of the small hill called Mons Taber, just in front of the building housing the Catalonian Excursionist Center. The next street leads to the Plaça de Sant Jaume, administrative center of the city and site of the Palau de la Generalitat , a 15th century Gothic structure with a Renaissance façade. The imposing interior staircase, the orange tree courtyard and the chapel of Sant Jordi are exceptional features. The 14th century Adjuntament (Town Hall), with its celebrated Saló de Cent (Room of the Hundred), features a Gothic façade, facing the street of C. Ciutat, and the main neoclassic one, facing Plaça de Sant Jaume.

If we Take C. Ciutat and C. Hèrcules, we get at the Plaça de Sant Just, which preserves the character of Old Barcelona, with its Gothic fountain and the 13th century Palau Moixó. On C. Bisbe Caçador, we encounter the largest private palace that existed in medieval Barcelona and the Gothic Church of Sans Just i Pastor.

MONTJUÏC