The Old Wall

Walking around Barcelona in August can be infuriating, to say the least.  Most of the time, it is a wall of slow-moving people getting from one attraction to another.  I went out before 8 AM with Ben and got a glimpse of the backside of the Barcelona Cathedral without the horde.  Beautiful and Peaceful.  You can get the charm of Barcelona at that time of the day.

The Narrow Streets

Dodging the sun is an art form in Barcelona.  As the legend goes, the city was built tall with small streets to keep the intense heat of the street and people's flats.  I can't imagine our flat with a full day of direct sunlight and no air conditioning.  I have become an expert at walking paths that keep me in the shade.  Of course, in a couple of months, I'll be looking for the sunny spots to try to warm up.

Plaça St. Felip Neri

St. Felip Neri square is a haunting reminder of the Civil War in Spain.  It is beautiful and surprisingly silent in its proximity to the major tourist attractions of the Gothic neighborhood.  Its history and bloodshed weigh heavily on anyone who walks through the narrow streets to find it.

I found a really good history of Plaça St. Felip Neri on this blog: 

Not everybody knows that where today the square is in the Medieval period stood a Jewish cemetery. During the Renaissance two buildings were erected, the casa dels Calderers, the former headquarters of the calderai corporation, and the casa dels Sabaters, the house of cobblers, which nowadays houses the aforementioned Museu del Calçat. Between 1721 and 1752 the baroque church was constructed, designed by the architect Pere Bertran and assisted by the builder Salvador Ausich i Font. The church comprises only one nave, an element that serves to focus the visitor’s attention on the magnificent high altar, which dates from the end of the Eighteenth century. The façade of the church, however, remains disfigured by one of the many bombardmentsthat took place during the Spanish Civil War.



The commemorative plaque states that in this square on the 30th January 1938 a bomb fell that was to cause the collapse of the underground part of the church of Sant Felip Neri, causing the death of 42 civilians, including 20 children, who were taking refuge here. It was not, however, the most severe bombardment in the history of the city- according to memorials, the real terror was to strike between the time of 22.08 on the 16th March and 15.19 on the 18th March 1938. These 41 hours of terror, with 12 huge attacks and the indiscriminate detonation of 44 tons of bombs on the civilian population brought the city to its knees. However, the death of so many innocent civilians and the still-disfigured façade of the church give the square a melancholic air that strikes you right to the heart and, in its own way, makes the square fascinating.

Old and New

One of my favorite parts in el Barrio Gotico is this small square with this rounded piece of the medieval wall.  It's a peaceful spot for coffee, lunch, or a spot of tea.  This picture is a great contrast between old and new.

Still Useful

I am amazed at how old much of this city is, especially coming from the US.  It still surprises me to see things like this electrical panel cover on the street that looks so old, but likely still serves a purpose.

This is a working water fountain where people fill up water bottles, or hydrate their pets, yet it's so old, beautiful, and artistic.

I feel fortunate to be in a city that is embracing its artistic and beautiful past, rather than trying desperately to modernize (although the remnants of those efforts can also be seen throughout the city).

Make Your Mark

As I said a couple of days ago, the people of Barcelona have a lot to say, and sometimes in a uniquely artistic way.  In Barrio Gotico, tucked back into the streets is this chalkboard.  People can write anything they want (and they definitely do).  Sometimes there is even chalk provided to write with...or I guess you could just bring your own.  I love checking out messages and the doodles whenever I'm down in the Gotico and need to get away from the crowd.

Sadie also liked the flowers out front and 'made her mark' as soon as we were done with the pics.