About Barcelona
Please read the useful information below which is all about Barcelona, including the main attractions, interesting facts and activities which are available for you to do in your spare time.
Facts
Barcelona joins several of the coastal cities throughout Spain in sharing an interesting and very long history. Since the city’s creation in approximately 200BC it has been influenced by Visigoths, Muslims and Carthaginians until the 9th century. This was when the Christians defeated the Muslims and Barcelona was then inhabited by Catalans. Throughout the 14th century the mini-empire of the Catalans reached its peak and this included regions such as the Balearic Islands and Valencia, there were also areas of Southern France which fell under its ruling. In the year 1473 Castilla’s kingdom invaded Catalonia, this was after several conflicts. Then in 1700 the language of Catalan was forbidden for a long duration after they had combined forces with the English army against Castilla.
Time
The industrialisation of Barcelona commenced at the start of the 20th century and the population increased. The city began to develop and take the shape that it has today, the numerous buildings and monuments are actually from this period of time. Throughout the regime of Franco it was the Catalans who suffered with the language being forbidden once again and them being deprived. Franco died in the year 1975 and the Catalans took back their lost freedom and today the modern city has arranged numerous international events such as the 92’ Olympic Games and also the World Forum 2004.
Attractions
The city of Barcelona has many interesting attractions ranging from the magnificent monuments and fascinating museums to the curious flea markets and numerous international events. Barcelona is known for the several alluring buildings which were produced by the Catalan architect Gaudi. The Monjuric region has many art galleries and museums. There are many alternatives for the sports fans with the opportunity to practice many kinds of sports including golf, soccer, and various water sports. There are numerous big sporting events such as the soccer games taking place at the famous club FC Barcelona. The nightlife throughout Barcelona is vibrant and exciting; there are many types of international and national bars, discos and restaurants to be discovered. In the summer visitors go to the terraces situated along the wonderful beach front and located in the harbour, the winter months see many people visiting the old town as this is a very popular venue.
