Berkley Center

This past weekend was the FC Barcelona v. Real Madrid soccer game, which was not only an important game in terms of the soccer league, but also in the sentiments it promoted between the two largest cities of Spain. The soccer field is one modern stage that reminds Spain of the long term rivalry between Barcelona, the capital of Cataluña, and Madrid, the capital of Spain. Watching this game prompted me to think of another way that Barcelona distinguishes itself. Aside from the contrasting Catalan and Spanish cultures, Barcelona’s modernist atmosphere is another distinct identity created by the art and architecture around the city. The Catalan culture was created from a mix influence of its Visigoth, Muslim, and French conquerors [1]. For years, this Cataluña experienced various conquests that have resulted in the repression of the society. This modernist atmosphere is a result of Barcelona’s struggle to recreate itself after various periods of destruction.

Despite the repression, Barcelona continued to thrive, but by the mid-nineteenth century, the cramped area within the Roman walls led to poor living conditions and prompted a need for expansion. The creation of the Eixample, or the “expansion,” marks one of the first modernist movements. Its architect, Ildefons Cerdá, designed a socialist city with perpendicular streets and homogenous city blocks in order to promote an environment where everyone, despite their socioeconomic situation, could enjoy decent living quarters with sunlight, green areas, and ventilation.

At the same period of this growth, many citizens were unhappy with the bland design of the new apartments in the expansion. All of the houses and streets appeared the same, and because the green spaces of gardens and parks were not realized, the city was plain. However, modernist architects and artists, like Gaudí and Lluís Domènech i Muntaner, began transforming the city by adding their eclectic works [2]. The city was soon scattered with edifices filled with intricate detail like La Pedrera, Parc Guell, and the Palau de la Musica. Using inspiration from nature, these and other modernist architects helped to break up the monotonous design in the Eixample. The main street, Passeig de Gracia, also contains the most collection of modernist buildings in one location [3]. Today, the main street of the Eixample, Passeig de Gracia, boasts “La manzana de la Discordia” or Block of Discord because of its stretch of three main modernist buildings, designed by three different architects, adjacent to each other. In front of these houses also presents the start of the “European Route of Modernism [4].

As the city continued its development, it experienced great destruction during the Spanish Civil War. In this period, Barcelona's progress took a halt as the city suffered from aerial bombings, isolation, and famine. Citizens were living in fear of each of these threats until Franco was successful in 1939. In addition, the state of disrepair in Barcelona continued with an due to the influx of immigrants to the city after the war because the new immigrants began creating towns of shacks along the beach and mountains surrounding the city [5].

However, after Franco's regime ended, Barcelona recreated its own autonomous government for Cataluña and in the 1980s, began its "Barcelona, post guapa" or "Barcelona, brighten up" campaign. In this campaign, the shacks were removed and Barcelona began to rework its infrastructure and in 1992, Barcelona hosted the Olympic Games, which resulted in more beautification and modernization of the city [6]. In this period, museums displaying artists such as Picasso and Miró were added, and new statues were added to identify each region in Barcelona.

Currently, the city is still reviving older neighborhoods. The campaign of 22@Barcelona is revamping Barcelona's neighborhood of Poble Nou to promote a sustainable, green area to live and work [7]. Barcelona continues to recreate itself throughout periods of repression or destruction, and through these changes within the city, a modernist atmosphere evolved. These evolutions are something that I have enjoyed exploring and will continue to explore for the rest of my time abroad.

1. Mireia López, "Colonia Barcino." Past and Present Barcelona, Lecture.
2. Mireia López, "L'Example de Barcelona." Past and Present Barcelona, Lecture.
3. David Agustí, Historia breve de Cataluña, 2nd ed. (Madrid: Silex, 2007).
4. "Route: Passeig de Gracia." BCN Internet, accessed December 1, 2009.
5. Mireia López, "Barcelona y Franco." Past and Present Barcelona, Lecture.
6. Jordi Coca, "The Pretty City." Barcelona Metropolis, June 2008, accessed December 2, 2009.
7. "Urban Innovation." What is 22 @ Barcelona? Ajuntment de Barcelona, 2006, accessed December 1, 2009.