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City information: Interesting facts about Barcelona, ​​history, culture and more

Insights into the historical roots and cultural highlights of Barcelona


Here you will learn exciting and useful facts about Barcelona. We will take you on a journey through the 2000-year history of the city.

Who are the people living here? What languages do they speak, and which typical festivals, celebrations, and events should you not miss?

Barcelona's history traces back to Roman times around 200 BCE. By the way, Barcelona hosts the largest Roman excavations outside of Rome. We will also introduce you to some famous personalities.

Why is the Modernisme so important to Barcelona? And let's go high: the towers of the Castellers – an impressive spectacle!

What we particularly love: Spanish and Catalan recipes.

Barcelona's history from the Roman period to date

Barcelona's history: From Roman antiquity to today

The settlement history of Barcelona began in the second Century BC with Barcino, the largest known Roman settlement outside of Rome. But the Gothic and modernist eras have also left visible traces. Fortunately the legacies of the dismal period of Franco's dictatorship have been eliminated.
The history of Barcelona has also been shaped by the quest for independence and preservation of its own cultural identity.

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Modernism - Catalan art nouveau

Modernism in Barcelona: The architecture that shapes the city to this day

Experience the exciting history of Modernisme, the Catalan Art Nouveau style that has enriched Barcelona with breathtaking architectural highlights. Immerse yourself in the innovative buildings of this era and discover how tradition and modernity merge here.

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Famous personalities in the history of Barcelona

Famous personalities

Barcelona has produced many world famous personalities. In particular, artists and architects such as Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, Salvador Dali, Antoni Tàpies, Lluis Domènech i Montaner and the towering Anoni Gaudí.

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Superblocks, the urban development project in Barcelona

Barcelona will be great thanks to superblocks!

Barcelona - a city with many sights. "Green" and "sustainability" have not yet been associated with the city. The new concept for urban development is to use "superblocks" to reduce traffic and make it more environmentally friendly, and improve the quality of the air and life.

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Barcelona's languages

Barcelona's languages

In Catalonia, two official languages are spoken: Spanish and Catalan. Both are Roman languages. Catalan predominates in official areas such as universities and public authorities. In museums comments are always provided in two languages - in addition, of course, translations are also given in the languages of the guests. You can also download our phrasebook.
 

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Catalan recipes and tapas recipes

Catalonian recipes

Enjoy a taste of Barcelona and the Mediterranean with our typical Catalan and Spanish delicacies, which you can make at home. With our delicious tapas recipes, you can also experience the Spanish-Catalan lifestyle at home.

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Castellers - the human towers

Castellers, the human towers

This Catalan tradition's origin, to build human towers, dates back to the 18th century. The inhabitants of a small town of Valls, about 40 km west of Barcelona, started building the towers. The individual groups (colles) started to compete in sporting events. Not only the building itself was invented, but also the competition. The highest and most daring constructions are up to nine stories high. You can find Castells on almost every folk festival.

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