Passeig de Gràcia, Barcelona
Passeig de Gràcia (Catalan pronunciation: [pəˈsɛdʒ də ˈgɾasiə]) or Paseo de Gracia (Spanish pronunciation: [paˈseo de ˈɡɾaθja]) is one of the major avenues in Barcelona (Catalonia, Spain) and one of its most important shopping and business areas, containing several of the city's most celebrated pieces of architecture. It is located in the central part of Eixample, stretching from Plaça Catalunya to Carrer Gran de Gràcia.[1]
Passeig de Gràcia is regarded as the most expensive street in Barcelona and in Spain.[2]
History
Formerly known as Camí de Jesús ("Jesus Road"), the Passeig de Gràcia was originally little more than a quasi-rural lane surrounded by gardens joining Barcelona and Gràcia, which was then still a separate town. This was still the case at the time of the first urbanisation project in 1821, which was devised by the liberal city council, and led by Ramon Plana. This project had to be cancelled due to the epidemics that were raging in Barcelona at the time.
After the demise of the liberal government with the return of Absolutism in 1824, the project was taken up again by general José Bernaldo de Quirós, marquis of Campo Sagrado. The new avenue was 42 metres (138 ft) wide in 1827 and became a favourite place for aristocrats to display their horse riding skills and expensive horse-drawn carriages all through the 19th century.
In 1906 the architect Pere Falqués i Urpí designed the avenue's now famous ornate benches and street-lights. By that time it had become Barcelona's most fashionable street, with buildings designed by modernista/Art Nouveau architects of fame such as Antoni Gaudí, Pere Falqués, Josep Puig i Cadafalch, Lluís Domènech i Montaner, Enric Sagnier and Josep Vilaseca.[1]
The government of the Basque Country (Eusko Jaurlaritza) was based in Passeig de Gràcia, 60 during the Spanish Civil War. The Catalan poet Salvador Espriu resided in Casa Fuster (Passeig de Gràcia, 132).
Notable buildings
- Illa de la Discòrdia
- Casa Amatller by Josep Puig i Cadafalch (1890-1900)[1]
- Casa Batlló by Antoni Gaudí (1904-1906)[1]
- Casa Lleó Morera by Lluís Domènech i Montaner (1902-1906)[1]
- Museu del Perfum
- Cases Antoni Rocamora by Josep Bassegoda i Amigó (1914-1917)
- Casa Bonaventura Ferrer by Pere Falqués i Urpí (1906)
- Casa Fuster by Josep Puig i Cadafalch (1908-1911)
- Casa Milà "La Pedrera" by Antoni Gaudí (1905-1910)[1]
- Casa Pons i Pascual by Enric Sagnier (1891)
- Casa Ramon Casas by Antoni Rovira i Rabassa (1898)
- Hotel Majestic (Barcelona) (1918)
- Palau Robert (1903)
- Teatre Tívoli
- Jardins de Salvador Espriu
Transportation
- Passeig de Gràcia (Barcelona Metro)
- Diagonal (Barcelona Metro)
- Passeig de Gràcia train station
- Bus
See also
- Ildefons Cerdà
- Modernisme
- Noucentisme
- Street names in Barcelona
- Urban planning of Barcelona
- List of streets in Eixample
Hotels
- Hotel Majestic. Opened as a hotel in 1918 and owned by the Soldevila family.
- Mandarin Oriental
References
- ^ a b c d e f "Passeig de Gràcia". Turisme de Barcelona. Retrieved 2013-12-10.
- ^ "Ranking de las calles comerciales más caras de españa en 2010" [Ranking of the most expensive shopping streets in Spain in 2010] (in Spanish). idealista.com. Retrieved 2012-07-29.
Bibliography
- ALBAREDA, Joaquim, GUÀRDIA, Manel i altres.Enciclopèdia de Barcelona, Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana, Barcelona, 2006.
External links
- Photo album from Pobles de Catalunya
- Passeig de Gràcia in detail at Gencat.net
- Modernisme in Barcelona - Passeig de Gràcia
- What to visit in the Eixample
- Photo album from Barcelona Tourist Guide
- v
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structures
- Ancient synagogue
- Arc de Triomf
- Arenas de Barcelona
- Avinguda Diagonal
- Barcelona Cathedral
- Barcelona Pavilion
- Barcelona Royal Shipyard
- Basilica of Our Lady of Mercy
- Basilica of Saint Joseph Oriol
- Basilica of Saints Justus and Pastor
- Basilica of the Immaculate Conception
- Bellesguard
- Casa Amatller
- Casa Batlló
- Casa Bonaventura Ferrer
- Casa Bonet
- Casa Calvet
- Casa de les Punxes
- Casa Lleó Morera
- Casa Martí
- Casa Milà
- Casa Vicens
- Castle of the Three Dragons
- City Hall
- Columbus Monument
- Diagonal Zero Zero
- Dona i Ocell
- Els Quatre Gats
- Estació de França
- Fabra Observatory
- Font de Canaletes
- Forum Building
- Fossar de les Moreres
- Hospital de Sant Pau
- Hotel Arts
- Hotel Melia Barcelona Sky
- La Boqueria
- La Monumental
- Library of Catalonia
- Magic Fountain of Montjuïc
- Mercat del Born
- Monastery of Pedralbes
- Montjuïc Castle
- Montjuïc Communications Tower
- Old Hospital de la Santa Creu
- Palau de la Generalitat de Catalunya
- Palau del Parlament de Catalunya
- Palau Güell
- Palau Nacional
- Royal Palace of Pedralbes
- Palau Reial Major
- Palau Robert
- Poble Espanyol
- Port Olímpic
- Port Vell
- Sagrada Família
- Santa Maria del Mar
- Santa Maria del Pi
- Temple Expiatori del Sagrat Cor
- Torre de Collserola
- Torre Glòries
- Venetian Towers
- Virreina Palace
- World Trade Center Barcelona
- Archaeology Museum of Catalonia
- Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art
- CaixaForum Barcelona
- Can Framis Museum
- Centre d'Art Santa Mònica
- Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona
- CosmoCaixa Barcelona
- FC Barcelona Museum
- Fundació Antoni Tàpies
- Fundació Joan Miró
- Gabinet de les Arts Gràfiques
- Gaudí House Museum
- Jardí Botànic de Barcelona
- Juan Antonio Samaranch Olympic and Sports Museum
- Maritime Museum
- Museu Barbier-Mueller d'Art Precolombí
- Museu de la Música
- Museu de la Xocolata
- Museu de les Arts Decoratives
- Museu Frederic Marès
- Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya
- Museu Picasso
- Museu Tèxtil i d'Indumentària
- Museum of the History of Barcelona
- Museum of the History of Catalonia
- Perfume Museum
- Vil·la Joana