Plaça de Catalunya

Coordinates: 41°23′12″N 2°10′12″E / 41.38667°N 2.17000°E / 41.38667; 2.17000
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Plaça de Catalunya

Plaça de Catalunya (pronounced

Barri Gòtic and Raval, in Ciutat Vella) and the 19th century-built Eixample
meet.

Some of the city's most important streets and avenues meet at Plaça Catalunya:

pigeons that gather in the centre. The square played a significant part in the Spanish Civil War, in particular as a site of key events of the May Days
.

History

After the medieval city walls were demolished in the 19th century, ambitious designs for the city's public spaces were conceived under the guidance of notable

urbanised for the first time in 1902 and was further modified in 1929, on the occasion of the 1929 Barcelona International Exposition, which also included the construction of a metro station. Architect Francesc de Paula Nebot
designed the changes made in 1929.

In May 2011 Plaça Catalunya was the main location where

sit ins
were held in Barcelona, mirroring the events in other Spanish cities.

Art

A Neoclassical equestrian statue

Sculpture

Main article: Sculptures in Plaça de Catalunya

Plaça Catalunya is the site of several notable public sculptures and monuments representative of

Neo-Classicism and different avant-garde
movements.

Decorative arts

The Barcelona Telephone Exchange (Edificio Telefónica) has four stained glass windows, designed in 1991, installed in the tower lantern. Commissioned from the artist Brian Clarke to commemorate the 1992 Olympic Games hosted by the city, the artworks were fabricated by the local Fundació Centre del Vidre, and conceived to function as a coloured beacon overlooking the square.

The mosaics that decorate the walls of the underground part of Plaça Catalunya were designed by pupils of Escola Massana.

Culture

Theatre

A few theatres have been established in Plaça Catalunya since its construction, none of which are extant.

  • Teatre del Bon Retir (1876-1885)
  • Circ Eqüestre Alegria (1879-1895)
  • Eldorado Concert (1887-1929)
  • Teatre Barcelona (1923-198-)

There still are, however, other theatres in the nearby area, located in other streets or squares.

Cafés and restaurants

The square in August 2014

Similarly, most of the cafés and restaurants where writers and artists would meet in the city haven't survived, with the notable exception of Café Zurich, where

Fabiola of Belgium's brother worked as a pianist. The following ones disappeared with the Spanish Civil War
:

  • Maison Dorée
  • Café Colón
  • La Lluna
  • Cafè Suís

Other services

Shopping centres

Hotels

  • H10 Catalunya Plaza
  • Hotel Monegal
  • Olivia Plaza Hotel
  • Hotel Urquinaona Hotel Urquinaona

Financial institutions

Foreign relations

  • Consulate of Canada, Second Floor, 9 Plaça de Catalunya.

Transport

Catalunya metro station
.
Setmana del Llibre en Català event held in the square.

The square is also one of Barcelona's most important transport hubs, both above and under ground.

Metro

The original

L3, operated by TMB. It's also served by two FGC
lines.

  • L7
    )
  • L4
    ).

Bus lines

Day bus

  • Bus 9 Pl. Catalunya - Pg. Zona Franca
  • Bus 14 Vil·la Olímpica - Pg. Bonanova
  • Bus 16 Urquinaona - Pg. Manuel Girona
  • Bus 17 Barceloneta - Av. Jordà
  • Bus 24 Av. Paral·lel - Carmel
  • Bus 28 Pl. Catalunya - Carmel
  • Bus 41 Pl. Francesc Macià - Diagonal Mar
  • Bus 42 Pl. Catalunya - Santa Coloma
  • Bus 55 Parc de Montjuïc - Plaça Catalana
  • Bus 58 Pl. Catalunya - Av. Tibidabo
  • Bus 59 Pg. Marítim - Plaça Reina Maria Cristina
  • Bus 66 Pl. Catalunya - Sarrià
  • Bus 67 Pl. Catalunya - Cornellà
  • Bus 68 Pl. Catalunya - Cornellà
  • Bus 141 Av. Mistral - Barri del Besòs
  • Aerobus
  • Liyver

Nitbus

Barcelona's night bus is known as Nitbus [es] and most of its lines serve Plaça Catalunya:

  • N1 Zona Franca (Mercabarna) - Pl. Catalunya - Roquetes (Aiguablava)
  • N2 Av. Carrilet - Pl. Catalunya - Badalona (Montigalà)
  • N3 Collblanc - Montcada i Reixac
  • N4 Via Favència - Pl. Catalunya - Gran Vista
  • N5 Pl. Catalunya - Gran Vista
  • N6 Barcelona (Roquetes) - Santa Coloma (Oliveres)
  • N7 Pl. Pedralbes - Pl. Llevant (Fòrum)
  • N8 Can Caralleu - Santa Coloma (Can Franquesa)
  • N9 Pl. Portal de la Pau - Tiana (Edith Llaurador)
  • N11 Barcelona (Pl. Catalunya) - H. Can Ruti
  • N12
  • N13
  • N14
  • N15
  • N16
  • N17
  • N18
  • N20
  • N28

Guided tours

Train

  • Barcelona Plaça Catalunya railway station

In popular culture

Plaça de Catalunya is a featured locale in the 2009 video game Wheelman, published by Midway Games.

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Plaça Catalunya.

References and external links

41°23′12″N 2°10′12″E / 41.38667°N 2.17000°E / 41.38667; 2.17000

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