Barcelona blog

Sant Felip Neri Square

The Plaça de Sant Felip Neri is the most delightful square in Barcelona. Its peaceful, secret atmosphere belies its tragic history. When I arrived in Barcelona 20 years ago I was told that the pitted marks in the stone were from the bullets of Anarchist execution squads, who had shot priests against the wall here. This was a myth put out by the Francoist authorities. The story took time to die. It was an attempt to cover up the death of 153 people here when a bomb fell on the convent in the square on 30 January 1938. The church which had been turned into a makeshift orphanage and most of the victims were refugee children from Madrid. As the rescue workers pulled out the survivors from the building another bomb fell in the square, killing more. It was the second worst bombing atrocity to hit Barcelona during the war.

• Witness to bombing (video) Plaza de Sant Felip Neri

Architecture, Gothic Quarter, History of Barcelona, Places in Barcelona, Spanish Civil War in Barcelona, Squares of Barcelona | Tags: bombardeo de la Plaza de Sant Felip Neri, bombardment of Barcelona. aerial bombing during the Spanish Civil War, bombing of Sant Felip Neri, most beautiful square in Barcelona, Plaça de Sant Felip Neri|

Picasso’s Barcelona rooftops

Picasso painted a series of paintings of the roofs of Barcelona in 1902 and 1903. Superficiously, television antennes and satellite dishes aside, the roofs of the old city haven’t changed much. but these bleak and barren views are of another city.

Art, Barcelona painters, Gothic Quarter, Paintings of Barcelona | Tags: paintings of old Barcelona, Picasso in Barcelona|

Santa Maria del Mar door

By general consensus, Santa Maria del Mar is the most beautiful of Barcelona’s churches and an outstanding example of Catalan Gothic. One of its most interesting details are the twin figures on the front doors. They show the dockworkers or porters of La Ribera, who gave up their Sundays over several decades to carry stone from the Foixarda quarry on Montjuic to help build the church.

Architecture, Churches of Barcelona, Gothic Quarter | Tags: cantera de la Foixarda, Catalan Gothic, Foixarda quarry, Interesting buildings in Barcelona, La Ribera, Santa Maria del Mar|

Best rooftop bar-restaurant in Barcelona

La Miranda Del Museo is my favourite rooftop bar-restaurant in Barcelona. It is located between Barceloneta and the Gothic Quarter in the Palau de Mar, the only building which still survives from Barcelona’s Old Port. The first three floors of the building are taken up by the Museu de Historia de Catalunya. Take the lift up to the fourth floor. Superb views of Barcelona harbour, Montjuic and Tibidabo.

Mediterranean cusine specialised in seafood. A reasonably-priced lunch menu is available during the week. Cafeteria service is also offered during museum hours. A great place to admire the city with a coffee.

Details

• Address: Plaza Pau Vila, 3
  4th Floor, Attic
  08039 Barcelona
• Directions: Metro: L4 Barceloneta
• Prices (restaurant): €31 to 40
  
• Open: Tuesday-Saturday
• Telephone: 93 225 5007

Barceloneta, Bars, Directory, Food in Barcelona, Gothic Quarter, Interesting bars in Barcelona, Places in Barcelona, Restaurants in Barcelona | Tags: Barcelona's Old Port, Palau de Mar, restaurant with views of Barcelona harbour|