Gothic Quarter, Barcelona Barri Gòtic

The Museu d'Holografia is the first of its kind in Spain. This little museum, resembling a gallery, is reached from the Plaça Sant Jaume through the Carrer Jaume I, where the entrance to the first building opens off on the left.Holography is a new achievement in three-dimensional pattern-producing techniques which only became fully practicable following the development of lasers. Objects wrapped in plastic sheets and subjected to interference between a coherent light-beam and light defracted from the same beam by the object produce a solid-looking picture (also in color). According to the position of the observer and the angle at which the light falls, the foreground and background appear to move closer or further away, various degrees of movement being detectable.The impression produced by the hologram set up on the first floor (be careful of the cross-beam in the stairwell!) is truly breathtaking: it may be a confusion of spiral springs and wood-shavings shooting out of the frame, a large flower springing towards the observer or the portrait of a Rocker who suddenly spits large splinters of glass out of his mouth - the illusion (without the need for special spectacles or anything like that) is complete.On the ground floor there is a large selection of holograms for sale, ranging from cheap plaques to larger items costing thousands of pesetas or more (up to 40 x 50cm/16 x 20in in size).

On the Carrer Montcada, a little way south of the Museu Picasso, stands the church of Santa Maria del Mar (1329-83), a triple-aisled Gothic edifice with no transept. After the Cathedral it is the most important ecclesiastical building in the city. It occupies the site of a Late Roman necropolis where, according to legend, St Eulalia was buried.A large rose-window opens above the richly decorated main door; the sumptuous interior gives an harmonious impression of space. Most of the stained glass dates from the 15th-17th C.; in the chapel near the left side door can be seen a black Madonna. Note also the stone bosses in the vaulting; the Coronation of Or Lady is depicted above the main altar. On the main altar stands a Gothic statue of the Madonna, and infront of it a model of an old trading ship. Below the raised chancel is the entrance to the crypt. The church is currently undergoing restoration work, so access cannot be guaranteed.

Opposite the Museu Picasso stands a 13th C. palace, now the home of the Museu Tèxtil i d'Indumentària. It possesses items from the Fourth C. A.D. onwards, as well as from regions inhabited by the Coptics (Egyptians), Moors and from the Christian West.The ticket office is in the pretty Renaissance inner courtyard, where there is a small display of dolls' clothes and fashion jewelry. The exhibition rooms begin on the first floor, and by following the signs the exhibits will be seen in chronological order. They include finery and sophisticated clothing from the 16th-18th C. as well as many accessories (shoes, handbags, capes); on the walls hang large tapestries. In Room 11 will be found an extensive group of sumptuous 18th C. garments and a display cabinet with shoes; in Room 12 there are similar items from the Empire and Biedermeier periods. Going up one set of stairs brings the visitor to some temporary exhibitions covering specialized subjects, as well as a weaving-loom and a model of same.

On the little Plaça del Pí in the old town stands the Gothic church of Santa Maria del Pí (Or Blessed Lady of the Pine Tree). The otherwise rather sober main facade is relieved by a pointed-arch doorway with a Gothic statue of the Madonna and by a large rose-window. The main tower and those on the front have no domes.The single-aisled, plain interior is flanked by chapels; the clerestory possesses stained glass windows from the 15th-18th C., those in the rose window being copies of the originals which were destroyed in 1936. Near the door to the sacristy lies the Gothic tomb of Arnau Ferre, who died in 1394 at the siege of Catania in Sicily.The treasury contains gold and silversmith work and other sacred art.

Opposite the Casa de la Ciutat, on the northwestern side of the Plaça de Sant Jaume, the main traffic junction in the Barri Gòtic, towers the former Palau de la Diputació, built in the 15th C. and once the seat of the medieval body of provincial representatives. Today it houses the Generalitat de Catalunya, the autonomous government of Catalonia.Well worth seeing is the imposing inner courtyard in the Gothic style; on the first floor is the Chapel of St George, also Gothic. At the back of the building lies the charming orangery.The inside of the building is open to the public on 23 April (feast day of Sant Jordi). It is also possible to visit on Saturday or Sunday, but a written request must be made at least fifteen days in advance. For further information about visits, inquire at any tourist office.To the north it adjoins the Audencia, once the court-house; the Carrer del Bisbe, leading to the Cathedral, is spanned by a charming Gothic building.

Opposite the main facade of the cathedral and on the far side of the Plaça Nova stands the Collegi d'Arquitectes (Society of Architects). The building, one of the first high rise blocks in the city, was erected in 1962. On the side overlooking the square there is a triptych of graffiti friezes based on sketches by Pablo Picasso. The middle section depicts the "Gegants" (larger-than-life human figures who are led out at popular festivals) and figures with palm branches; the left-hand section (on the Carrer dels Arcs) symbolizes the joy of life, while the right-hand section (on the Carrer dels Capellans) shows the "frieze of standards". Inside the building are two more wall paintings by Picasso.

On the southeast side of the Plaça de Sant Jaume, which forms the center of the Barri Gòtic, stands the Casa de la Ciutat. This magnificent building, which dates originally from the 14th C., possesses side facades which are still in part Gothic, while the main facade was rebuilt in 1847 by Josep Mas in the Neo-Classical style. The inner courtyard with its beautiful flight of steps is worth seeing.Inside the City Hall is the great Saló de Cent (council chamber; 14th C.) with wall hangings in the Catalan colors of red and yellow. There is also the Saló de les Cròniques with its marble flooring by Josep Maria Sert.

The Capella Santa Agata in Barcelona, built in the Gothic style on the old Roman town wall, and now a secular building, was once the royal palace chapel. It is also accessible via an open staircase.The single-naved interior contains a Gothic picture-altar, two Gothic gravestones high up and some priests' cells; the former sacristy has a large iron mechanical clock dating from the year 1576.The old windows in the choir and gallery show the various coats-of-arms of the counts of Barcelona.

The Palau Episcopal in the Barri Gòtic adjoins the cathedral on the west. It was first recorded as long ago as 926; the oldest parts of the present building date from the 12th, 13th and 15th C. Renovation work was carried out in 1883 and again in 1928. The two round towers on the Portal del Bisbe date from Roman times. The inner courtyard, with its Romanesque arcades, contains a modern statue of Or Lady from the Montserrat.

On the little Plaça de Felip Neri, to the southwest near the cathedral, stands a pretty Renaissance building which was once the headquarters of the municipal shoemakers' guild. It now houses the Museu d'Història del Calçat which shows, by means of a large collection of examples, the historical development of shoes and shoe-making mainly in Catalonia. There is also a display of shoes worn by famous people.

The Plaça del Rei (not to be confused with the Plaça Reial near the Ramblas), is one of the most beautiful squares in the old town. It is surrounded by splendid medieval buildings and is open to the narrow streets of the old town only on its southern side.

The Plaça de l'Angel is at the junction of Via Laietana and Carrer Jaume I, which leads from the Plaça de Sant Jaume and continues into Carrer de la Princesa. To the right, just off the wide main street leading to the southeast, can be seen remains of the old town wall, on which stands the Palau de Requesens.

The little Plaça del Pí leads to a glass-roofed shopping precinct with several streets crossing it; in the Barri del Pi, where it widens out, are a surprisingly large number of art, antique and jewelry shops.

The museum discusses the history and joys of chocolate. The exhibition takes you from the discovery of the cocoa bean by New World explorers, to commercialization, and chocolate as an art form.

The Barbier-Mueller Museum of pre-Columbian art has one of the most extensive collections of pre-Columbian art and is considered one of the most prestigious. On display are sculptures, ceramics, textiles, and ritual objects.

Built in the 16th century, the Palau Centelles is a Gothic structure which features flamboyant openings in the façade and a Gothic staircase covered by a portico in the courtyard.

Church of Sans Just i Pastor has a single nave and features reliefs on the keystones of the vaults.

The Museu Diocesà de Barcelona possesses a collection of religious art, mainly from the diocesan area, including some remarkable Romanesque works.

The 13th century Palau Moixó well-preserves the original feel of the Gothic quarter. It is to the east of the Church of Sans Just i Pastor.

This square near the Palacio Episcopal was once a cemetery in the middle ages. Flanking the square is a baroque church constructed in 1752.

Plaça de Ramon Berenguer el Gran features Roman walls and a broken section of the old Palau Reial Major.