North Districts, Barcelona

The Casa Vicens, situated in a narrow side-street off the Carrer Gran de Gràcia, was built by Gaudí between 1883 and 1888 for the ceramics manufacturer Manuel Vicens i Montaner and is one of the earliest of the architect's designs to be realized. The still largely linear conception shows the strong influence of the Moorish-Spanish architectural tradition, and this impression is strengthened by the generous use of tiled decoration. The property is separated from the street by a metal fence consisting of stylized fan palm leaves.

The large Sants railroad station is the terminus for all trains to the south. Here are situated the Expo Hotel and the dominating Torre Catalunya. The Plaça Països Catalans to the northeast has been designed in a rather unfortunate modern manner, and because of its large metal roof it has been disparagingly nicknamed the "gasolinera" ("petrol station"). However, the Parc de l'Espanya, to the southeast of the railroad buildings, fits quite well into its ultra-modern surroundings.Spaced-out seats of natural stone also serve as steps down to a small artificial lake and canal, where boats can be hired; a number of towers with flood-lighting stretch as far as the eye can see. Some very young trees are growing in the lawns, and there are courts for squash and basketball. A sports hall is being built.

At the beginning of the 20th century the Hospital de la Santa Creu i de Sant Pau took over what had been up to then the role of the ancient Hospital de la Santa Creu. To the north of the Sagrada Família, with which the site of the hospital is connected by the broad Avinguda de Gaudí, the architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner built a hospital complex which, in contradiction to established principles of construction, was not a unified single large building but combined on one single large site the various hospital departments, each housed in a pavilion and separated from the others by large expanses of grass. The buildings display characteristic modernistic facade decorations.

The Museu Clarà is situated in the select residential area of Sant Gervasi. The sculptor Josep Clarà (1889-1958) occupied the small property until his death; in 1969 the museum, which contains the most important examples of his work, was opened. The exhibits most worth seeing are the sculptures (statues, etc.), and also the paintings and graphics. A small section is devoted to souvenirs from his personal belongings and works by artists who had close ties of friendship with him. In the small garden are two marble blocks which form part of the artist's legacy and on which lines by the poet Joan Maragall have been chiselled.

The Collegi de les Teresianes is the parent convent of the sisterhood of Teresa, which takes its name from St Teresa of Avila (1515-82).The building of the college had already been started when in 1888 Antoni Gaudí was commissioned to complete it.Measured against other works by the architect the Collegi de les Teresianes is of unwonted sobriety - a concession to the rule of the order. The brick-built pointed arches of the facade, particularly on the top story, point to Gothic models.The buildings house a school and therefore access to the public is limited.

Where the abattoir (escorxador) once stood is now the Parc Joan Miró (also known as Parc de l'Escorxador). The park lies on two levels. The larger (lower) part adjoins the bullring; it has many rows of palm trees, together with bowling-greens and football pitches.

The Museu i Center d'Estudis de l'Esport is housed in a building, dating from the Modernistic period, which was used by Dr Melcior Colet as his consulting rooms and private clinic. In 1982 he made it into a foundation which bears his name and which serves the needs of sport and its cultural importance.Today the museum houses a variety of exhibitions on various sporting themes (mostly with Catalonian connections). In addition it is the headquarters of a scientific sports research institute.

As well as the one in the Museu de la Ciència Barcelona has another planetarium in the Carrer de les Escoles Pies. By means of complicated projection apparatus practically every conceivable phenomenom and constellation in the heavens can be portrayed. Computer technology facilitates impressive audio-visual simulations. Demonstrations are excellently supervised and accompanied by expert commentary.

The Museu d'Història de la Medicina de Catalunya houses in fourteen rooms some 2,500 exhibits illustrative of the principal developments in medical practice, especially in anatomy, epidemiology, physiology and bacteriology. Special exhibitions can be seen in the basement. The foundation which supports the museum also conducts specialist events for medical students.

The history of the Spanish comic is traced from the 19th century to the present. A wide variety of publications are also presented providing insight into the illustration industry.

The museum displays a variety of fossils, meteorites, local minerals, coprolites, a dinosaur egg and a Catalan palaeontology collection.

The forested topography of Guinardó Park is oriented towards the four cardinal points.

The Catalan Museum for the History of Pharmacy is part of the Faculty of Pharmacy.

Criminology Museum of the University Law Faculty.

Vehicle collection of the Municipal Department of Works.