CROMO BRILLANTE

BARCELONA

BARCELONA IS THE CAPITAL OF CATALONIA. IT IS THE SECOND CITY MOST POPULATED IN SPAIN WITH APPROXIMATELY 1.615.448 HABITANTS IN 2011.

IN 2012, 7.440.113 TOURIST VISITS BARCELONA.

IN BARCELONA WAS CELEBRATED THE UNIVERSAL EXPO IN 1888, THE SUMMER OLIMPIC GAMES IN 1992 AND THE INTERNATIONAL EXPO IN 1929.

BARCELONA HAVE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PORT OF THE MEDITERRANIAN SEA.

SAGRADA FAMILIA

THE BASÍLICA I TEMPLE EXPIATORI DE LA SAGRADA FAMÍLIA  IS A LARGE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH IN BARCELONA, SPAIN, DESIGNED BY CATALAN ARCHITECT ANTONI GAUDÍ (1852–1926). ALTHOUGH INCOMPLETE, THE CHURCH IS A UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE, AND IN NOVEMBER 2010 POPE BENEDICT XVI CONSECRATED AND PROCLAIMED IT A MINOR BASILICA, AS DISTINCT FROM A CATHEDRAL WHICH MUST BE THE SEAT OF A BISHOP. THOUGH CONSTRUCTION OF SAGRADA FAMÍLIA HAD COMMENCED IN 1882

BUT IS NOT FINISHED YET.

PARQUE GÜELL

, PARK GÜELL  IS A GARDEN COMPLEX WITH ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS SITUATED ON THE HILL OF EL CARMEL IN THE GRÀCIA DISTRICT OF BARCELONA, CATALONIA, SPAIN. IT WAS DESIGNED BY THE CATALAN ARCHITECT ANTONI GAUDÍ AND BUILT IN THE YEARS 1900 TO 1914. IT HAS AN EXTENSION OF 17.18 HA (0.1718 KM²), WHICH MAKES IT ONE OF THE LARGEST ARCHITECTURAL WORKS IN SOUTH EUROPE. IT IS PART OF THE UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE "WORKS OF ANTONI GAUDÍ”

MUSEUMS

THE MUSEU NACIONAL D'ART DE CATALUÑA ABBREVIATED AS MNAC, IS THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF CATALAN VISUAL ART LOCATED IN BARCELONA. SITUATED ON MONTJUÏC HILL AT THE END OF AVINGUDA DE LA REINA MARIA CRISTINA, NEAR PL ESPANYA. THE MUSEUM IS ESPECIALLY NOTABLE FOR ITS OUTSTANDING COLLECTION OF ROMANESQUE CHURCH PAINTINGS, AND FOR CATALAN ART AND DESIGN FROM THE LATE 19TH AND EARLY 20TH CENTURIES, INCLUDING MODERNISME AND NOUCENTISME

PALAU GÜELL

THE PALAU GÜELL ) IS A MANSION IN BARCELONA, CATALONIA, SPAIN DESIGNED BY THE CATALAN ARCHITECT ANTONI GAUDÍ FOR THE CATALAN INDUSTRIAL TYCOON EUSEBI GÜELL.

IT IS PART OF THE UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE "WORKS OF ANTONI GAUDÍ".

THE HOME IS CENTERED ON A MAIN ROOM FOR ENTERTAINING HIGH SOCIETY GUESTS. GUESTS ENTERED THE HOME IN HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGES THROUGH THE FRONT IRON GATES, WHICH FEATURED A PARABOLIC ARCH AND INTRICATE PATTERNS OF FORGED IRON-WORK RESEMBLING SEAWEED AND IN SOME PARTS A HORSEWHIP. ANIMALS COULD BE TAKEN DOWN A RAMP AND KEPT IN THE LIVERY STABLE IN THE BASEMENT WHERE THE SERVANTS RESIDED, WHILE THE GUESTS WENT UP THE STAIRS TO THE RECEIVING ROOM. THE ORNATE WALLS AND CEILINGS OF THE RECEIVING ROOM DISGUISED SMALL VIEWING WINDOWS HIGH ON THE WALLS WHERE THE OWNERS OF THE HOME COULD VIEW THEIR GUESTS FROM THE UPPER FLOOR AND GET A 'SNEAK PEEK' BEFORE GREETING THEM, IN CASE THEY NEEDED TO ADJUST THEIR ATTIRE ACCORDINGLY.

CASA MILA

CASA MILA IS A BUILDING DESIGNED BY THE CATALAN ARCHITECT ANTONI GAUDÍ AND BUILT DURING THE YEARS 1906–1912,

IT WAS A CONTROVERSIAL DESIGN AT THE TIME FOR THE BOLD FORMS OF THE UNDULATING STONE FACADE AND WROUGHT IRON DECORATION OF THE BALCONIES AND WINDOWS, DESIGNED LARGELY BY JOSEP MARIA JUJOL, WHO ALSO CREATED SOME OF THE PLASTER CEILINGS.

ARCHITECTURALLY IT IS CONSIDERED AN INNOVATIVE WORK FOR ITS STEEL STRUCTURE AND CURTAIN WALLS – THE FAÇADE IS SELF-SUPPORTING. OTHER INNOVATIVE ELEMENTS WERE THE CONSTRUCTION OF UNDERGROUND CAR PARKING AND SEPARATE LIFTS AND STAIRS FOR THE OWNERS AND THEIR SERVANTS.

IN 1984, IT WAS DECLARED A WORLD HERITAGE SITE BY UNESCO,

CASA VICENS

CASA VICENS IS A FAMILY RESIDENCE IN BARCELON DESIGNED BY ANTONI GAUDÍ AND BUILT FOR INDUSTRIALIST MANUEL VICENS. IT WAS GAUDÍ'S FIRST IMPORTANT WORK. IT WAS ADDED TO THE UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE "WORKS OF ANTONI GAUDÍ" IN 2005.

IT WAS BUILT IN THE PERIOD 1883-1889 AND IS LOCATED AT CARRER DE LES CAROLINES 24, IN THE GRÀCIA DISTRICT OF BARCELONA. THE SITE WAS SMALL (SMALLER TODAY AFTER THE WIDENING OF THE STREET) COMPARED TO SIMILAR HOMES IN THE AREA. NEVERTHELESS, THE HOUSE IS SIZEABLE, MEASURING SOME 1,160 M² ON FOUR LEVELS.

THIS EARLY WORK EXHIBITS SEVERAL INFLUENCES, MOST NOTABLY THE MOORISH (OR MUDÉJAR) INFLUENCE, PARTICULARLY EVIDENT AT THE TOP. THE HOUSE IS CONSTRUCTED OF UNDRESSED STONE, ROUGH RED BRICKS, AND COLORED CERAMIC TILES IN CHECKERBOARD AND FLORAL PATTERNS. THE OWNER, MANUEL VICENS, WAS THE OWNER OF A BRICK AND TILE FACTORY, SO THE CERAMIC TILES PAY TRIBUTE TO HIS BUSINESS. THE YELLOW, ZINNIA-FLOWERED TILE, DESIGNED BY GAUDÍ, WAS MANUFACTURED BY VICENS.

ARC DE TRIOMF

THE ARC DE TRIOMF IS AN ARCH IN THE MANNER OF A MEMORIAL OR TRIUMPHAL ARCH IN BARCELONA (CATALONIA, SPAIN). IT WAS BUILT AS THE MAIN ACCESS GATE FOR THE 1888 BARCELONA WORLD FAIR BY ARCHITECT JOSEP VILASECA I CASANOVAS.

THE ARCH IS BUILT IN REDDISH BRICKWORK IN THE NEO-MUDÉJAR STYLE. THE FRONT FRIEZE CONTAINS THE STONE SCULPTURE BARCELONA REP LES NACIONS (CATALAN FOR "BARCELONA WELCOMES THE NATIONS") BY JOSEP REYNÉS. THE OPPOSITE FRIEZE CONTAINS A STONE CARVING ENTITLED RECOMPENSA (RECOMPENSE), A WORK FROM JOSEP LLIMONA'S THE EARLIEST PERIOD, REPRESENTING THE GRANTING OF AWARDS TO THE PARTICIPANTS IN THE WORLD EXPOSITION. THE FRIEZES ALONG THE SIDES OF THE ARCH INCLUDE ALLEGORIES OF AGRICULTURE AND INDUSTRY, WORKS BY ANTONI VILANOVA, AND OF TRADE AND ART BY TORQUAT TASSÓ.

SANTA MARIA DEL MAR

SANTA MARIA DEL MAR IS AN IMPOSING CHURCH IN THE RIBERA DISTRICT OF BARCELONA, SPAIN, BUILT BETWEEN 1329 AND 1383 AT THE HEIGHT OF CATALONIA'S MARITIME AND MERCANTILE PREEMINENCE. IT IS AN OUTSTANDING EXAMPLE OF CATALAN GOTHIC, WITH A PURITY AND UNITY OF STYLE THAT ARE VERY UNUSUAL IN LARGE MEDIAEVAL BUILDING. HE FIRST MENTION OF A CHURCH OF SANTA MARIA BY THE SEA DATES FROM 998. THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE PRESENT BUILDING WAS PROMOTED BY THE CANON BERNAT LLULL, WHO WAS APPOINTED ARCHDEAN OF SANTA MARIA IN 1324. CONSTRUCTION WORK STARTED ON 25 MARCH 1329, WHEN THE FOUNDATION STONE WAS LAID BY KING ALFONSO IV OF ARAGON (III OF CATALONIA), AS COMMEMORATED BY A TABLET IN LATIN AND CATALAN ON THE FAÇADE.

PALAU REIAL MAJOR

THE PALAU REIAL MAJOR IS A COMPLEX OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS IN BARCELONA, CATALONIA, SPAIN. IT WAS A RESIDENCE OF THE COUNTS OF BARCELONA AND, LATER, OF THE KINGS OF ARAGON. IT IS COMPOSED OF THREE DISTINCT EDIFICES THE SALÓ DEL TINELL OCCUPIES THE INTERIOR OF THE ORIGINAL 11TH-CENTURY EDIFICE RECONSTRUCTED IN THE 14TH CENTURY UNDER THE DIRECTION OF GUILLEM CARBONELL. THE CHAPEL OF ST. AGATHA, IN CATALAN GOTHIC STYLE, WAS DESIGNED BY BERTRAN RIQUER TO ACT AS ROYAL CHAPEL, REPLACING THE PREVIOUS ORATORY. IT HAS AN OCTAGONAL TOWER FROM THE EARLY 14TH CENTURY, AND IT CONSISTS OF A SINGLE AISLE WITH A BARREL VAULTED CEILING, AND ENDS WITH A POLYGONAL APSE. THE SACRISTY IS BUILT WITHIN THE ANCIENT ROMAN WALLS. BY COMMISSION OF PETER V OF ARAGON (1463-1466), A FIREPLACE DECORATED BY JUAN CLAPERÓS WAS ADDED IN THE SALÓ DEL TINELL, AS WELL AS 60 TERRACOTTA TILES IN THE CHAPEL'S PAVEMENT, PORTRAYING ANGELS AND THE COATS OF ARMS OF ARAGON, AND THE ALTARPIECE OF THE EPIPHANY BY PAINTER JAUME HUGUET.