El Born District

While although I missed this field trip due to traveling (AMSTERDAM!) I have visited the area many times before and went back on my own in a better attempt to answer the questions.

1. Guild street examples in the Born district consist of Carrer de Sant Antoni dels Sombrerers is the street that hat makers usually were located and others Carrer de Cotoners, or the cotton maker street, Fusteria for carpenters, and Carrer dels Espaseria for swordsmiths. The streets dedicated to the guilds were smaller side streets and mainly one guild was located per street. Within that street was where the the guilds operated, ate, lived, and spent most of their free time.

2. Casa de Tallers was the house work shop located within the Born District. It was a traditional house and was where the shop owner lived within the shop he operated. Typically the shop keeper lived on the floor above the shop along with his family in order to keep the shop well maintained because their life was dedicated to the shop. Then on the next level was where the apprentices or interns to the guild would live as back in the day they didn’t have elevators and many people wanted to be on the closest level. Finally, on the third or last level depending on the house would be where the servants lived if the shop owner had any.

3. Buildings in El Born were either really plain with no architectural distinction, or they were overly dramatic. It seemed that most of the buildings and walls were made strictly of stone and all the roads were very narrow and hidden. Iron began coming more common during the Industrial Revolution, which I noticed, if railings were present on a building such as on a balcony, they were usually made from some sort of metal.

4. In regards to the Santa María del Mar, the church was built by the workers for the workers…according to the Barcelona book from class. It is located in the Born district and is considered Catalan gothic architecture. It was dedicated to the patron saint of local fisherman and most able-bodied workers worked on the church. It took between 1329-1383 to build and contains the actual bones of Santa Maria del Mar within the Cathedral. El mercat consists of iron which is obvious from the Industrial Revolution and it symbolizes the commercial growth within the Catalan community. The Fossar de les Moreres is a memorial and a plaza that is dedicated to those Catalan militia that have fallen and is greatly tied with the War of the Spanish Succession which involved the fight for the Spanish Crown. Finally in regards to the Spanish Succession, La Ciutadella Park was built in order to protect the city of Barcelona and enclose the community. It was built by Phillip V who didn’t realize the effects of the park and how it left many of Barcelona’s population homeless.

5. After September 11th, 1714, there were many changes that occurred within the Catalan society due to Phillip V’s proclamation regarding Catalonia and  the Nova Planta. In modern day Catalonia, September 11th is a day of celebration and reminds themselves that Barcelona was lost and Catalonia lost their independence and liberties. They celebrate to do so not only to remind themselves that they once had their own laws but that they could still secede again today.

6. Consolat del Mar or Consulate of the Sea in English, was a judicial group that was set up during the Aragonese rule to create laws and administer marine laws. In today’s time, the Catalan phrase is in regard to the Chamber of Commerce.

Exploring the Roman Forum

1. In comparison to todayʼs buildings the Romanʼs had a significant influence on the styles used. Throughout Barcelona, columns are displayed in many buildings, many of the roads are tight and cobbled, and some of the walls are built from each individual stone. Although there are no public baths in Barcelona today (thankfully enough), below in the ruins I was able to see an old public bath which was smaller than I had expected but still with great detail.

2. While walking on Carrer de Pietat, in the back of the Church you see gargoyles that defend and ward off evil spirits from entering in the Church. This one church here is an example of monotheism as they only worship one god here. However, in Roman times they believed in Polytheism and worshiped many gods, like the two statued god/goddesses above, and used different tools and the artifacts shown above to worship them.

3. Roman architecture is popular today all over the world, most commonly in Europe, and especially in Barcelona. The most noticeable similarities are when a building as giant arches, columns, and intricate detail. I most commonly notice. in both Barcelona and in the United States, giant marble columns, molding and sculpture of the top of the buildings, and even statues throughout the common parks. Romanʼs also designed their streets with a center, creating a round about effect, and that is common in Barcelona as well as in greater cities such as New York. The larger cities in the United States are where Romanesque architecture can most likely be found.

4. Needles for sewing, jewelry, make-up and perfume bottles, games and gambling chips, pots and bowls. I was personally very intrigued by the make-up and perfume bottles as well as the gambling artifacts. I thought it was interesting that they were able to formulate make-up and perfume as well as have such a great desire to be beautiful. I was also surprised by gambling just because I believed that the only people that would gamble would be those with an elite status but it seemed there that games and gambling were played throughout the city.

5. The Romans cultured wine in barrels and bowls in the underground city. The Romans influenced the Catalan wine process greatly as wine was then later turned out to be a huge export for the Romans. Wine was used to help ease the conversion process of the Spanish to Christianity because it was something that the Spanish along with many other people liked to do…drink wine. Today wine is still very popular in Catalunya including cava, which is a sparkling wine, as well as well as the simple still red wine.

El Raval

Before Spring Break we had the opportunity to travel to the Raval area of Barcelona. While it took me a while to find the group as I was having a frantic morning…running late…took a cab to Las Ramblas…and proceeded to search up and down until I thankfully found the class, the field trip was quite enjoyable. I had travelled to the area previously with another class, Contemporary Architecture to be specific, and I was in awe with the area and how although there is a gentrification in process, the area is still run down.

1. Regarding spaces for public use in Raval, the area had a history of being poor and overcrowded with a lower class of people especially immigrants. Due to the urban reformation process, the area now has more squares and areas to hang out for example the square around the MACBA museum or near the Filmoteca. The people in the area have a tendency to be immigrants because previously in history it was an area where the immigrants where able to all migrate and live in the same area and speak their same language especially if they didn’t speak Spanish. The urban reformation has allowed for better housing and vegetation including trees along the areas as well making the area more enjoyable to pass time in. The stores within the neighborhood are mainly smaller shops and bazaars that relate the ethnicity of the area meaning all the Pakistani stores and restaurants are in one area and Chinese for example could be on the other side.

2. Raval on the city map is divided by Las Ramblas and is located near the shipyards and beach of Barcelona. Due to it’s proximity to the port, the Raval was often consumed by prostitution and was known for it as many of the sailors and shipyard workers would come into port and it was easily accessible. It is located in the heart of Barcelona in the zone Parallel. El Raval, located on the opposite side of Las Ramblas as the Gothic Quarter, it was the area industrialization, because that was not allowed in the Gothic area but was often over come with crime and drug trafficking.

3. Public Buildings include the following:

Barcelona Museum for Contemporary Art (MACBA): which is the contemporary art museum of Barcelona is a large glass building with a square area in the center where there is a tapas bar and is local hang out for many skateboarders.

Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona: is an area within the Raval  which is a common area for festivals within Barcelona and used to be an old church and has pieces still within the building.

The University: offers classes and free lectures to students and the public and is a great place to go to if you are interested in the knowing what the youth population is learning about today.

I think that the area within el Raval was planned for youth because these buildings are all fairly newer and part of the gentrification project and I believe that they are trying to make the area a newer area with a new population to get the area away from the crime stereotype. In order to do so they have to attract the youth as the youth is the future of Barcelona.

4. Within the neighborhood I see that the area definitely contains a lot of history as many of the buildings are worn down or newly renovated. The area is starting to reform itself with minor restaurants and bars within the areas creating a livelier feel and attracting the youth. As we explored deeper in the Raval, the shops became popular and more well known which I think helps to make the neighborhood more entertaining and adds a safer environment for tourism due to the reconstruction of the area.

5. In conclusion, I think that the Raval district of Barcelona has become one of the centers of alternative culture in Europe because of the number of people that migrated to the area in the 1900s. The Raval was an area that made it easier for those who didn’t speak Spanish to live amongst one another in their own mini neighborhood. Nicknamed Barrio Chino…or Chinatown, the Raval had a high ethnic population consisting mainly of asian and indian people. Even today when you walk through the Raval you see the history of the old worn down buildings and the foreign shops surronding the neighborhood. Barcelona has recently instilled a gentrification process to better the neighborhood and make the area a lower crime and drug trafficking risk. The process has bettered and reformed the neighborhood and I am interested in seeing how it will continue.

My Neighborhood:

I live in the Gracia neighborhood of Barcelona. Gracia is district 6 of the 10 districts of Barcelona.  Andrew and I are specifically located in the neighborhood Vila de Gracia which was the main center of Old Town Gracia. I am located at the top Passeig Sant Joan which was built in 1975 near Travessera de Gracia and Andrew Gordon, my partner on the project is on Carrer Verdi which is closer to Carrer  Gran de Gracia. We are about a 10 minute walk away from each other and share the street Travessera de Gracia. I personally loved this project as it opened my eyes to new areas within my neighborhood that I have never even seen before and it also helped me to understand the history behind my neighborhood. I fell in love with Gracia and enjoy my daily walks around the neighborhood and down Passeig Sant Joan on the way to school. I find that I am surrounded by families and the elderly which gives the neighborhood a feeling of comfort and safety. Below is the link to my presentation which consists of the history behind my neighborhood and the pictures of what it looks like whether it’s of streets, monuments, or local bars and restaurants. Everything is normally located in the squares within Vila de Gracia…not much around Passeig de Sant Joan. There are a lot of small shops with great deals and many tapas restaurants or take away food. There is a large shopping area on Carrer Gran de Gracia which is often very populated. Bars are small and normally for a place to get a drink or two, but not to really party.  There are two movie theaters that play movies in English!

The area is also home to many tourist attractions including those of Gaudi, Parc Guell and Casa Vincens.

CASA VICENS

Took 5 years before construction began in 1929. Manuel Vicens inherited the land from his mother who placed Gaudi as the architect. The house now resides in the Jover family who was the grandfather of the previous owners. Originally was just supposed to be house and garden but later built in ground floors, a waterfall, and a wall on a piece of land.

PARC GUELL

Parc Guell was orignially designed to be a real estate project however it failed because only two of the houses of the 60 were actually built and the common services never existed. It is now a public park visited by many tourists daily and over looks the city of Barcelona.

We lucked out that the library within our neighborhood is so close to both of us and it is very populated. Below are some facts:

Designed in 2002 to be the local library of Vila de Gracia

5 floors 1,029 meters

Free Wifi & Computer access

Different floors for music, children, and research, with a bottom floor for internet and quiet area.

It has multimedia and multipurpose rooms, book clubs, and accomodations for special needs.

We found that the employees were really nice and helpful, and the library was generally clean and quiet…except for the toddler throwing a fit. The people at the library ranged from students, children, and the elderly.  They even have a mobile app to view the calendar of the city libraries and what events are going on during the week.

Below is the link to the presentation regarding the Gracia neighborhood:

 

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Qpd1L8mz7SN_N7SiwYWDPwikFmYB6FOGSxa8lzYPgco/edit?usp=sharing

 

 

Carnival

One of the culture experiences I had in Spain was the opportunity to travel down to Sitges for Carnival! I went with a group of my friends and we all took a private bus down and had a great time. It was fun because the day of we were all frantically running around looking for costumes and when I went to the costume shop it was filled with other students all trying to do the same thing. My friends costumes all varied any where from a lady bug, to wigs, to random face paint, to Joker costumes from Bat Man. It was interesting in Sitges seeing how there wasn’t an open container law and everyone was walking around holding alcohol. Everyone around us was belligerently drunk and people were partying up and down the streets. The night took a turn for the worse however when it came time to find the bus back. I spent about 2 hours of my time there searching the streets attempting to speak spanish and find my way back…thankfully enough I did and I didn’t have to take an 80 euro cab ride home like some of my friends did!

Kidnapping of Ukrainian patriots has Russia’s full support, says Kiev

Vladimir Rybak, Ukranian patriot, was last seen alive Thursday, April 17th but now that he is missing many Ukranians are beginning to blame Russia and the under cover agents currently in the country. According to the article, “According to friends, Rybak, who was 42, made no secret of his strong anti-separatist views. “He was entirely open – and at times impulsive.  His body was recently found 60 miles away near a river. It was obvious that he was tortured and stabbed to death. The gruesome case is the latest in a string of kidnappings and murders in eastern Ukraine which Kiev blames on Russia and its undercover agents

FC Barcelona able to sign players after ban

FC Barcelona will be able to sign players this summer if the current transfer ban is appealed. The club was recently banned for two seasons due to signing minors overseas illegally. The team has appealed and Fifa has announced the ban will be suspended until the disciplinary process is completed. FC Barcelona was sanctioned by FIFA’s disciplinary committee on April 2 for breaking the rules in the case of 10 under-18 players and punished with a transfer embargo for two transfer windows and a very large fine. The team will now be able to trade and transfer players and  people are beginning to question if Messi will be traded. 

 

 

 

Rafael Nadal wins match over Albert Ramos in Barcelona

Nadal won his 40th consecutive win at the Barcelona Open for tennis in which was seen as a recovery over his loss last week in Monte Carlo. He has only loss in Barcelona came on his debut in 2003 as a 15-year-old against Alex Corretja. Nadal was made to work hard against fellow Spaniard Ramos, ranked 103rd, and said: “After losing in the Monte Carlo, I wanted to raise my game here. It just took a while” stated Nadal.  

Prague

Yay another weekend traveling! I was so excited to go and visit Prague in the Czech Republic as it has always been on my bucket list as a place to go and visit. Needless to say I fell in love. At first I wasn’t hesitant on going to Prague the weekend I did because it was over the huge concert AbroadFest where students from all over Europe come to experience, however, I didn’t really want to pay to go to Opium, a club I have spent way to much money and time at this semester.

We lucked out that when we went to Prague, our friends who were studying there came here for AbroadFest for the weekend so we met up and switched keys giving us all a free place to stay and their apartment was gorgeous it was in a nice central neighborhood and there was plenty around us. We spent the majority of our days exploring the city whether it was walking across the Charles Bridge or Old Town Square where we saw the famous clock tower. We of course also had to walk up the hill to see the Prague Castle which the views from the top were amazing…and to top off the final tourist destination…we of course had to see the John Lennon Wall (which was a lot smaller than I was expecting.

The food in Prague was surprisingly amazing…I fell in love with this Thai restaurant called Lemon Leaf. They had the best pad thai and I ordered this fruit tea that was one of the best drinks I’ve ever had and I would kill to have the recipe. Street food was found on every corner which was very dangerous. They had hot dogs that were some form of sausage ( I don’t even want to know what kind of meat) that they put in a baguette and it was by far the best hot dog ever and I probably had about 20 the whole time. At night we did a pub crawl and then went to a bar where the beer tap is at the table and it was nice to have a relaxing weekend and avoid the club scene. Prague became one of my favorite places in the world and I really hope I can return soon.

FC Barcelona Game

Founded in 1899 by a mixed group of footballers with the leader being Joan Gamper, Barça or the Futbol Club Barcelona was created and became one of the largest symbols of Catalan culture in Barcelona. It is one of the world’s richest football teams and is supported by the people of Barcelona worth about $2.6 billion dollars. FC Barcelona has won 84 titles making it the most successful club in Spain and is currently in the race for being the winner of La Liga. It is one of the most supported teams and futbol teams in the world with one of the largest fan bases in the world. It’s not surprising that FC Barcelona has one of the largest fan bases in the world because back in 2010 they had their three top players, Lionel Messi, Andrés Iniesta, Xavier Hernández i Creus (Xavi) named the best futbol players in the world. 

I personally find it ironic that Messi is one of the symbols of the team and for Barcelona and the Catalan culture because of how amazing he is considering he isn’t even from Barcelona. Lionel Messi was born in Argentina in 1987, plays forward for the team, and is also the captain of FC Barcelona. He has become the youngest player to score 200 goals in La Liga (5 of which he scored in one match setting another record) and is ranked as the best player in the world and possibly one of the greatest football players of all time. He helped play for Argentina in the FIFA World Cup back in 2005 and he even won an Olympic Gold Medal with the team. It’s easy to say that Messi is easily one of the most marketable athletes in the world. 

FC Barcelona’s rival is easily Real Madrid and throughout the city you can see and feel the rivalry on game day. Unfortunately the game this year was in Madrid so I was unable to attend because I feel like that game would be an awesome one to watch live. Instead my friends and I decided to a local bar within our neighborhood, I live near Vila de Gracia, to watch the game. We ended up at a bar called Zoo and it was a cute and quaint bar filled with tons of locals and a little fooseball table which was very entertaining during breaks. The game was a close game but FC Barcelona game out on top and it was very entertaining to watch the groups of people chant throughout the neighborhood. 

On this past Sunday, March 3 I went to the FC Barcelona game with CEA against Almeria. We were so lucky to have front row seats although we missed the first half of the game due to staying at a bar near the stadium for too long and losing track of time. The stadium had such a riveting atmosphere due to the powerful energy coming from the team but most importantly the fans. My friends love taking selfies so it was very interesting when they began taking selfies at the front of the stadium, we ended up having multiple people ask to be in our picture in a form of mockery.