Alex Elert
The Hated Ciutadella
Construction on the Ciutadella began after the Catalonians were defeated in the War of Spanish Succession in 1714. The Cuitadella was meant to tower over Barcelona and control the citizens of Barcelona (instead of protecting the city from outside threats like most fortresses). The Cuitadella was finished in 1718 under the guidance of King Philip V and the Bourban dynasty (based in Madrid). In order to complete the construction and make room for the fortress, the Castilian forces destroyed the Ribera district of Barcelona. As a result, 1200 houses were destroyed and the inhabitants were all forced to relocate in the newly-constructed area on the beach called Barceloneta. This fortress was the source of much animosity for years as it represented the suppression of the Catalans by the Castilians. After about a century of oppression, the Ciutadella was destroyed by the Catalans and it was converted into a park which hosted the 1888 World Exhibition.
While the Ciutadella has been played a very influential role in the history of Barcelona, it still affects the people of modern day Barcelona. The site where the ciutadella used to stand now contains one of the largest parks in Barcelona. The most popular feature of the park is the Barcelona Zoo, which boasts one of the largest animal collections in all of Europe. The main structure of the Barcelona Zoo is the Castel de Tres Dragons, which was constructed for the 1888 Exhibition. Along with the zoo, the park also contains several buildings from the ancient fortress including the chapel, governor’s palace and the arsenal. There are also several buildings that were constructed for the Exhibition of 1888 that still stand today as well including the Umbracle, Museum of Geology and Museum of Zoology. While all of these buildings are quite notable, the most well known monument on the park grounds is undoubtedly the majestic Cascada Park Citadel. The park also contains many natural features that add to its appeal and charm. Among these natural features is a large garden with imported palm trees and walking areas as well as a lake with a waterfall. The lake itself features several islands with exotic plants that can be reached by row boats. While there are many tourist attractions and natural elements to the park, the park also contains the Catalunya House of Parliament building on its premise.
While the park has many features that appeal to the citizens of Barcelona as well as tourists, the park itself also affects the everyday lives of residents with its central location in the heart of Barcelona. The park is cituated adjacent to the old city on the east side of the district. Consisting of 74 acres, the park is quite large considering its location in the center of one of Europe’s most densely populated cities. The park acts as divide between the Gothic style of the old city (to the west of the park) and the residencial and the more modern style of buildings that can be found to the east of the park on Carrer de la Marina. The park is connected with the Arch de Triomf to the north via the Passeig de Lluis Companys. To the south, the park borders the Estacio Terme de Franca (Train station) and Barceloneta is situated further south of the park alongside the beach. With the train station and all of the tourist attractions surrounding it, the park sits on prime real estate.
Roman Barcino
Roman Barcino was a great introductory field trip to begin our exploration into the history of Barcelona (and Catalonia for that matter). Before the course, I figured the Romans most likely colonized Barcelona at some point throughout their conquests of Europe, however I had no idea that they had left such a lasting footprint on the layout and history of the city. While walking down the ancient narrow streets along the medieval cathedral, I really got a better sense of what Barcino probably would have looked like 2000 years ago. I found a better appreciation for the old city after I realized how much history filled each city street. After walking through several narrow streets we arrived at the Roman columns. I was a little skeptical when walking into the old building and I didn’t imagine the columns to be very impressive or grand in size. Once we entered the turquoise room I was immediately struck by the size and presence of the towering columns. While they definitely were not in the best condition, I found the wear and tear on the sides of the columns to add to its appeal and mystique. The battered columns seemed to tell a story with all the scratches and bruises that adorned its sides. While they certainly were not the finest columns I have ever seen, I appreciated their style and character. They seemed to illustrate a good picture of the ancient Roman Barcino for me quite well. After spending some time at the columns, we ventured over to the underground Barcino exhibit. Unfortunately the museum was closed but I did get a quick glimpse into the museum and it looked quite interesting, I definitely plan on returning on my own time soon to get a better idea of what Barcino was like in Roman times.
Medieval Barcelona
Before the Medieval Barcelona field trip, I had walked through the old town many times totally oblivious to the historical significance of the structures and buildings that occupied the area. I figured they had interesting stories behind them, however I did not understand or appreciate their significance and how they shaped the way Barcelona looks today. The first stop on the trip through Medieval Barcelona was the Cathedral. Upon viewing the Cathedral, I was struck by its beauty and grandeur. Its walls and windows displayed very intricate designs and sculptures. The design and architecture of the Cathedral was a stark contrast to the Gaudi-esque architectural style I had been use to seeing around the streets of Barcelona. The Cathedral definitely appeared much more Gothic in its style and architecture. It was the first Medieval-era Cathedral I had seen in Europe and it definitely impressed me with its grand presentation. My favorite part of the Cathedral had to be the gargoyles on the roof of the structure. I have always had a fascination with gargoyles and the Cathedral gargoyles were the first Medieval-era gargoyles I had ever seen with my own eyes. After observing the Cathedral, we made our way around the side and walked into the courtyard of Placa del Rei. After the courtyard we went to the market place. I really enjoyed all the options of fresh fruit and seafood they offered. The most interesting fact I took away from the field trip was definitely the fact that the Cathedral was the largest Medieval-era catheral in all of Europe.
Raval
Before visiting the Raval district of Barcelona, I was quite skeptical there would be anything worth seeing. I had always heard it was the ghetto of Barcelona and that it was not a very desirable destination to visit (especially at night time). I had ventured through the area by accident a few times before the field trip and I hadn’t even realized that I was in the Raval district. It wasn’t until the field trip that I had realized that I actually had been in the Raval district. I was pleasantly surprised by the nice open walking areas in the middle of the streets with people walking their dogs and all the children playing. I also noticed many quaint little cafes along the way that seemed quite hip and stylish. Being a Los Angelino, the Raval district seemed like a nice urban area compared to the harsh and often dangerous streets of many poor districts of Los Angeles. While the area did not seem to match up with the horrible stories that I had heard about it beforehand, I definitely witnessed many strange and delinquent people walking around the streets. The most notable example was two middle-aged men who looked like they may be involved in some rather shady illegal business. They started yelling at each other and then started throwing punches at each other and the physical contact continued to escalate for a few minutes until they finally parted ways. While it was quite disturbing to witness such an event, I feel that it was a quite fitting experience considering we were touring the Raval. This experience definitely gave us a good taste of the culture and attitude of the Raval.
University of Barcelona
To be honest, I was a little disappointed when I first began classes at CEA Global Campus (besides my intellectually stimulating and entertaining class courtesy of Mr. James Douet). I came to Spain expecting to study in a very historic, Spanish-style university. The CEA Global Campus building felt more like a community college or inner-city high school with its boring industrial and office-style rooms. However, once I began my classes at the University of Barcelona the next week, my thirst for immersion into the Spanish culture was finally quenched. University of Barcelona was exactly what I imagined a Spanish University would look like. Despite the fact that the present-day campus of the university was not actually built until 1882, the architecture of the main campus resembles many European universities from the renaissance period. The campus features many open-aired courtyards and plazas filled with plants and benches. These courtyards are great places to congregate with other students and enjoy some fresh air and sun before or after class. The campus also features several quite impressive paintings as well as a very comprehensive and thorough library. On the second floor, the hallways have beautiful marble floors and offer great views of the plazas and courtyards below. The café downstairs offers some pretty good food for a reasonable price and is a great place to grab an espresso before class. Most of the classrooms have large glass windows overlooking the courtyards and plazas outside. Unfortunately for me, my class is located in a window-less, cavernous room in the basement. In the end, University of Barcelona is a very beautiful campus and I always find myself inspired when I walk through the beautiful hallways and courtyards everyday. I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity and privilege to study at such a prestigious university.
Park Guell
Park Guell is one of those places that captures your imagination with its originality. Before coming to Barcelona, I had never seen anything quite like Park Guell. It is almost as if Gaudi spilled a canvas onto this park and created a wonderful three-dimensional, real-life interpretation of a Picasso painting. While walking up the main entrance to the park, I almost felt I was being transported into some psychedelic wonderland. I have always appreciated architecture back home in the states, however I had never seen anything like Park Guell back home. Not only was the architecture amazing, but the vibrant colors and sculptures really brought the park to life. I was very impressed with the beautiful mosaics underneath the pillars of the terrace as well as the oddly shaped tunnels to the left of the terrace. We then ventured on top of the roof and were delighted by the gorgeous panorama overlooking the city from atop the terrace. This panorama view gave me a unique perspective on the city that I had not experienced up until that point. I finally saw the city from a birds-eye view and the layout of the city greatly reminded me of my home-town of Los Angeles (only much smaller). After me and my friends captured our token touristy pictures on the terrace overlooking the city, we kept discovering up the hillside. We had no idea the park was so large in size. While the main terrace was quite impressive, I enjoyed the many small touches and details that filled the park that often go unnoticed. These subtleties really added a very unique and original style and character to the park that I have never experienced in any public park or monument in the world.
La Merce
La Merce was definitely one of the unexpected treasures I experienced while studying in Barcelona. I had never heard anything about the festival back home, so when I first heard word of this festival, I was a little skeptical and was not expecting it to be anything spectacular. However, I could not have been more sadly mistaken. During the daytime we rushed to the old city to witness the human towers. I was very impressed by the precision and courage of the people participating in the event (especially the small children whom were hoisted to the top of the tower). After a long day of walking around the city and taking in the sights of La Merce, we arrived at Placa Espanya for the fireworks show. Considering we arrived an hour before the show was supposed to begin, I figured we would have prime real estate from which to view the show. Once again, I was sadly mistaken. We had to push our way through the crowd just to be near the two twin towers near the fountain. After waiting in the gigantic crowd of people for what seemed like an eternity, the show finally commenced (and it was worth waiting every second for). The fireworks display was greater than any New Years Eve or July 4th fireworks show I had ever seen back home. The setting of Placa Espanya was the perfect location for the fireworks show. With the Montjuic in the backdrop and the twin towers and fountain surrounding us, it was a very magical kind of night.
Sagrada Familia
Before arriving in Barcelona, Sagrada Familia was the only major monument I really knew much about. I remember seeing the Sagrada on my Spanish book in High School Spanish class and thinking that I would never see it in person. As a new inhabitant of Barcelona (and a naive tourist) I naturally visited the Sagrada in my first week of living in Barcelona. I never appreciated the beauty of the structure whenever I saw them in pictures and it just looked like a very bland and boring building. However once I witnessed the building in person, I finally gained an appreciation for the incredible amount of detail that went into the construction of this truly unique building. Upon approaching the Sagrada from the outside, I was awestruck by the front façade of the structure. The walls were covered with articulate and detailed sculptures and murals. Above the façade, the giant spires elegantly scrape the sky. I did not realize how large the spires actually were until I stood in front of the façade and peered up into the sky in awe. Once I got through all the lines of tourists (and dodged the pick-pockets), I finally entered the actual inside of the church. I was immediately struck with the size of the aisles and the large nave vaults that supported the structure. Looking up at the roof from the interior was quite beautiful, especially with all of the colors from the stained glass being reflected by the sun from the outside. All in all, the Sagrada Familia was just one of those places that can’t really be described, you just have to witness it for yourself.
Camp Nou
I have always been an avid soccer fan back home in the states. When I was trying to decide where to study abroad in Europe, FC Barcelona was definitely one of the major incentives to study in Barcelona. Once I decided to study through CEA, I was thrilled to see that one of the faculty-lead programs included an FC Barcelona game at Camp Nou. Once we arrived at the stadium, I was not too impressed with the outside of the stadium. It looked very similar to a sub-par football stadium back home. However, once we entered the stadium and made our way out of the tunnel to our assigned seats, I was amazed at the grandeur and size of the stadium. It was almost like looking down on the Grand Canyon; it was so large in size and scale that it almost just seemed like a painting we were looking at. Unfortunately FC Barcelona was playing Racing, so the match was not much of a competition. Despite this fact, it was quite exciting watching Messi play and how the crowd reacted when he had the ball. It was like watching Michael Jordan play in his prime. I am proud to say that I witnessed one of the greatest futbol players of all-time play in person. Considering the size of the stadium, I was quite surprised at how quiet the stadium was during the match. I saw a futbol match in Berlin a month after the Barca game and the atmosphere was much more festive and intense. The German fans seemed to be so much more into their rally songs and cheering for the entirety of the game. After seeing the game in Berlin, I decided to go see FC Barcelona play a champions league game against a Czech club called FC Viktoria. I figured the atmosphere would be much more intense and festive for a champions league match, however I was disappointed to see the visiting club section to be much louder and festive during the game than the Barca fans. With all that said, I still loved attending two FC Barcelona matches in-person, and Camp Nou is a place I will remember for the rest of my life.
Arc de Triomf
As a resident of the Poble Nou district of Barcelona, I pass the Arc de Triomf everyday on my way back from school at CEA. While the Arc de Triomf may not be as famous as the Sagrada Familia or Park Guell, it is still one of my favorite monuments in Barcelona. I often find myself stopping at cafés near the Arc de Triomf on my way home and ordering a meal or coffee just so I can sit outside and admire the beautiful building as I watch the day pass by. While I have definitely seen more impressive and larger arcs before (exhibit a: Arc de Triumph in Paris), there is something about the unique style of the Arc de Triomf in Barcelona that really appeals to me. Walking up the long walkway from the park is one of my favorite strolls in all of Barcelona. With the palm trees dotting both sides of the street, you almost feel like you are in a middle-eastern country. To add on to this middle-eastern feel, the architecture and design of the Arc de Triomf has a very Moorish style and look to it. No matter what time of day or night, the Arc always has a very mystical and magical feeling about it and that is what makes it one of my favorite Barcelona monuments.
Local News Stories
1. One local news story which I witnessed first-hand was the student strike at the University of Barcelona. One day as I was on my way to class, I realized there was a large group of students holding signs and chanting outside the University. I tried to get into the front door to get to my class, however the students refused to allow me in. When I asked why they would not let me enter, they said that all classes had been cancelled. I was intrigued so I continued to question them about the situation. The Spanish students ended up telling me that they were protesting the insufficient wages of professors, which lead to the raising price of tuition for the students. I was quite surprised at the initiative and dedication of the students to support their cause and I gained interest in joining the protest. However, after about 15 minutes of the students blocking off the entries to the school, the police arrived and forced the students to disperse. I ended up finding out the next day that class had not actually been cancelled and that the students were lying to me in order to help their cause. Despite being deceived, I still gained a lot of respect for the students who stood up for something they believed in.
2. I was a little shocked at how little news reception the Spanish presidential elections received in Barcelona. While the news outlets in Barcelona seemed to cover the election in a professional manner, it almost seemed as though the Catalonians didn’t put much emphasis or importance into the outcome of the election. It was almost as if they didn’t look at the Spanish Presidential elections as their own Presidential elections. This attitude definitely reflected the lack of affiliation which the Catalans have with central Spanish government in Madrid.
3. In my local news article which I presented to the class, I explained the lack of government funding that hospitals are receiving in Cataluyna. As a result of this lack of government funding, many hospitals have been forced to close 30% of their hospital beds and 40% of operating theatres used for assisting patients in need of medical assistance. As a result, the clinical boards of Bellvitge issued a statement which declared for the need of more government funding for the hospitals in Catalunya. The board threatened to send their doctors and nurses on strike if the government refuses to listen to their needs and offer financial assistance.
Studying abroad in Barcelona has been one of the most amazing experiences of my life. Before arriving in Spain, I had only been to Canada and Mexico. Living in Barcelona and traveling throughout Europe for the last 3 months has opened up my eyes to the world and made me a much more well-rounded person. I have met so many amazing people in my study abroad program and traveling throughout Europe. I have formed bonds with many Catalonians and Europeans that I am sure I will keep in touch with for years down the road. I have had so many crazy experiences throughout my travels in Europe that have really changed me as a person and have altered the way I perceive the world around me. I have fallen in love with every country in Europe and I have grown to appreciate each of them for their own unique culture. Considering I will be graduated after I complete my study abroad in Barcelona, I am highly considering staying in Europe longer and trying to find a job so I can stay longer and experience more of Europe. Studying in Barcelona has definitely been the climax of my college education and I am eternally grateful I decided to study through CEA in this magnificent city.
Epilogue
No comments:
Post a Comment