Great Attractions in Gothic Quarter, Raval & La Ribera (Barcelona)

Casa de la Canonja (La Pia Almoina)

In addition to being a fine example of Gothic architecture, this 11th-century building is of great historical interest as well. It was first the headquarters of a charity organization that used to provide a free lunch every day to 100 of the city's deserving poor, hence its popular name - Pía Almoina (the compassionate alms). Later, in 1450, it became home to the cathedral canons. Closed to the public.

Capella de Santa Àgata

The chapel that belongs to the Palacio Real Mayor (Main Royal Palace) is located on a square that has borne witness to countless historical events. It is purely Gothic in style and was built at the beginning of the 14th century at the behest of Count James II. It was built on top of what was a Romanesque chapel dedicated to Saint Mary, which itself was built upon the ancient Roman city walls. There is a single nave with chapels between the lateral buttresses and impressive stained-glass windows.

Plaça del Rei

This square "of the King" is located at the very end of Carrer Baixada de Santa Clara and boasts of an impressive collection of architectural marvels. It used to just be farmyards, but as time went on it became an important business area and eventually grew into the architecturally beautiful centre it is today. In this small space you will find Palau del Lloctinent (Lieutenant's Palace), the Main Royal Palace, the Chapel of Santa Àgata, and Casa Clariana-Padellàs (the city museum). Just next to the museum is the most recent addition to the square, a sculpture by Eduardo Chillida.

Plaça Sant Jaume

Back in the Roman period, this square was (and still is) where important government buildings were found. On one side is the Palace of the Generalitat (the government of the Autonomous Community of Catalunya) and on the other side you can see the City Hall. This square has been witness to some of the most important events in recent Catalan history, such as the Proclamation of the Catalan State in 1931 or the return of Josep Tarradelles from exile in 1977. On Sunday mornings, people come to dance the Sardana, the national dance of Catalonia—it's a very Catalan moment and worth checking out.

Carrer Ferran

Extending from the Liceu on the Ramblas to Plaça Sant Jaume, this is where Saint James' Church was constructed in the fourteenth century, on the site of an ancient synagogue. Today only the facade of this church remains, the rest of the building dates from the XVI and XVII centuries. The rest of the buildings on the street are from later periods. It's only recently that it has been changed to a walking street, making it much more pleasurable to stroll along. There are a lot of shops and cafés here as well - check out the grocers' shops that still have wonderful display windows like in past.

Plaça Sant Felip Neri

This romantic and peaceful square in the heart of the Barri Gòtic, just past the Palau Episcopal, stands on the site of what was a medieval cemetery. It's baroque church was built in 1752 and has an unfortunate history. During the Spanish Civil War a bomb fell on it and killed the 20 children seeking shelter inside. You can still see evidence of the explosion on the church's facade.

Call Jueu

This Jewish neighborhood in Barcelona is located next to Plaça Sant Jaume at the end of Carrer de la Boqueria. It's made up of a series of very narrow streets where the majority of the Jewish community lived in the Middle Ages. The charm of this neighborhood is found in the fact that it has changed very little in the last 500 years. Nowadays the area is known for the large number of antique shops found there. Stroll around and breathe the air of days gone by.

Via Laietana

The street seperates the Barri Gòtic from the La Ribera and the Barri de Sant Pere districts. It's lined with elegant buildings that now house a wide range of bars, restaurants and cafés. It was built in 1907 as a way of connecting the Eixample to the port and it's named after an Iberian tribe (Laietans) who lived in the area before the arrival of the Romans.

Parroquia de Sant Jaume

This church is located in Calle Ferrán, one of the main streets of the Barri Gòtic,, which connects the important Plaza de Sant Jaume where you can find the Ayuntamiento and the Palau de la Generalitat. This church, which was built at the end of the 19th century, is on the place where originally the main synagogue of the city was located. The ground plan shows three naves with little chapels on both sides of the aisles. Only the front is left over of the original construction, which dates back to the 15th and 16th centuries. The Gothic altar is the old high altar of catedral, which was moved to this church in 1970.

Palau Reial Major

This was once the Counts of Aragón's Barcelona residence. In the Roman period, it was the residence of the local governor, and later belonged to the Visigoth Ataulfo. Its Roman origins can be seen clearly in the façade. Now, after a series of renovations and expansions and a whole slew of Barcelonan counts, we're left with a Gothic building with one tower, called King Martin's Tower, which was used as a viewpoint and observatory.

Muralles Romanes

The Roman walls once completely surrounded by the Barcino settlement. They were 9 meters high and 3.5 meters thick, and stretched for 1270 meters. Most of the walls have disappeared or were used as the foundations for later buildings. The best preserved parts can be seen on Plaça de Ramon Berenguer el Gran (next to Via Laietana), on the Avenida de la Catedral, the Pia Almoina, Plaça dels Traginers, Carrer del Correu Vell and on Carrer Regomir, which led to the Roman port.

Iglesia Protestant de Barcelona Centro

Iglesia Protestant de Barcelona Centro is a church located in the old quarter, very close to the MACBA (Museum of Contemporary Art of Barcelona) and the Plaça de Catalunya. During the renovation of this building, great effort was made to conserve as many original elements of the old construction as possible. Religious services take place at different times of the week, call for more details.