{"id":2428,"date":"2017-02-16T22:58:38","date_gmt":"2017-02-16T14:58:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.huangyizhou.com\/?p=2428"},"modified":"2018-06-07T02:07:47","modified_gmt":"2018-06-06T18:07:47","slug":"20170216barcelona","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.huangyizhou.com\/index.php\/2017\/02\/16\/20170216barcelona\/","title":{"rendered":"Day 5 of Spanish Vacation: Barcelona on February 16th, 2017"},"content":{"rendered":"

Second day in Barcelona, as the sky cleared into a bright sunny day.
\nThe plan of the day was to visit two of Antoni Gaud\u00ed’s architecture masterpiece, Casa Mil\u00e0 and Casa Batll\u00f3, followed by roaming the Barcelona old city.<\/p>\n

\"Pla\u00e7a<\/a>

<\/br>Pla\u00e7a Universitat<\/p><\/div>\n


\nThe images in this post are hosted on Imgur. Email me should there be any display problems.<\/span><\/p>\n

As usual, we got out to a late start in the morning. Casa Mil\u00e0 wasn’t too far from where we were staying, so after less than half an hour’s walk through arrays of typical European buildings in the Eixample District and in awe of the power of city planning, we were at the doorsteps of Casa Mil\u00e0.<\/p>\n

\"Universitat<\/a>

<\/br>Universitat de Barcelona Facade<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Hotel<\/a>

<\/br>Hotel NH Collection Barcelona Building<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Pavement<\/a>

<\/br>Pavement in the Center of Rambla de Catalunya<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Buildings<\/a>

<\/br>Buildings along Barcelona Street<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Gr\u00e0cia<\/a>

<\/br>Gr\u00e0cia Avenue<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n

Casa Mil\u00e0<\/span><\/h3>\n

\nA great petrified wave. An ensemble of organic, atavistic forms. A stone poem, giant sculpture, unique and unparalleled\u2026 La Pedrera has been described by thousands of adjectives and has sparked multiple interpretations. And it is because Gaudi’s boundless capacity for creation finds its foremost expression in this building in Barcelona’s Eixample district, which was commissioned by the industrialist Pere Mila and his wife, Roser Segimon, intended as a famaily home and apartment for rent.
\nKnown as La Pedrera for its rough outer appearance, reminiscent of an open quarry, with sinuous curves and forms inspired form nature, it comprises two apartment blocks, linked by inner courtyards and a common fa\u00e7ade. Gaudi planned the building at the height of hid career, at the age of 54. It was his last from architectural design of the day. UNESCO declared the building World Heritage in 1984 on account of its extraordinary universal value.<\/span>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In its audio guide and visitor brochures, Casa Mil\u00e0 lavished praises to this project built at the peak of Gaud\u00ed’s career. It might be a little bit excessive, as the tour immediately took you to the most and probably only outstanding part of the builing, which was its roof with sculptural chimneys. Stories down, it was a household museum of typical Barcelona upper-class families a century ago.
\nBut on the other hand, Casa Mil\u00e0 was by its natural, an apartment building for people to live in the heart of the city. Few apartment builidngs excites people, but Gaud\u00ed’s Casa Mil\u00e0 did, at least its roof did so, among the chores of city life. It’s not going to be immortalized like the heavenly Sagrada Fam\u00edlia, but it did transcend most urban housing. Perhaps that’s why it’s great.
\nAnd it’s less crowded than the more famous Casa Batll\u00f3, and tickets were cheaper too.<\/p>\n

\"Casa<\/a>

<\/br>Casa Mil\u00e0 Exterior<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Decorated<\/a>

<\/br>Decorated Stairs<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n

There are two atriums in Casa Mil\u00e0, which enabled more of its tenants to get natural light.<\/p>\n

\"Atrium\"<\/a>

<\/br>Atrium<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Atrium\"<\/a>

<\/br>Atrium<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Gate<\/a>

<\/br>Gate of Casa Mil\u00e0<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Atrium\"<\/a>

<\/br>Atrium<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n

Rooftop<\/span><\/h4>\n

\"Ventilation<\/a>

<\/br>Ventilation Shaft<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Nearby<\/a>

<\/br>Nearby Buildings<\/br>In its official audio guide, Casa Mil\u00e0 mocked nearby buildings of their mundane uninteresting chimneys.<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/p>\n

Then there’s the most exciting part, chimneys in the form of soldier heads, turning the most mundane functional objects into pieces of art for apprectation.<\/p>\n

\"Chimneys<\/a>

<\/br>Chimneys on Rooftop<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Overlooking<\/a>

<\/br>Overlooking atrium of Casa Mil\u00e0<\/br>This design enabled most of the tenants to get natural lighting.<\/span><\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Chimneys<\/a>

<\/br>\"Chimneys<\/a><\/br>Chimneys on Rooftop<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Gr\u00e0cia<\/a>

<\/br>Gr\u00e0cia Avenue from Casa Mil\u00e0<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Sagrada<\/a>

<\/br>Sagrada Fam\u00edlia from Casa Mil\u00e0<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Glass-Decorated<\/a>

<\/br>Glass-Decorated Ventilation Shaft<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Tile-Decorated<\/a>

<\/br>Tile-Decorated Ventilation Shaft<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Chimneys<\/a>

<\/br>\"Chimneys<\/a><\/br>Chimneys on Rooftop<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n

Attic<\/span><\/h4>\n

Immediately below the rooftop was the attic supported by 270 parabolic vaults. There was multiple exhibitions about furniture and Gaud\u00ed’s other architectural achievements.<\/p>\n

\"Attic\"<\/a>

<\/br>Attic<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Casa<\/a>

<\/br>Casa Mil\u00e0 Model<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Attic<\/a>

<\/br>Attic Model<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Model<\/a>

<\/br>Model of Hanging Strings<\/br>It\u2019s said that Gaudi based his design of Casa Mil\u00e0 attic arches on catenary rope.<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/p>\n

4th Floor<\/span><\/h4>\n

\nLocated on the 4th floor, the apartment recreates the home and lifestyle of a bourgeois family in Barcelona in the early 20th century. Recreating the original layout, fitted out ith furniture and househould items of teh time as well decorative elements designed by Gaudi (knobs or handles, moldings, doors and flooring), it offers visitors a glimpse of what it was like to live in. It is complemented by an audiovisual that provides an overview of the city’s rapid transformation and modernisaion in the first quarter of the 20th century.<\/span>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"View<\/a>

<\/br>View from Casa Mil\u00e0 Inner Balcony<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Child<\/a>

<\/br>Child Bedroom<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Servant's<\/a>

<\/br>Servant’s Room<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Passage\"<\/a>

<\/br>Passage<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Servant's<\/a>

<\/br>Servant’s Bedroom<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Kitchen\"<\/a>

<\/br>Kitchen<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Kitchen\"<\/a>

<\/br>\"Kitchen\"<\/a><\/br>Kitchen<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Dressing<\/a>

<\/br>Dressing Room<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Bathroom\"<\/a>

<\/br>Bathroom<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"View<\/a>

<\/br>View of Gr\u00e0cia Avenue<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Study\"<\/a>

<\/br>Study<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Dining<\/a>

<\/br>Dining Room<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Master<\/a>

<\/br>Master Bedroom<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Living<\/a>

<\/br>Living Room<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Master<\/a>

<\/br>Master Bathroom<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n

There wasn’t much to see more about Casa Mil\u00e0 below its fourth flower, as there were still residents living in it.<\/p>\n

\"Stairway\"<\/a>

<\/br>Stairway<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Atrium\"<\/a>

<\/br>Atrium<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Decorated<\/a>

<\/br>Decorated Stairs<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Driveway<\/a>

<\/br>Driveway to Garage<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n

Leaving Casa Mil\u00e0, our next stop was Casa Batll\u00f3, just a few blocks away.<\/p>\n

\"Buildings<\/a>

<\/br>Buildings along Gr\u00e0cia Avenue<\/p><\/div>\n

Casa Batll\u00f3<\/span><\/h3>\n

Another of Antoni Gaud\u00ed’s masterpice in architecture. Perhaps the most famous of the three buildings in Mancana de la Discordia (Discord District). A symbol of Catalan Modernism, a structure with themes of fairytale dragon, a house of imagination.<\/p>\n

For comparison, Casa Mil\u00e0 was like a outsourced construction project, Gaud\u00ed finished the roofs and facades and atriums and left, leaving the interior rooms to the tenants; For Casa Batll\u00f3, Gaud\u00ed was charged with renovation, so that goes to the finest detail of indoor furniture, the windows and the stairs and the doors. Perhaps this fuller experience was why Casa Batll\u00f3 seemed to attract more visitors than Casa Mil\u00e0, though it could well be that Casa Batll\u00f3 was more compact and thus seemed more crowded.<\/p>\n

\"Casa<\/a>

<\/br>Casa Batll\u00f3 Facade<\/p><\/div>\n

Casa Batll\u00f3 offered a Samsung phone with Augmented Reality enabled so that visitors could experience Gaud\u00ed’s visions in real time. So on the screen one could see flying turtles, waving sea weeds, and so on.<\/p>\n

\"Decorations\"<\/a>

<\/br>Decorations<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Decorations\"<\/a>

<\/br>Decorations<\/br>The shape of the pole by the stairs was to imitate sea creatures.<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/p>\n

Noble Floor<\/span><\/h4>\n

\"Stairs\"<\/a>

<\/br>Stairs<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Lights\"<\/a>

<\/br>Lights<\/br>The shape of the cover was to imitate turtle shells.<\/span><\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Doorway<\/a>

<\/br>Doorway Leading form Noble Floor to Garden<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Tile-Decorated<\/a>

<\/br>Tile-Decorated Garden Wall<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Garden<\/a>

<\/br>Garden Side Casa Batll\u00f3 Exterior<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Doorway<\/a>

<\/br>Doorway Leading form Noble Floor to Garden<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Nearby<\/a>

<\/br>Nearby Buildings from Casa Batll\u00f3 Garden<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Colored<\/a>

<\/br>Colored Columns on Noble Floor near Garden<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Decorations<\/a>

<\/br>Decorations of Atrium Wall<\/br>Given different amount of light at each floor, the windows grow larger and the color of tiles lighter towards the lower floors, so that tenants on all floors can get appropriate amount of natural light.<\/span><\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Ceramic<\/a>

<\/br>Ceramic Decorations of Atrium Wall<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Mushroom-Shaped<\/a>

<\/br>Mushroom-Shaped Fireplace<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Chandelier\"<\/a>

<\/br>Chandelier<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Ceiling<\/a>

<\/br>Ceiling Lights<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Windows<\/a>

<\/br>Windows of Noble Floor Looking out to Gr\u00e0cia Avenue<\/br>Gaud\u00ed designed adjustable gratings in the lower and upper part of these windows so as to adjust air flow.<\/span><\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Glass<\/a>

<\/br>Glass Cover of Atrium Elevator<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Atrium\"<\/a>

<\/br>Atrium<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n

Roof<\/span><\/h4>\n

Given the amount of space available, the attic of Casa Batll\u00f3 was much simpler than Casa Mil\u00e0. Basically, it’s little more than covered laundry rooms for the servants, plainly decorated.<\/p>\n

\"Sink<\/a>

<\/br>Sink in Attic<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Blinds<\/a>

<\/br>Blinds in Attic<\/br>At an angle, so as to block the sunlight but allow airflow.<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/p>\n

Here the chimneys were modelled after fins of a dragon. Still interesting but not as much as the soliders of Casa Mila in my opinion.<\/p>\n

\"Chimneys\"<\/a>

<\/br>Chimneys<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Tile<\/a>

<\/br>Tile Representing Dragon Fin<\/br>A common theory is that the rounded feature on the right, terminating at the top in a turret and cross, represents the lance of Saint George (patron saint of Catalonia, Gaud\u00ed’s home), which has been plunged into the back of the dragon.<\/span><\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Chimneys\"<\/a>

<\/br>Chimneys<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Attic<\/a>

<\/br>Attic Catenary Arcs<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Atrium\"<\/a>

<\/br>Atrium<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Casa<\/a>

<\/br>Casa Amatller and Casa Batll\u00f3<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Windows<\/a>

<\/br>Windows of Casa Amatller<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n

After that, we finished lunch (in a McDonald’s across the street), and began our afternoon aimless roam of Barcelona old city.<\/p>\n

\"Casa<\/a>

<\/br>Casa Lle\u00f3 i Morera Facade<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Buildings<\/a>

<\/br>Buildings along Gr\u00e0cia Avenue<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Statue<\/a>

<\/br>Statue in Pla\u00e7a de Catalunya<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Bank<\/a>

<\/br>Bank of Spain Doorway<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Pedestrian<\/a>

<\/br>Pedestrian Street in Barcelona Old City<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Buildings<\/a>

<\/br>Buildings in Barcelon Old City<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Santa<\/a>

<\/br>Santa Anna Fountain<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n

Bas\u00edlica de Santa Maria del Pi<\/span><\/h3>\n

A 14th-century Gothic church in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It was rumored that there existed a church on the same site far earlier. The church suffered a deliberate inferno in 1936 and was later rebuilt. Its rose window was said to be one of the largest in the world.
\nFor me, its single nave design made its stained-glass windows much more approachable, as one can read its characters (sadly, no figures) clearly.<\/p>\n

Apart from being a church itself, Bas\u00edlica de Santa Maria del Pi seemed to be hosting concerts regularly. <\/p>\n

\"Bas\u00edlica<\/a>

<\/br>Bas\u00edlica de Santa Maria del Pi Exterior<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Buildings<\/a>

<\/br>Buildings around Pla\u00e7a del Pi<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Bas\u00edlica<\/a>

<\/br>Bas\u00edlica de Santa Maria del Pi Facade<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Bas\u00edlica<\/a>

<\/br>Bas\u00edlica de Santa Maria del Pi Interior<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Bas\u00edlica<\/a>

<\/br>Bas\u00edlica de Santa Maria del Pi Facade Interior<\/br>The large rose window is a faithful 1940 reproduction of the original window.<\/span><\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Chapel<\/a>

\"Chapel<\/a><\/br>\"Chapel<\/a>\"Chapel<\/a><\/br>Chapel in Bas\u00edlica de Santa Maria del Pi<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Stained<\/a>

<\/br>Stained Glasses<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Sacristy<\/a>

<\/br>Sacristy Collection<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Sacristy<\/a>

<\/br>Sacristy Collection<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Bell<\/a>

<\/br>Bell Tower<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Light<\/a>

<\/br>Light Falling through Bas\u00edlica de Santa Maria del Pi<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Organ\"<\/a>

<\/br>Organ<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Bas\u00edlica<\/a>

<\/br>Bas\u00edlica de Santa Maria del Pi Apse<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Chapel<\/a>

\"Chapel<\/a><\/br>\"Chapel<\/a>\"Chapel<\/a><\/br>Chapel in Bas\u00edlica de Santa Maria del Pi<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n

Having left Bas\u00edlica de Santa Maria del Pi and under my friend’s advice, we visited nearby La Boqueria Market, a famous indoor market selling meat, produce, cheese among other products.<\/p>\n

\"Buildings<\/a>

<\/br>Buildings along Rambla Avenue<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Buildings<\/a>

<\/br>Buildings along Rambla Avenue<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Alley<\/a>

<\/br>Alley leading to La Boqueria Market<\/br>Balconies with hanging clothes, full of livelihood.<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/p>\n

It’s a typical Thursday afternoon, but we found almost one-third of the stands in La Boqueria Market were closed (and it’s a famous market flocked by tourists). It seemed that their owners never bothered to go to work when they could just stay at home or go on vacationing, typical Spanish.<\/p>\n

We were particularly hungry at that point, and we definitely weren’t interested in the frozen meat or fish on the stands, and we thought we had had too many cheap and delicious Moroccan fruits in the previous days, so we just took a tour of the market and left.<\/p>\n

\"Bas\u00edlica<\/a>

<\/br>Bas\u00edlica de Santa Maria del Pi Clock Tower beneath Jam\u00f3n Experience Skybridge<\/br>A museum\/shop dedicated to local ham.<\/span><\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Casa<\/a>

<\/br>Casa Bruno Cuadros Facade<\/br>Also known as “umbrella house”.<\/span><\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Mosaic<\/a>

<\/br>Mosaic de Joan Mir\u00f3 o del Pla de l’Os<\/br>Art project by Joan Mir\u00f3 inaugurated in 1976, the blue tiles corresponds to ocean, and the art welcomes people to Barcelona from the sea.<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/p>\n

After that, we went East and made Citadel Park our next stop.<\/p>\n

\"Teatre<\/a>

<\/br>Teatre del Liceu Facade<\/br>Opera house first built in 1847.<\/span><\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Church<\/a>

<\/br>Church of Sant Jaume Facade<\/br>14th Century church.<\/span><\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Barcelona<\/a>

<\/br>Barcelona City Hall<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Palau<\/a>

<\/br>Palau de la Generalitat de Catalunya<\/br>It houses the offices of the Presidency of the Generalitat de Catalunya. It is one of the few buildings of medieval origin in Europe that still functions as a seat of government and houses the institution that originally built it.<\/span><\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Plaza<\/a>

<\/br>Plaza San Jaime<\/br>Well, this is City Hall of Barcelona and Governor House of Catalunya, so supporters for Catalunya Independence Movements were proudly hanging Catalunya flags over their balconies.<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Gargoyle<\/a>

<\/br>Gargoyle on Palau de la Generalitat de Catalunya<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Bridge<\/a>

<\/br>Bridge of Palau de la Generalitat de Catalunya over Carrer del Bisbe<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Side<\/a>

<\/br>Side Portal of Catedral de Barcelona<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Statue<\/a>

<\/br>Statue on Pla\u00e7a de Garriga i Bachs<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n

Torres Romanes<\/span><\/h3>\n

On our way to Citadel Park, we passed by Torres Romanes (Roman Walls), which was just North of Cathedral of Barcelona. Although it goes by the name Roman Walls, only a small segment of it remained till this day, so it looked more like a building than a part of city wall. Currently, it’s an open-access public space, with a small museum on its first floor.<\/p>\n

\"Fountain\"<\/a>

<\/br>Fountain<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Relief\"<\/a>

<\/br>Relief<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Catedral<\/a>

<\/br>Catedral de Barcelona Facade<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n

Santa Caterina Market<\/span><\/h3>\n

It seemed that my friend was particularly interested in markets, so under his suggestion, we visited Santa Caterina Market on our way to Citadel Park.<\/p>\n

Built in 19th Century, Santa Caterina Market was the first market in Barcelona with roof. The current market was renovated in 1997 (so it looked a lot more modern than La Boqueria Market), and it was more daily Barcelona life than La Boqueria Market which were mostly visited by tourists. Currently it had a colorful wave-shape roof, for which we didn’t have wings to see.<\/p>\n

\"Santa<\/a>

<\/br>Santa Caterina Market Entrance<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Archeology<\/a>

<\/br>Archeology Excavations at Santa Caterina Market<\/br>It’s definitely a market with history.<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Santa<\/a>

<\/br>Santa Caterina Market Entrance<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Pedestrian<\/a>

<\/br>Pedestrian Street in Barcelona Old City<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Buildings<\/a>

<\/br>Buildings in Barcelona Old City<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Picasso<\/a>

<\/br>Picasso Avenue<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n

Parc de la Ciutadella<\/span><\/h3>\n

The Citadel was first built after the Spanish conquered Barcelona in 1714, at which time it was the largest fortress in Europe. In 19th Century, change in political climate resulted in the Citadel be demolished into a park. For decades onwards, it was the only green space in the city. Later 1888 Barcelona Universal Exposition was mostly held in Citadel Park, the remains of which were still seen today in the park.<\/p>\n

\"Castell<\/a>

<\/br>Castell dels Tres Dragons<\/br>The Castle of the Three Dragons, built as Caf\u00e9 restaurant for the 1888 Universal Exposition of Barcelona.<\/span><\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Greenhouse\"<\/a>

<\/br>Greenhouse<\/br>Leftover from the Expo.<\/span><\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Statue<\/a>

<\/br>Statue of Francesc Rius i Taulet<\/br>Mayor of Barcelona in four different non-consecutive periods during the Restoration between 1858 and 1889, regarded to be among the highest promoters of the 1888 Barcelona Universal Exposition and its related urbanistic reforms.<\/span><\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Arc<\/a>

<\/br>Arc de Triomf<\/br>Main entrance to the Universal Exhibition hosted by the city in 1888<\/span><\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Superior<\/a>

<\/br>Superior Court<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Bandstand<\/a>

<\/br>Bandstand Dedicated to the Transsexual Sonia<\/br>To Sonia Rescalvo Zafra, who was brutally murdered on 6th October 1991 in this bandstand by a group of neo-Nazis for her gender identity. The city of Barcelona condemns this crime and dedicated this bandstand in her name.<\/span><\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Cascada<\/a>

<\/br>Cascada Monumental<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Cascada<\/a>

<\/br>Cascada Monumental<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Cascada<\/a>

<\/br>Cascada Monumental<\/br>With statue of Goddess Aurora and her chariot up in the top.<\/span><\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Pond<\/a>

<\/br>Pond below Cascada Monumental<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Pigeons<\/a>

<\/br>Pigeons and Parrots<\/br>There was a lady feeding those birds, so it seemed that all the birds in the park were here.<\/span><\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Lake<\/a>

<\/br>Lake in Citadel Park<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Catalunya<\/a>

<\/br>Catalunya Parliament<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Castrense<\/a>

<\/br>Castrense Church<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Statue<\/a>

<\/br>Statue of Juan Prim<\/br>19 Century Spanish general and statesman who was briefly Prime Minister of Spain until his assassination.<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/p>\n

After that, it was nearly 6pm, so we made our way back to Barcelona old city and our hotel.<\/p>\n

\"Fran\u00e7a<\/a>

<\/br>\"Fran\u00e7a<\/a><\/br>Fran\u00e7a Train Station Interior<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Font<\/a>

<\/br>Font del Geni Catal\u00e0<\/br>Statue dedicated to the Marquis de Campo Sagrado, captain general of Catalonia from 1824 to 1827. The winged figure holding the star represents the “Catalan genius,” the four women sitting are allegories of the four provinces of Catalonia and sea horses represent the four main rivers (the Ebro, the Segre, the Llobregat and Ter).<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/p>\n

Bas\u00edlica de Santa Maria del Mar<\/span><\/h3>\n

Bas\u00edlica de Santa Maria del Mar was is an outstanding example of Catalan Gothic built between 1329 and 1383 at the height of Catalonia’s maritime and mercantile preeminence. It was on our way back to hotel and free admission, so we paid it a visit.<\/p>\n

Its English name is “Saint Mary of the Sea”, and by Google Maps, it has the shortest distance (550m) to the sea in all the major churches in Barcelona, so it definitely lived up to its name.<\/p>\n

\"Memorial<\/a>

<\/br>Memorial Torch in Fossar de les Moreres<\/br>The plaza was built over a cemetery where defenders of the city were buried following the Siege of Barcelona at the end of the War of the Spanish Succession in 1714. The memorial torch of eternal flame and heroic poem by Frederic Soler, “El Fossar de les Moreres” were dedicated to the soldiers defending the city.<\/span><\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Buildings<\/a>

<\/br>Buildings by Fossar de les Moreres Plaza<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Nave\"<\/a>

<\/br>Nave<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Nave\"<\/a>

<\/br>Nave<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Altar\"<\/a>

<\/br>Altar<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Chandelier<\/a>

<\/br>Chandelier in Bas\u00edlica de Santa Maria del Mar<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Columns<\/a>

<\/br>Columns of Bas\u00edlica de Santa Maria del Mar<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Organ\"<\/a>

<\/br>Organ<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Bas\u00edlica<\/a>

<\/br>Bas\u00edlica de Santa Maria del Mar<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Bas\u00edlica<\/a>

<\/br>Bas\u00edlica de Santa Maria del Mar Facade<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Buildings<\/a>

<\/br>Buildings in Barcelona Old City<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Walls<\/a>

<\/br>Walls of Santa \u00c0gata Chapel<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n

Catedral de Barcelona<\/span><\/h3>\n

Gothic cathedral and seat of the Archbishop of Barcelona constructed between 13th and 15th Centuries. The cathedral is dedicated to Eulalia of Barcelona, co-patron saint of Barcelona, a young virgin who, according to Catholic tradition, suffered martyrdom during Roman times in the city. 13 white geese are kept in its secluded Gothic cloister, in correspondence with the assertion that Eulalia was 13 when she was martyred.<\/p>\n

When we passed it on our way back, it was its free admission hours, so we paid it a visit.<\/p>\n

\"Asile\"<\/a>

<\/br>Asile<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Choir\"<\/a>

<\/br>Choir<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n

Well, I guessed since this cathedral was the seat of Barcelona Archbishop, its symbolism and rituals outweighted its function as a prayer house, so it needed to have such huge choir in the middle and Bema, as compared with previous Bas\u00edlica de Santa Maria del Pi and Bas\u00edlica de Santa Maria del Mar mostly filled with pews.<\/p>\n

\"Choir<\/a>

<\/br>Choir Seats<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Organ\"<\/a>

<\/br>Organ<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Altar\"<\/a>

<\/br>Altar<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Sacristy\"<\/a>

<\/br>Sacristy<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Ceilings\"<\/a>

<\/br>Ceilings<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Altar\"<\/a>

<\/br>Altar<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Columns<\/a>

<\/br>Columns in Catedral de Barcelona<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Dome\"<\/a>

<\/br>Dome<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Catedral<\/a>

<\/br>Catedral de Barcelona Interior<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Catedral<\/a>

<\/br>Catedral de Barcelona Facade at Dusk<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n

That was the last stop of the day. On our way back, we passed La Boqueria Market again, and unfortunately, my friend located a “wonderful” sea food restaurant in it, where he decided to have his dinner. Not being a sea food friend and having eaten more than enough sea food yesterday, I was reduced to a nearby McDonald’s.<\/p>\n

\"Buildings<\/a>

<\/br>Buildings in Barcelona Old City<\/br>One can tell from the fresco on its ceilings that this must be an upscale house.<\/span><\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Erotic<\/a>

<\/br>Erotic Museum<\/br>And they got a lady with flying skirts giving kisses.<\/span><\/p><\/div>
\n

\"La<\/a>

<\/br>La Boqueria Market<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n

After dinner, we decided that we should somehow celebrate our last night in Barcelona with a drink. No, I don’t drink alcohol, so we made our toast with lemonade stand drinks from La Boqueria Market.<\/p>\n

\"Drink\"<\/a>

<\/br>Drink<\/br>Strawberry lychee juice, hell they can mix almost every fruit up.<\/span><\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Buildings<\/a>

<\/br>Buildings in Barcelona Old City<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Pedestrian<\/a>

<\/br>Pedestrian Street in Barcelona Old City<\/p><\/div>
\nEND
\n<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Second day in Barcelona, as the sky cleared into a bright sunny day. The plan of the day was to visit two of Antoni Gaud\u00ed’s architecture masterpiece, Casa Mil\u00e0 and Casa Batll\u00f3, followed by roaming the Barcelona old… Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[204,2],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.huangyizhou.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2428"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.huangyizhou.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.huangyizhou.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.huangyizhou.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.huangyizhou.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2428"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/www.huangyizhou.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2428\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2945,"href":"http:\/\/www.huangyizhou.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2428\/revisions\/2945"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.huangyizhou.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2428"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.huangyizhou.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2428"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.huangyizhou.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2428"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}