Any student knows where Barcelona is, in which country. This is a beautiful resort town, the pearl of tourist Spain, which contains the largest number of outrageous creations of the brilliant architect Antonio Gaudi. Barcelona can be called an ecologically clean area, as there are a lot of parks and gardens. Also, the city is old, and therefore on its territory there is a huge number of ancient sights. Whether you want to get acquainted with the history of Barcelona, whether you like walking along the picturesque streets, or still prefer a beach holiday, this resort is ideal in any case! Barcelona - what is it "inside"?
Where is Barcelona located, in which country?
The city is located in the north-east of Spain, on the Mediterranean coast. Geographically, Barcelona is located in Catalonia, isthe capital of this autonomous region and the province of the same name. This is the largest commercial and industrial center of the country, the most important port of the Mediterranean Sea. The city also occupies not the last positions in tourist routes in Europe. Barcelona is only 120 km from the French border.
Historical background
The exact date of the formation of Barcelona is impossible to determine, but according to scientists, it was founded more than 2000 years ago. First, a settlement called Barkenon appeared on the site of the modern city. Then it was only a coastal plain, surrounded by a ridge. The geographical position of Barcelona was such that it connected Central Europe with the rest of the Iberian Peninsula, and therefore was of great strategic importance.
As for the reasons for the appearance of the settlement and, in fact, the founders, there is no definite answer. Two versions are considered, each of which has the right to exist. According to Carthaginian legend, Barcelona was founded in 230 BC by Amilcar Barca, who created a settlement near Mount Montjuic, calling it, as already mentioned above, Barkenon.
More romantic is the Roman legend, according to which the area was named Barca Nona, which translates as "the ninth boat". The story refers to the time of Jason's search for his Golden Fleece. The expedition consisted of nine ships that were scattered across the sea due to a severe storm. When they managed to get together again, it turned out that there were eight boats left. Then Jason askedHercules find the ninth ship. An ancient Greek hero discovered a carriage at the foot of Montjuic. The people who found shelter there after the shipwreck fell in love with this area so much that they decided to stay here to live, symbolically naming the settlement Barca Nona.
General information
The area of Barcelona is 100.4 km². The city is located on five hills, which later gave the names of part of the urban areas. Barcelona is located between the mouths of two rivers - Besos from the north and Llobregat from the south. From the west, the Catalan capital is protected by the Sierra de Collserola mountain ranges, and from the east it is open to the Mediterranean Sea.
In 2008, the population was 1,615,000 people. It is the most populous city in the Mediterranean, second in Spain (after Madrid), and ninth in the European Union.
The official language is Catalan, but almost all locals speak Spanish.
Barcelona time zone UTC/GMT +01:00. That is, the time is one hour behind Moscow: if in the Russian capital it is 06:00, then in the Catalan capital it is 05:00.
Fishing and economy
The main trade industries are textiles, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, electronics and automotive. The assembly plants of several major engineering companies are located in Barcelona. Among them are the Spanish car brand Seat, owned by the Volkswagen Group, the French Renault and Peugeot, the American Ford and some others.
Catalonia as a whole is considered highly developedregion of Spain. Only 16% of the country's population lives here, but they produce 24% of the gross national product. It is in Barcelona and its environs that the main economic potential of Catalonia is concentrated. Most of the inhabitants of the autonomy work and live in the capital.
Two sectors are especially important in economic terms - winemaking and tourism. The most attention is paid to the latter. World-famous resorts are located on the coast of the city, and cruise ship routes pass through the port of Barcelona.
Climate in Barcelona and weather conditions throughout the year
The weather in the capital of Catalonia is perfect for a comfortable stay at any time of the year. In summer there is no oppressive heat and it is dry, in autumn and spring it is relatively warm, but humid. It is cool in winter, cold western winds prevail with little precipitation. But even at this time, the temperature almost never drops below 0 degrees.
In general, as befits a coastal city, the climate in Barcelona is Mediterranean. The average temperature by month is shown in the table.
| Names of months | Temperature readings |
| January | 9 |
| February | 10 |
| march | 11 |
| April | 13 |
| May | 16 |
| June | 20 |
| July | 23 |
| August | 24 |
| September | 21 |
| October | 17 |
| November | 13 |
| December | 10 |
Spring lasts from March to May, at this time the temperature gradually rises, the number of light hours per day increases. June to September is summer. Mostly at this time it is warm, it is rarely overcast, and rain is even less common. Autumn comes in October and ends with the arrival of November. In these months, on the contrary, it is rainy. It can still be warm during the day, but at night the air temperature drops to +7 degrees.
Barcelona's winter climate is also mild, snow rarely falls. Daytime air temperature can rise to +15 degrees, and at night it can drop to +5.
Administrative divisions
Territorially, Barcelona Square is divided into 10 districts:
- Ciutat Vella is the oldest district of the city, located in the center.
- Example is a cultural and tourist area near the Old City.
- Sarria-Sant Gervac - "the quarter of the rich", there are many expensive mansions.
- Gracia is the shopping and leisure area for Barcelona's creative minds.
- Horta-Guinardo - bedroom quarter.
- Sants-Montjuic is an area full of nightclubs.
- Les Corts is the business district.
- Sant Andreu - sleeping area.
- Nou Barris is a poor neighbourhood, where almost all immigrants live.
- Sant Marti is a coastal area ideal for a beach holiday.
Mainattractions
A lot of important and interesting sights of Italy are located in Barcelona. The description of each of them can continue indefinitely - what are the creations of Gaudí alone worth! Let's briefly consider the most important of them.
- Gothic Quarter. Located in Ciutat Vella (Old City), it is a labyrinth of narrow streets that, changing one after another, move a person to one or another era.
- Cathedral. The main temple of Barcelona was built in 1460. This building, like many other medieval buildings, is made in the Gothic style, and its interior and exterior are richly decorated with various decorative elements.
- Park Güell. One of the creations of Antonio Gaudi, in which the maestro designed gingerbread houses, cute fountains, statues and paid special attention to landscape design.
- Baglio's house. Amazingly beautiful building, which stands out with bright colors and winding lines. As you might guess, it was designed by Gaudí.
- House Mila. No less futuristic building, which visually resembles a monument. When designing, Gaudí did not use a single straight line.
- Mount Montjuic. The area is very attractive for tourists, as a large number of interesting places are concentrated here. For example, the famous "Spanish Village" is an open-air museum city. There are also palaces and parks on the mountain. It is recommended to come here in the summer, when the climate in Barcelona is most pleasant for long walks.
- The Rambla. Was once hereriver, and now a footpath has been laid on the place where the water flowed. Street artists paint portraits and actors put on funny performances. The boulevard is also equipped with summer cafes and souvenir shops.
- Sagrada Familia. The Sagrada Familia is also Gaudí's brainchild, the design of which the maestro spent 40 years of his life. Construction began in 1882 and continues to this day.
FC Barcelona
The Catalan capital is home to one of the most famous professional Spanish football clubs in the world - FCB. Barca (as the team is also called) is quite successful, moreover, it has no equal in terms of the number of cup trophies won. FC Barcelona has repeatedly become the champion of Spain in La Liga, the Spanish Cup and the Spanish Super Cup - 18 times in history, while losing the championship only to the equally strong and famous team - Real Madrid.
