Barcelona : More than a City

There are some cities in this world which go beyond their earthly borders and represent something more than the tangible. Such cities stretch the man-made definitions of cities and places. In India Mumbai and Calcutta could be slotted into this category as they have come to represent more than their land mass and are etched in the minds of people. Barcelona too is one such city as its more than a City as it represents an entire people. It was to Barcelona i headed next on this second leg of my Eurotrip.

April 23, 2011, Saturday

The first time i had ever heard of Barcelona was in 1992. It was the year of the Olympics and Barcelona was hosting it that year. I was just 9 years old then and in my world at that time there were only two cities in the world, Bangalore where i lived and Delhi which was our capital. This new name aroused a curious interest in me. My dad even got me a school bag with the logo of that Olympics. Now 19 years later i was finally visiting this city and the memories from those innocent times came flooding back. The spectacular opening ceremony, my favorite Carl Lewis losing the 100m gold, Gail Devers' stunning 100m run and so on and on. I was woken from this trance when my plane touched down at the airport.

This was my first ever visit to Spain and the weather Gods seemed to have been aware of it as they had lit up the sky with brilliant sunshine. The route from the airport to the city was dotted with beautiful little Spanish villages. Some on the plains and some others on mountain tops. The whole setting was so mesmerizing. The quaint little villages with their small churches and beige colored houses and the people enjoying a barbeque looked like another world. Amidst these idyllic villages i felt so disconnected from the world i had come from. How did i, a stranger from far off India get to these idyllic little Spanish villages which i had never dreamt of? I mused to myself. It was one of the most surreal moments of my life.

As the bus entered the city i started to realize how huge the city really was. It has over 1.5 million inhabitants which by European standards is huge. Also architecture seemed to be the hallmark of the city as even the most utilitarian of buildings such as apartments and bus stations where built with a typically Spanish architectural finesse. The buildings were built with exquisitely styled exteriors and had balconies that were adorned with beautiful flowers and flying the Catalan flag created a distinctly Spanish flavor. It was time to start my travel into the city and the first place i chose was the Old city called the - Barri Gottic or the Gothic Quarter.

As with most major European cities, Barcelona was founded by the Romans and the original city they built is now called the Gothic Quarter. The Gothic quarter houses some very old palaces and squares dating back to the middle ages and also some remains of the Roman wall and some aqueducts. I started my travel from the city's central square - Place Catalunya, and took the famed La Rambla street. La Rambla is the main street of Barcelona and is a pedestrian street filled with people during all hours of the day. I waded my way through the people and entered a smaller street and headed to Barcelona's oldest church, Catedral de la Santa Eulalia or La Seu as it is commonly known as. The winding narrow streets reminded me of Italy and i started to realize how similar these two countries really are. The narrow street finally ended at the foot of the great church and it was a sight to behold. A mass of people and a street musician playing the Spanish guitar added color to the whole setting.


Next i headed to the Royal Palace. This was palace of the kings and queens of Spain before they moved base to Madrid and it has quite a bit of history. Christopher Columbus apparently declared his discovery of the new world to the king and queen here. There is also the letter which Columbus presented to the king declaring that he conquered the new world for the glory of Christianity and Spain. How some one can make such an arrogant declaration on behalf of the innocent natives of the new world is beyond me but that's what evidently happened here. Realizing that i was at the same place where the history of the world took a new twist was quite chilling.

Barcelona may be a Spanish city for the outsiders but for its citizens its a Catalan city and to be sure they add the line - 'Catalonia is not Spain'. The Catalans claim a distinct language which is a curious mix of French and Spanish, a distinct history with various conflicts with the Spanish crown and also a distinct culture. The history of this deep divide started here in the Gothic quarter. Spain even though is a small country it is divided into various conflicting regions. The central Castile region with Madrid as its capital is historically the most powerful region and also the most intimidating. Catalonia on the other hand is on the north eastern corner very close to the French border. As the legend goes the queen of Spain during the era of the discoveries, queen Isabella was from the Castile region and was biased in the distribution of the riches from the new world and allocated a disproportionately large part to her native region much to the displeasure of the Catalans. This bias slowly got institutionalized and over the years Catalonia and Barcelona as a result fell behind in terms of development. In fact this lack of development during the start of the new age of discoveries is one of the reasons why there is such a well preserved Gothic quarter here in Barcelona. This bias however has led to a deep feeling of separatism in the minds of the Catalans and hence their stress on a distinct Catalan identity. Barcelona hence has become more than a physical city and represents the identity and aspirations of the entire Catalan population.

After going through some magnificent squares and their churches and palaces they contained i made my way to the Placa Reiel which is basically the 'Royal Square'. It was a beautiful square surrounded on all four sides by palaces with a fountain in the middle. The architecture again was spell binding and the throngs of people and pigeons provided a perfect setting.

I exited the square and made my way down the Rambla towards the sea. A few steps later i was greeted with the sight of the Columbus monument. It was a magnificent tall column which was perched at the edge of the sea. It had a statue of Christopher Columbus on top with the great man pointing his finger towards the eastern horizon. I guessed he must be pointing to India in that direction as that was his life's ambition which i might add was unfulfilled. I could almost hear him say - 'Let's go East'. Nevertheless he discovered the new world in the process and gave the history of the world a new direction. The column itself is well decorated with carvings and statues depicting Columbus' and Spain's conquest of the new world. The Spaniards are shown as deliverers who civilized the savage natives. No one seemed to realize just how savage the Spaniards and Europeans in general behaved during this whole civilizing-the-natives process. Anyway the Spaniards seemed to revere Columbus as a great hero who brought glory to Spain.


Getting out of the Gothic quarter was like coming out of a history museum. Once out i started for the best park in Barcelona - Parc Guell. This park sits atop a hill and was designed by the maverick genius Antonio Gaudi. It was initially planned to be an apartment complex but as with all Gaudi projects it got delayed infinitely and ended up as a park. As i made my way into the park i got the first glimpse of Gaudi's genius. Some artists seem to be born for certain cities. As Bernini was meant for Rome and Michealangelo born for the Vatican, Gaudi was always meant for Barcelona. Gaudi was truly unique and if anything his style could be called as 'Naturalistic' for his creations seem to almost naturally arise from the ground and blend seamlessly with the surroundings. This was the case with this park too as it had numerous buildings and artworks that resembled this style. As an added bonus the views from the park were simply magnificent as most of Barcelona's attractions were visible from there.

After a pleasant time at the park my first day of traveling ended and it had been a hectic day with both body and mind asking for a rest. However i was already looking forward to the next day.

April 24, 2011, Sunday

If previous was a fabulous day then today promised to be even better as i would be covering the most popular attractions of Barcelona. The morning though was drenched with the early morning rain. As i set out on my expedition i hoped the rain gods would relent and it would turn out to be a sunny day. First up on the menu was the Olympic stadium.

As i recounted earlier the Olympics was my first connection with Barcelona hence i was determined to visit the place. The efficient metro system took me in no time to the Placa Espanya, the second most important square in the city. Even the names of squares were tinged with politics i thought. Hence the biggest square was name after Catalunya and the second biggest was named after Espanya, the Catalan bias coming through here as well! The Olympic stadium nestles on top of a hill called 'MontJuic' which is Catalan for 'Mount of Jews'. However the escalators along the way made my life easy as i started my climb.


MontJuic also contains the spectacular Catalan museum which gave the impression of a palace rather than a museum. As i moved ahead i realized that i was the only person on the way as it was pretty early in the morning and also it was raining a bit. Anyway, i soldiered along and quickly made my way to the Olympic village and lo and behold within moments i was in front of the Olympic stadium. The stadium looked quite magnificent with the statue of prancing horses at its head. As i stood there i remembered the opening ceremony of the 1992 Olympics and more so the spectacular lighting of the flame. The lighting was very charming as an archer stepped forward and shot a fire tipped arrow towards the Olympic cauldron hoisted on the balcony. The arrow went as intended by the skilled archer and miraculously hit the target and lighted the Olympic torch. It was a jaw dropping sight for a 9-year old then. As i looked around the village it had several other stadiums which would have hosted several of the Olympic events. However sadly the stadiums seem to have become white elephants as they were being seldom used now. Oh, well they are the result of the curse of the modern Olympics, but on the positive side they brought Barcelona into the limelight hence all the money and effort spent on them were worth it i guess.


From one great stadium to another i headed to the pilgrim of every football fan- the Camp Nou. There is no greater symbol of Barcelona and indeed of the Catalan people than the Barcelona Football club and the expansive Camp Nou was their home ground. Barcelona FC is literally and figuratively the 'people's club' as it is owned by the people of Barcelona. Hence each citizen of the city owns a bit of the club and as on the day it has 200,000 registered members which is a record for any football club in the world. This almost 'republican' club has been pitted in the Spanish league against the other great Spanish club Real Madrid which as a matter of fact is called the 'King's club' because of its proximity to the rulers. This rivalry is one of the fiercest in the world as its not just a battle of footballing skills but ideology, the free-spirited republicans versus the establishment if you will. In fact the rivalry is often attributed to the under-performance of the Spanish national team as the rivalry split the people so deeply that they couldn't reconcile themselves even when playing for the national team. As i mulled about this great club and its great rival i arrived at the supreme edifice of the Camp Nou.

My first memory of Camp Nou goes back to the epic Champions league final between Manchester United and Bayern Munich here in 1999 when Manchester United stole a thrilling victory over Bayern on that day in the dying minutes of the game. Those were the early days of football in India and seeing 100,000 people inside a stadium was a thrilling sight for me. I secretly hoped i would some day go there but never thought i would ever. Life is strange and here i was standing in front of that same stadium i had dreamt of!

The Camp Nou is one of the largest stadiums in the world with an estimated capacity of 100,000. However the exterior does not vouch for this huge number and is pretty unimpressive. The reason could be that the actual pitch has been build into the ground hence stealing some of the exterior's height. As i got to the main entrance i saw that it was still locked as the opening hour had not yet come, however i saw lots of fans already queuing up. By the time the gates opened the numbers had reached to well over a 100! Finally i got my ticket and started the Camp Now tour. First up on the tour was the Barca museum.

Barcelona FC was founded in the year 1899 by a Swiss expatriate called Joan Gamper along with a few Spanish and English enthusiasts. This explains the presence of the English flag in its logo i thought to myself! He also chose the club colors to the now legendary dark blue and red. There are several theories behind these colors , some say that being a republican club it chose the colors of the iconic French first republic founded by Robespierre while others believe they were the colors of Gamper's former club, FC Basel. Whatever be the origin the colors have become legendary and are identified with the club all over the world. These were some of the facts that the museum contained along with several overflowing trophy cabinets including the one containing the most prestigious trophy in club football - the UEFA Champions league. I had seen it several times on TV and seeing it in person was amazing. Then i made my way to the stands and the entire size of the stadium became evident to me. A sea of red and blue swept my eyes and i imagined the great contests and players who had played here. The middle of the stands were engraved with the the slogan of the club 'Mes Que un Club' which means 'More than a Club'. It was such an apt title as Barcelona FC is not just any other club, it like the city it represents is more than what they are claimed to be. Both the club and the city represent the identity and aspirations of the Catalan people. Then i made my way to the Press area, dressing room and even the commentary box.


Finally i made my way to the actual pitch and it was an exhilarating moment. Some how the view from the stands did not match this pitch-side view. The neatly manicured grass glistened with the club's logo and beside it was the player's dug out. Just thinking about the atmosphere during match-day was giving me goosebumps. This pitch had been witness to some of the most gripping matches in the football world and just being there and soaking up its environment had just made my day. As i exited the Camp Nou i overheard the cheers from a nearby ground and it turned out that it was due to a practice match that was going on between the Barcelona youth teams and the club's supporters were out there supporting the next crop of Barcelona superstars. Interestingly the youth academy at Barcelona is nicknamed the 'quarry' which is quite apt as they are the quarries that shape the rocks that would build this great club in the future! Once i came out though i was filled with a sense of achievement as i had visited one of the places i had only dreamt about. After visiting the Camp Nou i was still in a dazed state and next up for me was the most unusual church in the world.

The Sagrada Familia is one of the great churches of the world and its renowned the world over for its spectacular and unusual architecture. As i was on my way to the church i was remembering all the great churches i had seen here in Europe, the Notre Dame, St.Peter's , the Duomo of Florence, St.Mark's cathedral of Venice and each had been different in its own way but still adhered to classical architecture. However the Sagrada Familia is famous for its unusual architectural style and i was really looking forward to being there. As i got off the metro station the first thing that struck me was just how tall the Sagarda Familia was. I had to really crane my neck to take in the full height. As i looked at this supreme church i was awestruck by its architecture, it looked so natural that the church and the nature around it could not be distinguished. The church seemed so 'organic' that it seemed to have a life of its own. Gaudi's signature was everywhere, right from the very earthy exterior to the unusual sculptures , it was Gaudi at his craziest and his best.

What impressed me most about the church's exterior was the way in which classical christian motifs were rendered in unusual forms. For example there was a sculpture of the betrayal of Jesus by Judas which is a classical Christian motif, it was beautifully and unusually rendered by Gaudi with the human forms looking like they had been carved out of wood. There was no fine touches to the human forms instead they were given sharp outlines. Hence even though Gaudi's sculpture was different you could easily identify the christian motif behind it. The same style was replicated in other sculpture settings ranging from the manger to the scene of the crucifixion. It was utterly spellbinding. Also impressive were the doors to the church which have in them the word 'Jesus' inscribed in hundreds of different languages including Catalan.



The interior of the church was equally impressive. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the construction of the interior looked completely finished whereas i had assumed that it would be still going on and will be like a construction mess. Which it was a few years ago but luckily not any more. The alter looked magnificent with the statue of the crucified Christ carved in Gaudi's inimitable style hanging from two wires giving you an impression that it was hanging mid-air. The row of columns too looked very natural and reminded you of the tree trunks of a dense forest. The balconies and sitting areas on the side too looked very natural and blended in beautifully with their surroundings. In fact i was convinced that they were carved out of wood and i had to actually touch them to realize they were indeed stone, such were their naturalness. As i looked up at the ceiling the cluster of columns met up in unison to give the impression of a giant canopy. The choir sections were built so wonderfully at different levels of the church and it was said that coupled with the acoustics of the church the music they produced was a delight to the senses. Also fascinating was the way in which the windows were so intelligently carved as they not only provided artistic value but also a practical usage as they lighted the church with the right amount of sunlight.

As i marveled at this masterpiece of a church i experienced a sense of calmness about me away from the chaos of the outside world and also the restlessness of the inner self. As with all churches it gave a sense of peace and solitude. Still in a trance i exited the Sagarada Familia and started on the last leg of my tour which aptly i wanted to end by witnessing the masterpieces of that great artist, Gaudi.

Though the Sagrada Familia was Gaudi's magnum opus he did build a lot of other monuments inside the city. One of his most emblematic works was the Casa Batllo. As i looked at this buildings i felt as though Gaudi had taken a vow of never putting any straight lines on it as everything seemed to be curved. The facade was beautifully decorated with broken mosaic of different colors and the coup de grace was the balconies which were designed in the form of a venetian eye mask. It was really a sight to behold.


Across the street from the Casa Batllo at a stones throw distance is another of his master pieces - the Casa Milla better known as the La Pedrera ('the quarry' in Catalan). Here again Gaudi avoided straight linens and gave the building a wavy exterior. It was as if the whole building was fluid and it was flowing like the waves of the sea. The most impressive aspect of the building for me was the ornate balconies. Gaudi wraps around strands of metal around the crevice of the balcony as if he is winding a wreath of flowers around it. Metal never seemed more tender or more beautiful.


As the sun set on the distant horizon it signaled the end of my tryst with Barcelona. A city and culture i had always admired was arrested in my mind forever. As i left the city i felt a sense of accomplishment and wonder at having had the good fortune of being there. I was physically and mentally exhausted and all i could muster was a silent 'Grascias Amigos'!