|
|
Barcelona (Spain)
Palau de Les Heures, Barcelona, Spain
In a privileged position on the northeastern coast of the Iberian peninsula
and the shores of the Mediterranean, Barcelona is the second largest city in
Spain in both size and population. It is also the capital of Catalonia, an
Autonomous Community within Spain. There are two official languages spoken in
Barcelona: Catalan, generally spoken in all of Catalonia, and Castillian
Spanish. The city of Barcelona has a population of 1.510.000, but this number
spirals (不断上升)to more than 4.000.000 if the outlying areas are also
included.
The capital of Catalonia is unequivocally a Mediterranean city, not only
because of its geographic location but also and above all because of its
history, tradition and cultural influences. The documented history of the city
dates back to the founding of a Roman colony on its soil in the second century
B.C. Modern Barcelona experienced spectacular growth and economic revival at the
onset of industrialization during the second half of the 19th century. The 1888
World"s Fair became a symbol of the capacity for hard work and the international
outlook projected for the city. Culture and the arts flourished in Barcelona and
in all of Catalonia; the splendor achieved by Catalonian modernism is one of the
most patent displays.
Barcelona, more than just a single city, is really a collection of
multi-faceted and diverse cities. The visitor unfamiliar with its history might
be surprised by the fact that such a modern and enterprising city preserves its
historic Gothic center almost intact, or by the curious contrast between the
maze of narrow streets and the grid-like layout of the Eixample, the urban
planning "Enlargement" project of the end of the 19th century; or that beside a
modern high-rise, we can also find a quaint square where the most outstanding
decorative element is a chimney, an echo of the old factories that were
installed there in the past. |
|
发表于 2016-7-9 23:18:33