Plaça de Catalunya (Catalonia Square) is the heart of Barcelona and the most active place of the the city at every hour of the day.
It works as a main connection between the Old Town, la Ciutat Vella (the Gothic Quarter) and the New modern city (the Eixample District).
This central square is crossed by the most important and busiest streets of the city: Passeig de Gràcia, Rambla de Catalunya, the mythical avenue of La Rambla and the famous shopping street Portal de l'Angel.
The buildings located all around the square are mostly offices and banks but there is also a huge shopping mall named El Corte Inglés, the most important one in the city as well as the Official Apple Store.
Due to its location, is almost impossible not to visit it during your stay in Barcelona it is usually the main meeting point for locals and visitors.
How to get there
Public transport:
- Metro: L1 and L3, stop Plaça de Catalunya
- Buses: 9, 14, 16, 17, 24, 41, 42, 47, 55, 58, 59, 62, 67, 68, 91, 141.
Plaça de Catalunya is also accessible through a Hop-on Hop-off bus tour.
History
The square was opened by King Alfonso XIII in 1927 and occupies an area of 5 hectares. The site was once an open piece of land situated in front of the city gates. The architects Pere Falqués, Puig I Cadafalch and Francesc de Paula Nebot have been involved in its design, as well as sculptures by famous artists such as Clarà and Llimona.
In the square you will also find six sculptural groups representing the four Catalan capitals, wisdom and labor. On one side of the square you can see the statue of Josep Maria Subirach to the President of the Government of Catalonia, Francesc Macià.
When the city was planning the 1929 International Exhibition, some of the most luxurious hotels, bars and theaters in Barcelona were constructed around the square. Nearly none of them survive, except in the memory of names such as Maison Dorée, Colón and Suís.