La Barceloneta, Barcelona

La Barceloneta
Barceloneta beach in winter, with W Barcelona Hotel
Barceloneta beach in winter, with W Barcelona Hotel
Flag of La Barceloneta
Country Spain
Autonomous Community Catalonia
Province Barcelona
ComarcaBarcelonès
Municipality Barcelona
DistrictCiutat Vella
Population
 (2016)
 • Total15,021

La Barceloneta (Catalan pronunciation: [lə βəɾsəluˈnɛtə]) is a neighborhood in the Ciutat Vella district of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. The neighborhood was built in the 18th century for the residents of the Ribera neighborhood who had been displaced by the construction of the Ciutadella of Barcelona. The neighborhood has a triangular shape, bordered by the Mediterranean Sea, the Moll d’Espanya of Port Vell, and the El Born neighborhood. This neighborhood has its own flag and metro stop on the Barcelona Metro line 4. The neighborhood can also be explored by taking Las Gorondrinas,[1] which depart from the front port of the Columbus monument. This way, one can see the coastal strip, but the real charm of this neighborhood lies in wandering through its narrow streets and alleys. Torre Sant Sebastià is the terminus of the Port Vell Aerial Tramway; opened in 1931, it connects La Barceloneta with Montjuïc across Port Vell.

La Barceloneta is known for its sandy beaches (which appeared in Don Quixote, book 2) and its many restaurants and nightclubs along the boardwalk. Over the past several years, the quality of the sand on the beach has been a source of ongoing controversy. In February 2008, the World Health Organization started an inquiry to determine whether the sand meets WHO beach health and safety guidelines.

With its modernity, La Barceloneta still retains the scent of salt and marine life. For many, this is considered a luxury. La Barceloneta also attracts many cruise ships to dock.[1]

Among the attractions on Barceloneta’s beach are German artist Rebecca Horn's "Homenatge a la Barceloneta" monument, and, where the beach meets the Port Olímpic, Frank Gehry's contemporary "Peix d’Or" sculpture.[2]

In the center of the neighborhood, there is a small museum called "Casa de la Barceloneta", housed in a preserved building dating back to 1761. Admission to the museum provides an insight into the evolution of the neighborhood and its history. The house has a stone façade with letters and numbers engraved on it, indicating the plots used in construction.[3]

  1. ^ a b "Historia". www.labarceloneta.es. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2015-12-13.
  2. ^ "La Barceloneta beach and attractions by Barcelona Life travel guide".
  3. ^ Cia, Blanca (2013-04-20). "La memoria viva de la Barceloneta". EL PAÍS (in Spanish). Retrieved 2015-12-15.

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