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The 5 Elements of Barcelona
If you check a site such as Wikipedia, there is some great history about the elements from varying continents and historical cultures such as the Greeks, Japanese, etc. but this article is going to focus on the main 5 which I say are Water, Air, Earth, Fire and Metal.
Water. Barcelona is surrounded by water. To the left is the River Besos, to the right is the river Llobregat and straight in front is the Mediterranean Sea. The city hosts many water sport events during the year, and of course was a fantastic success in the Olympic Games of 1992. The Olympic Diving boards up on Montjüic Mountain not only offer such fantastic views of the city as a backdrop, but also the sporting monument. The city also has its Aquarium which is one of the most visited attractions and also something I can highly recommend!
Air. Due to the geographical make up of Barcelona, it can get very windy. At the back of Barcelona is Tibidabo Mountain, and to the right looking out from the sea, is the aforementioned Montjüic Mountain, too. Barcelona beach plays happy host to sand wind surfers as it’s such a great cross wind, although their time may be cut short soon, with the construction of a new hotel right in the line of the wind, which would act as a wind barrier.
Earth. Barcelona has various levels, as I’ve mentioned. The Gothic Quarter has the fantastic History of the City Museum, which has Roman ruins from “Barcino” the Roman citadel built on top of the Mons Taber hill. This is a fascinating place which takes you literally inside the earth to visit underground chasms, an ancient church and endless corridors and passageways. The various parks and gardens around Barcelona are a great way to get back to nature, and the earth. The Cuitadella Park and the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Park Güell should be a stop on anyone’s tourist route.
Fire. Barcelona is an Olympic city, and there are 2 Olympic flames – one on the side of the Olympic Stadium up on Montjüic, and also one at the roundabout monument at Plaça Espanya. However, perhaps the most impressive fire element in the city occurs in the week of La Merçe festival in late September. This is the “correfoc” or fire run, and is a tradition dating back centuries. Fire-breathing dragons run through the tiny streets of the Gothic Quarter with pyrotechnics and it’s certainly not for the faint hearted!
Metal. Apart from the obvious structures of Metal in the building work, Barcelona’s architecture is world-famous for one man – Antonin Gaudi. The Catalan architect’s father was an Ironmonger, and this influenced Antonin himself in many of his works. The downtown Palau Güell has fantastic Iron gates at the entrance, with serpents, and a Phoenix-style bird above the Güell shield.
Paseo de Gracia in Barcelona has two of Gaudi’s buildings where metal again is apparent. Casa Battlò has large cast iron balconies in the yawning windows, which are very intricate and cast in one piece. Casa Mila – just a few blocks up the road – is a building bereft of straight lines, and again the balconies are like winding, twisted vines or seaweed.
Water. Barcelona is surrounded by water. To the left is the River Besos, to the right is the river Llobregat and straight in front is the Mediterranean Sea. The city hosts many water sport events during the year, and of course was a fantastic success in the Olympic Games of 1992. The Olympic Diving boards up on Montjüic Mountain not only offer such fantastic views of the city as a backdrop, but also the sporting monument. The city also has its Aquarium which is one of the most visited attractions and also something I can highly recommend!
Air. Due to the geographical make up of Barcelona, it can get very windy. At the back of Barcelona is Tibidabo Mountain, and to the right looking out from the sea, is the aforementioned Montjüic Mountain, too. Barcelona beach plays happy host to sand wind surfers as it’s such a great cross wind, although their time may be cut short soon, with the construction of a new hotel right in the line of the wind, which would act as a wind barrier.
Earth. Barcelona has various levels, as I’ve mentioned. The Gothic Quarter has the fantastic History of the City Museum, which has Roman ruins from “Barcino” the Roman citadel built on top of the Mons Taber hill. This is a fascinating place which takes you literally inside the earth to visit underground chasms, an ancient church and endless corridors and passageways. The various parks and gardens around Barcelona are a great way to get back to nature, and the earth. The Cuitadella Park and the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Park Güell should be a stop on anyone’s tourist route.
Fire. Barcelona is an Olympic city, and there are 2 Olympic flames – one on the side of the Olympic Stadium up on Montjüic, and also one at the roundabout monument at Plaça Espanya. However, perhaps the most impressive fire element in the city occurs in the week of La Merçe festival in late September. This is the “correfoc” or fire run, and is a tradition dating back centuries. Fire-breathing dragons run through the tiny streets of the Gothic Quarter with pyrotechnics and it’s certainly not for the faint hearted!
Metal. Apart from the obvious structures of Metal in the building work, Barcelona’s architecture is world-famous for one man – Antonin Gaudi. The Catalan architect’s father was an Ironmonger, and this influenced Antonin himself in many of his works. The downtown Palau Güell has fantastic Iron gates at the entrance, with serpents, and a Phoenix-style bird above the Güell shield.
Paseo de Gracia in Barcelona has two of Gaudi’s buildings where metal again is apparent. Casa Battlò has large cast iron balconies in the yawning windows, which are very intricate and cast in one piece. Casa Mila – just a few blocks up the road – is a building bereft of straight lines, and again the balconies are like winding, twisted vines or seaweed.
About the Author
David Brydon has been living in Barcelona for 9 years and writes about Barcelona Apartments and Apartments for families in Barcelona.
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