barcelona grapevine magazine issue 1
DESCRIPTION
The Grapevine Magazine for Barcelona, Spain with local news, views, reviews, events, photos, information, pictures, articles, lifestyle and events from the Barcelona Community FREE Barcelona Grapevine - if the video presentations do not work in your browser may we recommend trying the following link http://www.barcelonagrapevine.comTRANSCRIPT
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The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014|
Issue 1 2014
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| The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014 The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014|
Barcelona Grapevine Editors
Barcelona Editor: Matthew Debnam, [email protected]
GeneraI Editor: Gaile Griffin Peers, [email protected]
www.barcelonagrapevine.com is a division ofwww.grapevine.international
Barcelona Grapevine is Published in Spain by
Marina Alta Business Club SL
CIF B54067996 est. 2006
Editorial
Community Magazines are about people, places and the things that make both tick.
Because Barcelona is an explosion of cultures, sights and sounds means that there is a vibrant community here making it all happen.
Barcelona Grapevine is all about capturing some of those moments and letting you know about some of the hidden assets in the city.
We are happy to show newcomers some of the sights, but we will be pleased if we are also able to present some of the surprising and less well known people, events and places for those of you without the time to explore the streets for yourself.
As a free-lance photographer I have worked all over the city - so I have been fortunate to meet many of the contributors who hope that you will enjoy this first issue and share our love and enthusiasm for Barcelona.
My thanks to both Carme Cristi and Rachel Maloney Hawkins for their permission to use their photos of me at work.
If you would like to contribute an article, your Barcelona photos or to add your news / events to the next edition - please email me,
Matthew Debnam
-
| The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014 The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014|
Barcelona Grapevine Editors
Barcelona Editor: Matthew Debnam, [email protected]
GeneraI Editor: Gaile Griffin Peers, [email protected]
www.barcelonagrapevine.com is a division ofwww.grapevine.international
Barcelona Grapevine is Published in Spain by
Marina Alta Business Club SL
CIF B54067996 est. 2006
Editorial
Community Magazines are about people, places and the things that make both tick.
Because Barcelona is an explosion of cultures, sights and sounds means that there is a vibrant community here making it all happen.
Barcelona Grapevine is all about capturing some of those moments and letting you know about some of the hidden assets in the city.
We are happy to show newcomers some of the sights, but we will be pleased if we are also able to present some of the surprising and less well known people, events and places for those of you without the time to explore the streets for yourself.
As a free-lance photographer I have worked all over the city - so I have been fortunate to meet many of the contributors who hope that you will enjoy this first issue and share our love and enthusiasm for Barcelona.
My thanks to both Carme Cristi and Rachel Maloney Hawkins for their permission to use their photos of me at work.
If you would like to contribute an article, your Barcelona photos or to add your news / events to the next edition - please email me,
Matthew Debnam
-
| The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014 The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014|
Dont Despair, Make yourself heard in the crowdProfessional Real Estate Photographer, Matthew Debnam, will give
your property exactly the right exposure to help it move quickly
-
| The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014 The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014|
Dont Despair, Make yourself heard in the crowdProfessional Real Estate Photographer, Matthew Debnam, will give
your property exactly the right exposure to help it move quickly
-
| The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014
Gauds14
reasons to visit
Barcelona
by Matthew Debnam
There are more works by Gaud in
Barcelona than you thought...
The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014|
-
| The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014
Gauds14
reasons to visit
Barcelona
by Matthew Debnam
There are more works by Gaud in
Barcelona than you thought...
The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014|
-
| The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014They are the first contributions that Gaud gave to the city the same year as graduating.
Theyre full of symbolism, like the God of Mercurys helmet represent-ing commerce in Plaa Reial, which was once a trade gate into the city from the sea...
Whats more, is that these lamps feature an innovation. The tops of each were lined with white opal so diffused soft light reflected down to the ground, a technique never before used, but mimicked since.
Church of Sant Paci (bottom right) On Carrer de les Mon-gers by catching the Metro to Fabra i
Puig (L1).
Perhaps you know that Gaud was a master with mosaics. One mosaic that you have never seen is his first ever at the Church of Sant Paci.
As a man of faith and religion, his first ever mosaic is rather conservative, in a Greek-Roman style, however true to the artist it is full of symbolism.
Gaudi also designed the lamps, high altar and other furniture, which sad-ly ended up getting burnt in the 1907 revolt.
Palau de Pedralbes. Pavellons Gell, and
Finca Miralles (top, centre, bottom respectively)Reach them all from Maria Cristina Metro
station (L3).
Gaudi designed a small fountain of hercules and an umbracle (a sort of shelter surrounded by trees) in the gardens of this wonderful building.
Right next door is a work by Gauds old teacher - Joan Martorel i Montells - commissioned to build a mansion for the industrialists called Gell.
Gaud took part in the project by de-signing the gates and gatehouse, in what has become his first iconic use of dragons.
Finally, nearby on Passeig de Man-ual Girona, there is yet another gate from the architect.
Its from his modernist phase and his style is instantly recognizable!
He left the design of the house to an associate though, probably because he was busy with Park Gell.
5 Unknown Gaud gems
It can be said without debate that Antoni Gaud is one of the biggest reasons tourists visit Barcelona.
When you see his works in person, well its really no wonder!
His most popular designs - which are Park Gell, the Sagrada Familia Casa Batll, and Casa Mil (La Pe-drera) - receive according the the lo-cal government around a staggering 14,000,000 visits per year in total.
But surely theres more to the archi-tect than these four works?
In this article, we show you the most unknown works from the architect that you can see in Barcelona
Plaa Reial and Pla de Palau (bottom left) Reach from Las Ramblas, and Pla de Palau by Barceloneta Metro
station (L4).
Head to these plazas and youll be forgiven for walking by these gems.
Its not the grand buildings or the fountain. Its the lamp posts with mutiple lights.
Photo by Victor Ferris
The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014|
Photos by Victor Ferris
-
| The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014They are the first contributions that Gaud gave to the city the same year as graduating.
Theyre full of symbolism, like the God of Mercurys helmet represent-ing commerce in Plaa Reial, which was once a trade gate into the city from the sea...
Whats more, is that these lamps feature an innovation. The tops of each were lined with white opal so diffused soft light reflected down to the ground, a technique never before used, but mimicked since.
Church of Sant Paci (bottom right) On Carrer de les Mon-gers by catching the Metro to Fabra i
Puig (L1).
Perhaps you know that Gaud was a master with mosaics. One mosaic that you have never seen is his first ever at the Church of Sant Paci.
As a man of faith and religion, his first ever mosaic is rather conservative, in a Greek-Roman style, however true to the artist it is full of symbolism.
Gaudi also designed the lamps, high altar and other furniture, which sad-ly ended up getting burnt in the 1907 revolt.
Palau de Pedralbes. Pavellons Gell, and
Finca Miralles (top, centre, bottom respectively)Reach them all from Maria Cristina Metro
station (L3).
Gaudi designed a small fountain of hercules and an umbracle (a sort of shelter surrounded by trees) in the gardens of this wonderful building.
Right next door is a work by Gauds old teacher - Joan Martorel i Montells - commissioned to build a mansion for the industrialists called Gell.
Gaud took part in the project by de-signing the gates and gatehouse, in what has become his first iconic use of dragons.
Finally, nearby on Passeig de Man-ual Girona, there is yet another gate from the architect.
Its from his modernist phase and his style is instantly recognizable!
He left the design of the house to an associate though, probably because he was busy with Park Gell.
5 Unknown Gaud gems
It can be said without debate that Antoni Gaud is one of the biggest reasons tourists visit Barcelona.
When you see his works in person, well its really no wonder!
His most popular designs - which are Park Gell, the Sagrada Familia Casa Batll, and Casa Mil (La Pe-drera) - receive according the the lo-cal government around a staggering 14,000,000 visits per year in total.
But surely theres more to the archi-tect than these four works?
In this article, we show you the most unknown works from the architect that you can see in Barcelona
Plaa Reial and Pla de Palau (bottom left) Reach from Las Ramblas, and Pla de Palau by Barceloneta Metro
station (L4).
Head to these plazas and youll be forgiven for walking by these gems.
Its not the grand buildings or the fountain. Its the lamp posts with mutiple lights.
Photo by Victor Ferris
The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014|
Photos by Victor Ferris
-
| The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014
3 rare Gaud Treasures
These 3 works are bigger projects that remain beyond the scope of the normal tourist route.
Colegio de las TeresianasReach from La Bonanova station (L6)
Gaud took on this half-completed project which was to be a school for nuns. There was little budget to finish it and they insisted that it be austere.
Even so, he manages to throw in many of his trademarks, like the 4-point cross, parabolic arches, and wrought iron details.
Palau GellC/ Nou de la Rambla, 3-5 .
Metro Liceu (L3).
Its not his most visited work, but for the roof alone its worth a visit.
The chimneys of Casa Batllo and La Pedrera have nothing on the beauti-fully coloured ones that sit atop Pa-lau Gell, with its flamboyant interior.
Casa Calvet Reach them all from Urquinanoa
Metro station (L1 and L4).
Poor Casa Calvet... Many call it his most boring building, however its also one of the most important that the architect made because it was his first pure modernist building.
Most likely, he would have taken the project further, but, unfortunately, he had to contend with building restrictions.
If you want to have a lovely meal out, this building houses a restaurant, so its well worth a visit!
Photo by Sbastien Bertrand
The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014|
Photo by Guillem MedinaPhoto by Frank C. Mller
Photo by Toms Badia Navarro
Photo by Canaan
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| The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014
3 rare Gaud Treasures
These 3 works are bigger projects that remain beyond the scope of the normal tourist route.
Colegio de las TeresianasReach from La Bonanova station (L6)
Gaud took on this half-completed project which was to be a school for nuns. There was little budget to finish it and they insisted that it be austere.
Even so, he manages to throw in many of his trademarks, like the 4-point cross, parabolic arches, and wrought iron details.
Palau GellC/ Nou de la Rambla, 3-5 .
Metro Liceu (L3).
Its not his most visited work, but for the roof alone its worth a visit.
The chimneys of Casa Batllo and La Pedrera have nothing on the beauti-fully coloured ones that sit atop Pa-lau Gell, with its flamboyant interior.
Casa Calvet Reach them all from Urquinanoa
Metro station (L1 and L4).
Poor Casa Calvet... Many call it his most boring building, however its also one of the most important that the architect made because it was his first pure modernist building.
Most likely, he would have taken the project further, but, unfortunately, he had to contend with building restrictions.
If you want to have a lovely meal out, this building houses a restaurant, so its well worth a visit!
Photo by Sbastien Bertrand
The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014|
Photo by Guillem MedinaPhoto by Frank C. Mller
Photo by Toms Badia Navarro
Photo by Canaan
-
| The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014
2 legendary Gaud RelicsGaudi has some masterpieces in Barcelona that are almost completely unnoticed by visitors...
Casa Vicens Carrer Carolines, 18-24. Lesseps or Fon-
tana Metro (L3).
A short while after graduating Gaud was already well on his road to suc-cess.
The building that cemented his ca-reer is Casa Vicens.
This was his first ever full building that he began work on.
Before this, he would have worked with his ex-professors or on smaller projects.
Casa Vicens unfortunately is not open to the public at the moment, but it will be, because it was recently bought for around 30,000,000 euros!
They say it will open in 2016, of course it could be sooner or later than that.
Until then, you can certainly get a feel for the building by visiting the ex-terior.
It was completed in the Orientalist style, a style which was inspired by the east and Arabia, but, to really get a feel for it, you have to see it in person.
Photo by jorapa
The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014|
Torre Bellesguard C/ Bellesguard 20 .
Buses 22, 58, 60, 75 196.
If you can only visit one building away from the tourist route, then make it Torre Bellesgaurd.
Up until the end of 2013, this work was not open to the public because it is private property.
Due to government tunnelling putting the building in danger, the family have had no choice but to
open the building to the public in or-der to raise funds to conserve this UNESCO World Heritage site.
It is the prime example of Gauds Neo-Gothic phase and was built on top of the remains of a castle from the last count of Barcelona.
Knowing full well the background of the building; Gaud makes many masterful references to Catalan his-tory through various methods of symbolism. Though the exterior is fully completed, the building ran out
of funding halfway through and one room is unfinished. This is both a curse and a blessing for the building.
It is a curse because well never see the finished product, but it is also a blessing because the unfinished room gives away many of Gauds techniques.
Access to the building is through a guided tour, and there are also events held during summer nights where you can visit and enjoy a live concert.
-
| The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014
2 legendary Gaud RelicsGaudi has some masterpieces in Barcelona that are almost completely unnoticed by visitors...
Casa Vicens Carrer Carolines, 18-24. Lesseps or Fon-
tana Metro (L3).
A short while after graduating Gaud was already well on his road to suc-cess.
The building that cemented his ca-reer is Casa Vicens.
This was his first ever full building that he began work on.
Before this, he would have worked with his ex-professors or on smaller projects.
Casa Vicens unfortunately is not open to the public at the moment, but it will be, because it was recently bought for around 30,000,000 euros!
They say it will open in 2016, of course it could be sooner or later than that.
Until then, you can certainly get a feel for the building by visiting the ex-terior.
It was completed in the Orientalist style, a style which was inspired by the east and Arabia, but, to really get a feel for it, you have to see it in person.
Photo by jorapa
The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014|
Torre Bellesguard C/ Bellesguard 20 .
Buses 22, 58, 60, 75 196.
If you can only visit one building away from the tourist route, then make it Torre Bellesgaurd.
Up until the end of 2013, this work was not open to the public because it is private property.
Due to government tunnelling putting the building in danger, the family have had no choice but to
open the building to the public in or-der to raise funds to conserve this UNESCO World Heritage site.
It is the prime example of Gauds Neo-Gothic phase and was built on top of the remains of a castle from the last count of Barcelona.
Knowing full well the background of the building; Gaud makes many masterful references to Catalan his-tory through various methods of symbolism. Though the exterior is fully completed, the building ran out
of funding halfway through and one room is unfinished. This is both a curse and a blessing for the building.
It is a curse because well never see the finished product, but it is also a blessing because the unfinished room gives away many of Gauds techniques.
Access to the building is through a guided tour, and there are also events held during summer nights where you can visit and enjoy a live concert.
-
| The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014 The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014|
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| The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014 The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014|
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| The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVzvhPdASdQ
The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014|
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVzvhPdASdQ
OK Apartment Barcelona are about giving you alterna-tives. You see, weve been there for travellers to the Cata-lan capital for over 10 years, providing what was once the alternative way to stay in Barcelona - holiday apartments - but now a main stream way to stay. These days we offer more than just apartments. We have our very own OK community where you can learn about the city and interact with fellow travellers, exclusive Barcelona discounts, a low-cost taxi service, and parking in the city centre! Were all about giving you alternatives!
Our young and international team - working away in our central Barcelona office - are head over heels in love with the city they live in, and they want to show you the real city. So follow us on facebook, twitter, google plus, and youtube (for more cool videos like the one here ;) ), give us a call, or even pop into our office to say hi!
Ask us anything you want, were here to make your stay in Barcelona go smoothly... After all we are...
-
| The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVzvhPdASdQ
The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014|
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVzvhPdASdQ
OK Apartment Barcelona are about giving you alterna-tives. You see, weve been there for travellers to the Cata-lan capital for over 10 years, providing what was once the alternative way to stay in Barcelona - holiday apartments - but now a main stream way to stay. These days we offer more than just apartments. We have our very own OK community where you can learn about the city and interact with fellow travellers, exclusive Barcelona discounts, a low-cost taxi service, and parking in the city centre! Were all about giving you alternatives!
Our young and international team - working away in our central Barcelona office - are head over heels in love with the city they live in, and they want to show you the real city. So follow us on facebook, twitter, google plus, and youtube (for more cool videos like the one here ;) ), give us a call, or even pop into our office to say hi!
Ask us anything you want, were here to make your stay in Barcelona go smoothly... After all we are...
-
| The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014
The most romantic place in
BCN?
Theres a place in Barcelona that is an enigma for most people who live here.
A place so beautiful that they want to share it with the world... But a place so peaceful that they want to keep it a secret... And many do... So what is a local to do?
By reading this, youve probably fig-ured that this particular local has opted for the former, because a park as wonderful as this doesnt stand a chance against the likes against the likes of Park Gell and Parc de la Ciutadella.
The reasons why are probably be-cause its away from the tourist track of the city, but even so, with a public transport system as good as the one of Barcelona, it really costs little effort to reach this wonderful gem. Lets discover it, shall we?
The Parc Laberint dHorta - A diamond
in the rough
In terms of garden parks in Barcelo-na, Parc Laberint dHorta is the old-est of them all, and it was completed at the turn of the 1800s.
One park, Three worlds
Perhaps the biggest calling point of the park is the variety of areas it of-fers.
Because of the era it was constructed in, the park benefits from two gardens in different styles that were popular at the time. To the left is the romantic era garden, which a beautiful stream flows through and to the right is the neo-classical garden complete with labyrinth.
Alas, if walking around a park still isnt close enough to nature for you then dont worry because behind it all is a forest that youre free to wander.
by Matthew Debnam
Get lost!
Of course Its obvious the main star of this attraction is quite literally its centerpiece - the Labyrinth.
The classic cyprus-bush maze itself is inspired by the Greek myth of the Minotaurs maze, but you wont need a golden thread to find your way out because its actually not that difficult!
There are plenty of tricks to keep you hitting a dead end, but with enough persistence youll reach the centre rather simply, making this maze ideal for a fun-filled family adventure!
At the centre you wont find a roaring beast with horns, but rather a statue of eros, a greek god of love...
So if youre with your partner, then it certainly wouldnt hurt to sneak in a kiss from your loved one when no-bodys looking!
Cameras ready? Beauty around every corner
And for anyone whos really not in-terested in the inspiration, history, or culture behind everything, it doesnt matter!
Thats because the park really speaks for itself.
Whether youre a professional wild-life or nature photographer or youre just practising, Parc Laberint dHorta is easily the best place in the city to snap pictures.
There are terrapins, peacocks, swans, ducks, frogs, and many other creatures wandering the grounds if you can find them.
Theres also an endless amount of plantlife, bodies of water. fountains, sculptures, and more that are guar-anteed to ensure that your finger never leaves your shutter... not once!
Yes. It really is that fantastic.
An escape from
Barcelona... in Barcelona
The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014|
These maps are by Till F. Teenck
-
| The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014
The most romantic place in
BCN?
Theres a place in Barcelona that is an enigma for most people who live here.
A place so beautiful that they want to share it with the world... But a place so peaceful that they want to keep it a secret... And many do... So what is a local to do?
By reading this, youve probably fig-ured that this particular local has opted for the former, because a park as wonderful as this doesnt stand a chance against the likes against the likes of Park Gell and Parc de la Ciutadella.
The reasons why are probably be-cause its away from the tourist track of the city, but even so, with a public transport system as good as the one of Barcelona, it really costs little effort to reach this wonderful gem. Lets discover it, shall we?
The Parc Laberint dHorta - A diamond
in the rough
In terms of garden parks in Barcelo-na, Parc Laberint dHorta is the old-est of them all, and it was completed at the turn of the 1800s.
One park, Three worlds
Perhaps the biggest calling point of the park is the variety of areas it of-fers.
Because of the era it was constructed in, the park benefits from two gardens in different styles that were popular at the time. To the left is the romantic era garden, which a beautiful stream flows through and to the right is the neo-classical garden complete with labyrinth.
Alas, if walking around a park still isnt close enough to nature for you then dont worry because behind it all is a forest that youre free to wander.
by Matthew Debnam
Get lost!
Of course Its obvious the main star of this attraction is quite literally its centerpiece - the Labyrinth.
The classic cyprus-bush maze itself is inspired by the Greek myth of the Minotaurs maze, but you wont need a golden thread to find your way out because its actually not that difficult!
There are plenty of tricks to keep you hitting a dead end, but with enough persistence youll reach the centre rather simply, making this maze ideal for a fun-filled family adventure!
At the centre you wont find a roaring beast with horns, but rather a statue of eros, a greek god of love...
So if youre with your partner, then it certainly wouldnt hurt to sneak in a kiss from your loved one when no-bodys looking!
Cameras ready? Beauty around every corner
And for anyone whos really not in-terested in the inspiration, history, or culture behind everything, it doesnt matter!
Thats because the park really speaks for itself.
Whether youre a professional wild-life or nature photographer or youre just practising, Parc Laberint dHorta is easily the best place in the city to snap pictures.
There are terrapins, peacocks, swans, ducks, frogs, and many other creatures wandering the grounds if you can find them.
Theres also an endless amount of plantlife, bodies of water. fountains, sculptures, and more that are guar-anteed to ensure that your finger never leaves your shutter... not once!
Yes. It really is that fantastic.
An escape from
Barcelona... in Barcelona
The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014|
These maps are by Till F. Teenck
-
| The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014 The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014|
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| The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014 The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014|
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| The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014 The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014|
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| The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014 The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014|
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| The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014
Sobremesa after foodMai Griffin
http://fineartamerica.com/featured/sobremesa-after-food-mai-griffin.html
Stretched CanvasesStretcher Bars: 1.50" x 1.50" or 0.625" x 0.625"
Wrap Style: Black, White, or Mirrored Image
6.00" x 8.00" 30.91
7.50" x 10.00" 41.55
9.00" x 12.00" 44.52
12.13" x 16.00" 60.68
15.13" x 20.00" 78.64
18.13" x 24.00" 92.80
22.63" x 30.00" 119.34
Prices shown for 1.50" x 1.50" gallery-wrappedprints with black sides.
Fine Art PrintsChoose From Thousands of AvailableFrames, Mats, and Fine Art Papers
6.00" x 8.00" 16.24
7.50" x 10.00" 16.24
9.00" x 12.00" 19.21
12.13" x 16.00" 21.40
15.13" x 20.00" 28.73
18.13" x 24.00" 33.10
22.63" x 30.00" 39.64
Prices shown for unframed / unmattedprints on archival matte paper.
Greeting CardsAll Cards are 5" x 7" and Include
White Envelopes for Mailing and Gift Giving
Single Card 2.94 / Card
Pack of 10 1.60 / Card
Pack of 25 1.19 / Card
Original29" x 24" 10,690.20
Scan With Smartphoneto Buy Online
All prints and greeting cards are produced by Fine Art America (FineArtAmerica.com) and come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.Orders may be placed online via credit card or PayPal. All orders ship within three business days from the FAA production facility in North Carolina.
The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014|
Sobre Mesa - oil on canvas - original oil painting 12,900 - Mai Griffin
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| The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014
Sobremesa after foodMai Griffin
http://fineartamerica.com/featured/sobremesa-after-food-mai-griffin.html
Stretched CanvasesStretcher Bars: 1.50" x 1.50" or 0.625" x 0.625"
Wrap Style: Black, White, or Mirrored Image
6.00" x 8.00" 30.91
7.50" x 10.00" 41.55
9.00" x 12.00" 44.52
12.13" x 16.00" 60.68
15.13" x 20.00" 78.64
18.13" x 24.00" 92.80
22.63" x 30.00" 119.34
Prices shown for 1.50" x 1.50" gallery-wrappedprints with black sides.
Fine Art PrintsChoose From Thousands of AvailableFrames, Mats, and Fine Art Papers
6.00" x 8.00" 16.24
7.50" x 10.00" 16.24
9.00" x 12.00" 19.21
12.13" x 16.00" 21.40
15.13" x 20.00" 28.73
18.13" x 24.00" 33.10
22.63" x 30.00" 39.64
Prices shown for unframed / unmattedprints on archival matte paper.
Greeting CardsAll Cards are 5" x 7" and Include
White Envelopes for Mailing and Gift Giving
Single Card 2.94 / Card
Pack of 10 1.60 / Card
Pack of 25 1.19 / Card
Original29" x 24" 10,690.20
Scan With Smartphoneto Buy Online
All prints and greeting cards are produced by Fine Art America (FineArtAmerica.com) and come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.Orders may be placed online via credit card or PayPal. All orders ship within three business days from the FAA production facility in North Carolina.
The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014|
Sobre Mesa - oil on canvas - original oil painting 12,900 - Mai Griffin
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| The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014 The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014|
The Barcelona of the past
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| The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014 The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014|
The Barcelona of the past
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| The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014
Gothic Memories
of Barcelona
Part One
by George Edmund
Street in 1869
A unique insight into Nineteenth
Centuryviews onGothic
Architecture
The architectural history of Barcelona is much more complete, whilst its buildings are more numerous, than those of any of our own old cities, of which it is in some sort the rival. The power which the Barcelonese wielded in the middle ages was very great. They carried on the greater part of the trade of Spain with Italy, France, and the East; they were singularly free, powerful, and warlike; and, finally, they seem to have devoted no small portion of the wealth they earned in trade to the erection of buildings, which even now testify alike to the prosperity of their city, and to the noble acknowledgment they made for it.
The architecture of Catalua had many peculiarities, and in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, when most of the great buildings of Barcelona were being erected, they were so marked as to justify me, I think, in calling the style as completely and exclusively national or provincial, as, to take a contemporary English example, was our own Norfolk middle-pointed. The examination of them will, therefore, have much more value and interest than that of even grander buildings erected in a style transplanted from another country, such as we see at Burgos and Toledo; and beside this, there was one great problem which I may venture to say that the Catalan architects satisfactorily solvedthe erection of churches of enormous and almost unequalled internal widthwhich is just that which seems to be looming before us as the work which we English architects must ere long grapple with, if we wish to serve the cause of the Church thoroughly in our great towns.
For a manufacturing town, this, the Manchester of Spain, is singularly agreeable and unlike its prototype. The mills are for the most part scattered all over the surrounding country, which rises in pleasant undulations to the foot of the hills some four or five miles inland from the sea, and beyond which the country is always beautiful and wild, and sometimesas in the savage and world-renowned rocks of Montserratquite sublime
West front of San Pablo The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014| | The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014
Gothic Memories
of Barcelona
Part One
by George Edmund
Street in 1869
A unique insight into Nineteenth
Centuryviews onGothic
Architecture
The architectural history of Barcelona is much more complete, whilst its buildings are more numerous, than those of any of our own old cities, of which it is in some sort the rival. The power which the Barcelonese wielded in the middle ages was very great. They carried on the greater part of the trade of Spain with Italy, France, and the East; they were singularly free, powerful, and warlike; and, finally, they seem to have devoted no small portion of the wealth they earned in trade to the erection of buildings, which even now testify alike to the prosperity of their city, and to the noble acknowledgment they made for it.
The architecture of Catalua had many peculiarities, and in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, when most of the great buildings of Barcelona were being erected, they were so marked as to justify me, I think, in calling the style as completely and exclusively national or provincial, as, to take a contemporary English example, was our own Norfolk middle-pointed. The examination of them will, therefore, have much more value and interest than that of even grander buildings erected in a style transplanted from another country, such as we see at Burgos and Toledo; and beside this, there was one great problem which I may venture to say that the Catalan architects satisfactorily solvedthe erection of churches of enormous and almost unequalled internal widthwhich is just that which seems to be looming before us as the work which we English architects must ere long grapple with, if we wish to serve the cause of the Church thoroughly in our great towns.
For a manufacturing town, this, the Manchester of Spain, is singularly agreeable and unlike its prototype. The mills are for the most part scattered all over the surrounding country, which rises in pleasant undulations to the foot of the hills some four or five miles inland from the sea, and beyond which the country is always beautiful and wild, and sometimesas in the savage and world-renowned rocks of Montserratquite sublime
West front of San Pablo The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014|
... the surrounding country, rises in pleas-ant undulations to the foot of the hills some four or five miles [Colles-
rola/Tibidabo] inland from the sea...
-
| The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014
Gothic Memories
of Barcelona
Part One
by George Edmund
Street in 1869
A unique insight into Nineteenth
Centuryviews onGothic
Architecture
The architectural history of Barcelona is much more complete, whilst its buildings are more numerous, than those of any of our own old cities, of which it is in some sort the rival. The power which the Barcelonese wielded in the middle ages was very great. They carried on the greater part of the trade of Spain with Italy, France, and the East; they were singularly free, powerful, and warlike; and, finally, they seem to have devoted no small portion of the wealth they earned in trade to the erection of buildings, which even now testify alike to the prosperity of their city, and to the noble acknowledgment they made for it.
The architecture of Catalua had many peculiarities, and in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, when most of the great buildings of Barcelona were being erected, they were so marked as to justify me, I think, in calling the style as completely and exclusively national or provincial, as, to take a contemporary English example, was our own Norfolk middle-pointed. The examination of them will, therefore, have much more value and interest than that of even grander buildings erected in a style transplanted from another country, such as we see at Burgos and Toledo; and beside this, there was one great problem which I may venture to say that the Catalan architects satisfactorily solvedthe erection of churches of enormous and almost unequalled internal widthwhich is just that which seems to be looming before us as the work which we English architects must ere long grapple with, if we wish to serve the cause of the Church thoroughly in our great towns.
For a manufacturing town, this, the Manchester of Spain, is singularly agreeable and unlike its prototype. The mills are for the most part scattered all over the surrounding country, which rises in pleasant undulations to the foot of the hills some four or five miles inland from the sea, and beyond which the country is always beautiful and wild, and sometimesas in the savage and world-renowned rocks of Montserratquite sublime
West front of San Pablo The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014| | The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014
Gothic Memories
of Barcelona
Part One
by George Edmund
Street in 1869
A unique insight into Nineteenth
Centuryviews onGothic
Architecture
The architectural history of Barcelona is much more complete, whilst its buildings are more numerous, than those of any of our own old cities, of which it is in some sort the rival. The power which the Barcelonese wielded in the middle ages was very great. They carried on the greater part of the trade of Spain with Italy, France, and the East; they were singularly free, powerful, and warlike; and, finally, they seem to have devoted no small portion of the wealth they earned in trade to the erection of buildings, which even now testify alike to the prosperity of their city, and to the noble acknowledgment they made for it.
The architecture of Catalua had many peculiarities, and in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, when most of the great buildings of Barcelona were being erected, they were so marked as to justify me, I think, in calling the style as completely and exclusively national or provincial, as, to take a contemporary English example, was our own Norfolk middle-pointed. The examination of them will, therefore, have much more value and interest than that of even grander buildings erected in a style transplanted from another country, such as we see at Burgos and Toledo; and beside this, there was one great problem which I may venture to say that the Catalan architects satisfactorily solvedthe erection of churches of enormous and almost unequalled internal widthwhich is just that which seems to be looming before us as the work which we English architects must ere long grapple with, if we wish to serve the cause of the Church thoroughly in our great towns.
For a manufacturing town, this, the Manchester of Spain, is singularly agreeable and unlike its prototype. The mills are for the most part scattered all over the surrounding country, which rises in pleasant undulations to the foot of the hills some four or five miles inland from the sea, and beyond which the country is always beautiful and wild, and sometimesas in the savage and world-renowned rocks of Montserratquite sublime
West front of San Pablo The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014|
... the surrounding country, rises in pleas-ant undulations to the foot of the hills some four or five miles [Colles-
rola/Tibidabo] inland from the sea...
-
| The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014
No. 36. BARCELONA. EAST END OF THE CATHEDRAL.
The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014| in its character. On my first journey I arrived at Barcelona by a steamer from Valencia. The views of the coast were generally extremely beautiful, until shortly before our arrival, as we passed the low level land through which the Llobregat finds its way to the sea; beyond this the great rock and fortress of Monjuic rise boldly in front, and rounding its base into the harbour, the tall octagonal towers and turrets of the cathedral and other churches came in sight. Little, however, is seen of the sea from the city, the fortifications of Monjuic on the one side, and the harbour and new colony of Barcelonette which occupies a point jutting out beyond it seaward on the other, completely shutting it out. One result of this is that, whilst nothing is seen of the sea, so, too, the seafaring people seem to confine themselves to Barcelonette, and not to show themselves in the thronged streets of the city. Another fortress, a little inland on the east, places Barcelona under a cross fire, and prevents its growth in that direction; but wherever possible it seems to be spreading rapidly, and every external sign of extreme prosperity is to be seen. The streets are generally narrow, tortuous, and picturesque, with the one noble exception of the Rambla, a very broad promenade running from the sea quite across the city, which has a road on either side, and a broad promenade planted with trees down the centre. Here in the early morning one goes to buy smart nosegays of the Catalan flower-girls from the country, and in the evening to stroll in a dense mob of loungers enjoying the cold air which sweeps down from the hills, and atones for all the sufferings inflicted by the torrid midday sun.
It will be best, in describing the buildings here, to begin with those of the earliest date, though they are of comparatively unimportant character, and in part fragments only of old buildings preserved in the midst of great works undertaken at a later date. The Benedictine convent of San Pablo del Campo, said to have been founded in the tenth century by Wilfred
The streets are generally narrow, tortuous, and picturesque, with the one noble excep-tion of the Rambla, a very broad promenade running from the sea quite across the city
The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014| in its character. On my first journey I arrived at Barcelona by a steamer from Valencia. The views of the coast were generally extremely beautiful, until shortly before our arrival, as we passed the low level land through which the Llobregat finds its way to the sea; beyond this the great rock and fortress of Monjuic rise boldly in front, and rounding its base into the harbour, the tall octagonal towers and turrets of the cathedral and other churches came in sight. Little, however, is seen of the sea from the city, the fortifications of Monjuic on the one side, and the harbour and new colony of Barcelonette which occupies a point jutting out beyond it seaward on the other, completely shutting it out. One result of this is that, whilst nothing is seen of the sea, so, too, the seafaring people seem to confine themselves to Barcelonette, and not to show themselves in the thronged streets of the city. Another fortress, a little inland on the east, places Barcelona under a cross fire, and prevents its growth in that direction; but wherever possible it seems to be spreading rapidly, and every external sign of extreme prosperity is to be seen. The streets are generally narrow, tortuous, and picturesque, with the one noble exception of the Rambla, a very broad promenade running from the sea quite across the city, which has a road on either side, and a broad promenade planted with trees down the centre. Here in the early morning one goes to buy smart nosegays of the Catalan flower-girls from the country, and in the evening to stroll in a dense mob of loungers enjoying the cold air which sweeps down from the hills, and atones for all the sufferings inflicted by the torrid midday sun.
It will be best, in describing the buildings here, to begin with those of the earliest date, though they are of comparatively unimportant character, and in part fragments only of old buildings preserved in the midst of great works undertaken at a later date. The Benedictine convent of San Pablo del Campo, said to have been founded in the tenth century by Wilfred
-
| The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014
No. 36. BARCELONA. EAST END OF THE CATHEDRAL.
The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014| in its character. On my first journey I arrived at Barcelona by a steamer from Valencia. The views of the coast were generally extremely beautiful, until shortly before our arrival, as we passed the low level land through which the Llobregat finds its way to the sea; beyond this the great rock and fortress of Monjuic rise boldly in front, and rounding its base into the harbour, the tall octagonal towers and turrets of the cathedral and other churches came in sight. Little, however, is seen of the sea from the city, the fortifications of Monjuic on the one side, and the harbour and new colony of Barcelonette which occupies a point jutting out beyond it seaward on the other, completely shutting it out. One result of this is that, whilst nothing is seen of the sea, so, too, the seafaring people seem to confine themselves to Barcelonette, and not to show themselves in the thronged streets of the city. Another fortress, a little inland on the east, places Barcelona under a cross fire, and prevents its growth in that direction; but wherever possible it seems to be spreading rapidly, and every external sign of extreme prosperity is to be seen. The streets are generally narrow, tortuous, and picturesque, with the one noble exception of the Rambla, a very broad promenade running from the sea quite across the city, which has a road on either side, and a broad promenade planted with trees down the centre. Here in the early morning one goes to buy smart nosegays of the Catalan flower-girls from the country, and in the evening to stroll in a dense mob of loungers enjoying the cold air which sweeps down from the hills, and atones for all the sufferings inflicted by the torrid midday sun.
It will be best, in describing the buildings here, to begin with those of the earliest date, though they are of comparatively unimportant character, and in part fragments only of old buildings preserved in the midst of great works undertaken at a later date. The Benedictine convent of San Pablo del Campo, said to have been founded in the tenth century by Wilfred
The streets are generally narrow, tortuous, and picturesque, with the one noble excep-tion of the Rambla, a very broad promenade running from the sea quite across the city
The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014| in its character. On my first journey I arrived at Barcelona by a steamer from Valencia. The views of the coast were generally extremely beautiful, until shortly before our arrival, as we passed the low level land through which the Llobregat finds its way to the sea; beyond this the great rock and fortress of Monjuic rise boldly in front, and rounding its base into the harbour, the tall octagonal towers and turrets of the cathedral and other churches came in sight. Little, however, is seen of the sea from the city, the fortifications of Monjuic on the one side, and the harbour and new colony of Barcelonette which occupies a point jutting out beyond it seaward on the other, completely shutting it out. One result of this is that, whilst nothing is seen of the sea, so, too, the seafaring people seem to confine themselves to Barcelonette, and not to show themselves in the thronged streets of the city. Another fortress, a little inland on the east, places Barcelona under a cross fire, and prevents its growth in that direction; but wherever possible it seems to be spreading rapidly, and every external sign of extreme prosperity is to be seen. The streets are generally narrow, tortuous, and picturesque, with the one noble exception of the Rambla, a very broad promenade running from the sea quite across the city, which has a road on either side, and a broad promenade planted with trees down the centre. Here in the early morning one goes to buy smart nosegays of the Catalan flower-girls from the country, and in the evening to stroll in a dense mob of loungers enjoying the cold air which sweeps down from the hills, and atones for all the sufferings inflicted by the torrid midday sun.
It will be best, in describing the buildings here, to begin with those of the earliest date, though they are of comparatively unimportant character, and in part fragments only of old buildings preserved in the midst of great works undertaken at a later date. The Benedictine convent of San Pablo del Campo, said to have been founded in the tenth century by Wilfred
-
| The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014II., Count of Barcelona,[278] was restored by Guiberto Guitardo and his wife about 1117, and in 1127 was incorporated with the convent of San Cucufate del Valls.[279] The church is very interesting. It is small and cruciform, with three parallel apses, an octagonal vault on pendentives over the Crossing, and a short nave, which, as well as the transepts, is covered with a waggon-vault. The apses are vaulted with semi-domes. The west end is the only perfect part of the exterior, and deserves illustration. The work is all of a very solid and rude description, though I am almost afraid to give it credit for being so old as is said. The circular window is, however, an interpolation; and if this were removed, and another small window like the others inserted in its place, the whole design would no doubt have an air of extreme antiquity. The ground-plan is a typal one here, and prevails more or less in all the early churches from Catalua to Galicia. One or two others of the same description seem to have a fair amount of evidence of the date of their consecration, and it is at any rate unlikely that a church built in A.D. 914 would require rebuilding in about a hundred years, which must have been the case here, if we assume that we have not still before us the original church. On the south side of the nave there was a cloister added, probably in the course of the eleventh century, and there is some difference in the character of its design and workmanship, and that of the church and its west front. This cloister is very small, having on each side four arches, divided by a buttress in the centre of each side. The openings are cusped some with three and some with five heavy foliations, plain on the outside, but both moulded and carved on the inside face. The cusping is not at all Gothic in its character, being stilted in a very Eastern fashion, nor is it constructed like Gothic work, the stones being laid over each other, and cut out in the form of cusps, but not constructed anywhere with stones radiating on the principle of an arch. The shafts between the
openings are coupled one behind the other, and have well-carved capitals. A fourteenth-century doorway, with a cross for the finial of its label, opens from the north wall of the cloister into the nave; and in the east wall is an extremely good entrance to the Chapter-house of the same date, and showing the usual arrangement of a doorway with a two-light traceried opening on either side. There are also some old monumental arches in the walls.
This church, which forms so important a feature in the early architectural history of Catalua, is near the western end of the city, and its west front and cloister are enclosed within the walls of a small barrack; but as Spanish officers and soldiers are always glad to lionize a stranger, there is no difficulty in the way of seeing them. A simple early-pointed doorway, under a very flat tympanum, has been added to the north transept, and there is some evidence of the small apse near it having been arcaded on the outside. The pendentive under the dome is similar in its construction to those under the dome of the curious church of Ainay, at Lyons. Above them there is a string-course, and then the vault, which rises to a point in the centre, and is not a complete octagon, the cardinal sides being much wider than the others. The west doorway has in its tympanum our Lord, St. Peter, and St. Paul; over the arch are the angel of St. Matthew and eagle of St. John, and above, a hand with a cruciform nimbus, giving the benediction.
Bartolom Gual was one of the architects summoned to advise about the cathedral of Gerona in 1416, he described himself as master of the works at Barcelona cathedral; and, Andres Escuder placed the last stone of the vault on September 26, A.D. 1448...
Having thus shortly stated the history of the building, let me now attempt to describe its architecture and construction. It will be seen that the plan is cruciform. The transepts do not, however, show much on the exterior, as they form the base of the towers which are erected, as at Exeter cathedral, above them. The plan of the
chevet is very good; it presents the French arrangement of an aisle and chapels round the apse in place of the common Spanish triapsidal plan; but the detail is all completely Catalan. The arches of the apse are very narrow and stilted, and the columns throughout are composed of a rather confused jumble of thin mouldings awkwardly arranged. Above the main arches is a very small arcaded triforium, and above this a range of circular windows, one in each bay. The groining springs from the capitals of the main columns, so that the triforium and clerestory are both enclosed within its arched wall-rib; they are consequently very disproportioned in height as compared with those of northern churches. But here the architect evidently intended to grapple with the difficulties of the climate, and, designing his whole church with the one great object of minimizing the light and heat, he was compelled to make his windows small. The clerestory windows were traceried, and filled with rich stained glass, which was well set back from the face of the wall. The result is a perfect success as far as light and shade and the ordinary purposes of a Spanish congregation are concerned, but the difficulty of taking notes, sketches, or measurements, in most parts of the church, even at mid-day, can hardly be imagined. The dark stone of which the whole church is built increases not a little the sombre magnificence of the effect. The planning of the nave is very peculiar. It seems as though the main requirement of the founders of this church was a plentiful number of altars; for, as will be seen on reference to the plan, there are no less than twenty-seven distinct chapels inside the church, and twenty-two more round the cloister. It seems, indeed, that such a church as this must from the very first have been built for precisely the kind of worship still used in it. There was never any proper provision for a crowd of worshippers joining in any one common act of prayer or worship. The capitular body filled the Coro and sang the services of the day unnoticed by the people; whilst, as they separated to the chapels to which each was attached, the people followed them by twos and threes to the altar services in which only they wished to join. At present not more than
The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014| | The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014II., Count of Barcelona,[278] was restored by Guiberto Guitardo and his wife about 1117, and in 1127 was incorporated with the convent of San Cucufate del Valls.[279] The church is very interesting. It is small and cruciform, with three parallel apses, an octagonal vault on pendentives over the Crossing, and a short nave, which, as well as the transepts, is covered with a waggon-vault. The apses are vaulted with semi-domes. The west end is the only perfect part of the exterior, and deserves illustration. The work is all of a very solid and rude description, though I am almost afraid to give it credit for being so old as is said. The circular window is, however, an interpolation; and if this were removed, and another small window like the others inserted in its place, the whole design would no doubt have an air of extreme antiquity. The ground-plan is a typal one here, and prevails more or less in all the early churches from Catalua to Galicia. One or two others of the same description seem to have a fair amount of evidence of the date of their consecration, and it is at any rate unlikely that a church built in A.D. 914 would require rebuilding in about a hundred years, which must have been the case here, if we assume that we have not still before us the original church. On the south side of the nave there was a cloister added, probably in the course of the eleventh century, and there is some difference in the character of its design and workmanship, and that of the church and its west front. This cloister is very small, having on each side four arches, divided by a buttress in the centre of each side. The openings are cusped some with three and some with five heavy foliations, plain on the outside, but both moulded and carved on the inside face. The cusping is not at all Gothic in its character, being stilted in a very Eastern fashion, nor is it constructed like Gothic work, the stones being laid over each other, and cut out in the form of cusps, but not constructed anywhere with stones radiating on the principle of an arch. The shafts between the
openings are coupled one behind the other, and have well-carved capitals. A fourteenth-century doorway, with a cross for the finial of its label, opens from the north wall of the cloister into the nave; and in the east wall is an extremely good entrance to the Chapter-house of the same date, and showing the usual arrangement of a doorway with a two-light traceried opening on either side. There are also some old monumental arches in the walls.
This church, which forms so important a feature in the early architectural history of Catalua, is near the western end of the city, and its west front and cloister are enclosed within the walls of a small barrack; but as Spanish officers and soldiers are always glad to lionize a stranger, there is no difficulty in the way of seeing them. A simple early-pointed doorway, under a very flat tympanum, has been added to the north transept, and there is some evidence of the small apse near it having been arcaded on the outside. The pendentive under the dome is similar in its construction to those under the dome of the curious church of Ainay, at Lyons. Above them there is a string-course, and then the vault, which rises to a point in the centre, and is not a complete octagon, the cardinal sides being much wider than the others. The west doorway has in its tympanum our Lord, St. Peter, and St. Paul; over the arch are the angel of St. Matthew and eagle of St. John, and above, a hand with a cruciform nimbus, giving the benediction.
Bartolom Gual was one of the architects summoned to advise about the cathedral of Gerona in 1416, he described himself as master of the works at Barcelona cathedral; and, Andres Escuder placed the last stone of the vault on September 26, A.D. 1448...
Having thus shortly stated the history of the building, let me now attempt to describe its architecture and construction. It will be seen that the plan is cruciform. The transepts do not, however, show much on the exterior, as they form the base of the towers which are erected, as at Exeter cathedral, above them. The plan of the
chevet is very good; it presents the French arrangement of an aisle and chapels round the apse in place of the common Spanish triapsidal plan; but the detail is all completely Catalan. The arches of the apse are very narrow and stilted, and the columns throughout are composed of a rather confused jumble of thin mouldings awkwardly arranged. Above the main arches is a very small arcaded triforium, and above this a range of circular windows, one in each bay. The groining springs from the capitals of the main columns, so that the triforium and clerestory are both enclosed within its arched wall-rib; they are consequently very disproportioned in height as compared with those of northern churches. But here the architect evidently intended to grapple with the difficulties of the climate, and, designing his whole church with the one great object of minimizing the light and heat, he was compelled to make his windows small. The clerestory windows were traceried, and filled with rich stained glass, which was well set back from the face of the wall. The result is a perfect success as far as light and shade and the ordinary purposes of a Spanish congregation are concerned, but the difficulty of taking notes, sketches, or measurements, in most parts of the church, even at mid-day, can hardly be imagined. The dark stone of which the whole church is built increases not a little the sombre magnificence of the effect. The planning of the nave is very peculiar. It seems as though the main requirement of the founders of this church was a plentiful number of altars; for, as will be seen on reference to the plan, there are no less than twenty-seven distinct chapels inside the church, and twenty-two more round the cloister. It seems, indeed, that such a church as this must from the very first have been built for precisely the kind of worship still used in it. There was never any proper provision for a crowd of worshippers joining in any one common act of prayer or worship. The capitular body filled the Coro and sang the services of the day unnoticed by the people; whilst, as they separated to the chapels to which each was attached, the people followed them by twos and threes to the altar services in which only they wished to join. At present not more than
The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014|
BARCELONA CATHEDRAL INTERIOR OF WEST END OF NAVE
There was never any proper provision for a crowd of worshippers joining in any one common act of prayer... the Coro sang the services of the day unnoticed by the
people... the people followed them by twos and threes to the altar services in which only they wished to join.
-
| The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014II., Count of Barcelona,[278] was restored by Guiberto Guitardo and his wife about 1117, and in 1127 was incorporated with the convent of San Cucufate del Valls.[279] The church is very interesting. It is small and cruciform, with three parallel apses, an octagonal vault on pendentives over the Crossing, and a short nave, which, as well as the transepts, is covered with a waggon-vault. The apses are vaulted with semi-domes. The west end is the only perfect part of the exterior, and deserves illustration. The work is all of a very solid and rude description, though I am almost afraid to give it credit for being so old as is said. The circular window is, however, an interpolation; and if this were removed, and another small window like the others inserted in its place, the whole design would no doubt have an air of extreme antiquity. The ground-plan is a typal one here, and prevails more or less in all the early churches from Catalua to Galicia. One or two others of the same description seem to have a fair amount of evidence of the date of their consecration, and it is at any rate unlikely that a church built in A.D. 914 would require rebuilding in about a hundred years, which must have been the case here, if we assume that we have not still before us the original church. On the south side of the nave there was a cloister added, probably in the course of the eleventh century, and there is some difference in the character of its design and workmanship, and that of the church and its west front. This cloister is very small, having on each side four arches, divided by a buttress in the centre of each side. The openings are cusped some with three and some with five heavy foliations, plain on the outside, but both moulded and carved on the inside face. The cusping is not at all Gothic in its character, being stilted in a very Eastern fashion, nor is it constructed like Gothic work, the stones being laid over each other, and cut out in the form of cusps, but not constructed anywhere with stones radiating on the principle of an arch. The shafts between the
openings are coupled one behind the other, and have well-carved capitals. A fourteenth-century doorway, with a cross for the finial of its label, opens from the north wall of the cloister into the nave; and in the east wall is an extremely good entrance to the Chapter-house of the same date, and showing the usual arrangement of a doorway with a two-light traceried opening on either side. There are also some old monumental arches in the walls.
This church, which forms so important a feature in the early architectural history of Catalua, is near the western end of the city, and its west front and cloister are enclosed within the walls of a small barrack; but as Spanish officers and soldiers are always glad to lionize a stranger, there is no difficulty in the way of seeing them. A simple early-pointed doorway, under a very flat tympanum, has been added to the north transept, and there is some evidence of the small apse near it having been arcaded on the outside. The pendentive under the dome is similar in its construction to those under the dome of the curious church of Ainay, at Lyons. Above them there is a string-course, and then the vault, which rises to a point in the centre, and is not a complete octagon, the cardinal sides being much wider than the others. The west doorway has in its tympanum our Lord, St. Peter, and St. Paul; over the arch are the angel of St. Matthew and eagle of St. John, and above, a hand with a cruciform nimbus, giving the benediction.
Bartolom Gual was one of the architects summoned to advise about the cathedral of Gerona in 1416, he described himself as master of the works at Barcelona cathedral; and, Andres Escuder placed the last stone of the vault on September 26, A.D. 1448...
Having thus shortly stated the history of the building, let me now attempt to describe its architecture and construction. It will be seen that the plan is cruciform. The transepts do not, however, show much on the exterior, as they form the base of the towers which are erected, as at Exeter cathedral, above them. The plan of the
chevet is very good; it presents the French arrangement of an aisle and chapels round the apse in place of the common Spanish triapsidal plan; but the detail is all completely Catalan. The arches of the apse are very narrow and stilted, and the columns throughout are composed of a rather confused jumble of thin mouldings awkwardly arranged. Above the main arches is a very small arcaded triforium, and above this a range of circular windows, one in each bay. The groining springs from the capitals of the main columns, so that the triforium and clerestory are both enclosed within its arched wall-rib; they are consequently very disproportioned in height as compared with those of northern churches. But here the architect evidently intended to grapple with the difficulties of the climate, and, designing his whole church with the one great object of minimizing the light and heat, he was compelled to make his windows small. The clerestory windows were traceried, and filled with rich stained glass, which was well set back from the face of the wall. The result is a perfect success as far as light and shade and the ordinary purposes of a Spanish congregation are concerned, but the difficulty of taking notes, sketches, or measurements, in most parts of the church, even at mid-day, can hardly be imagined. The dark stone of which the whole church is built increases not a little the sombre magnificence of the effect. The planning of the nave is very peculiar. It seems as though the main requirement of the founders of this church was a plentiful number of altars; for, as will be seen on reference to the plan, there are no less than twenty-seven distinct chapels inside the church, and twenty-two more round the cloister. It seems, indeed, that such a church as this must from the very first have been built for precisely the kind of worship still used in it. There was never any proper provision for a crowd of worshippers joining in any one common act of prayer or worship. The capitular body filled the Coro and sang the services of the day unnoticed by the people; whilst, as they separated to the chapels to which each was attached, the people followed them by twos and threes to the altar services in which only they wished to join. At present not more than
The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014| | The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014II., Count of Barcelona,[278] was restored by Guiberto Guitardo and his wife about 1117, and in 1127 was incorporated with the convent of San Cucufate del Valls.[279] The church is very interesting. It is small and cruciform, with three parallel apses, an octagonal vault on pendentives over the Crossing, and a short nave, which, as well as the transepts, is covered with a waggon-vault. The apses are vaulted with semi-domes. The west end is the only perfect part of the exterior, and deserves illustration. The work is all of a very solid and rude description, though I am almost afraid to give it credit for being so old as is said. The circular window is, however, an interpolation; and if this were removed, and another small window like the others inserted in its place, the whole design would no doubt have an air of extreme antiquity. The ground-plan is a typal one here, and prevails more or less in all the early churches from Catalua to Galicia. One or two others of the same description seem to have a fair amount of evidence of the date of their consecration, and it is at any rate unlikely that a church built in A.D. 914 would require rebuilding in about a hundred years, which must have been the case here, if we assume that we have not still before us the original church. On the south side of the nave there was a cloister added, probably in the course of the eleventh century, and there is some difference in the character of its design and workmanship, and that of the church and its west front. This cloister is very small, having on each side four arches, divided by a buttress in the centre of each side. The openings are cusped some with three and some with five heavy foliations, plain on the outside, but both moulded and carved on the inside face. The cusping is not at all Gothic in its character, being stilted in a very Eastern fashion, nor is it constructed like Gothic work, the stones being laid over each other, and cut out in the form of cusps, but not constructed anywhere with stones radiating on the principle of an arch. The shafts between the
openings are coupled one behind the other, and have well-carved capitals. A fourteenth-century doorway, with a cross for the finial of its label, opens from the north wall of the cloister into the nave; and in the east wall is an extremely good entrance to the Chapter-house of the same date, and showing the usual arrangement of a doorway with a two-light traceried opening on either side. There are also some old monumental arches in the walls.
This church, which forms so important a feature in the early architectural history of Catalua, is near the western end of the city, and its west front and cloister are enclosed within the walls of a small barrack; but as Spanish officers and soldiers are always glad to lionize a stranger, there is no difficulty in the way of seeing them. A simple early-pointed doorway, under a very flat tympanum, has been added to the north transept, and there is some evidence of the small apse near it having been arcaded on the outside. The pendentive under the dome is similar in its construction to those under the dome of the curious church of Ainay, at Lyons. Above them there is a string-course, and then the vault, which rises to a point in the centre, and is not a complete octagon, the cardinal sides being much wider than the others. The west doorway has in its tympanum our Lord, St. Peter, and St. Paul; over the arch are the angel of St. Matthew and eagle of St. John, and above, a hand with a cruciform nimbus, giving the benediction.
Bartolom Gual was one of the architects summoned to advise about the cathedral of Gerona in 1416, he described himself as master of the works at Barcelona cathedral; and, Andres Escuder placed the last stone of the vault on September 26, A.D. 1448...
Having thus shortly stated the history of the building, let me now attempt to describe its architecture and construction. It will be seen that the plan is cruciform. The transepts do not, however, show much on the exterior, as they form the base of the towers which are erected, as at Exeter cathedral, above them. The plan of the
chevet is very good; it presents the French arrangement of an aisle and chapels round the apse in place of the common Spanish triapsidal plan; but the detail is all completely Catalan. The arches of the apse are very narrow and stilted, and the columns throughout are composed of a rather confused jumble of thin mouldings awkwardly arranged. Above the main arches is a very small arcaded triforium, and above this a range of circular windows, one in each bay. The groining springs from the capitals of the main columns, so that the triforium and clerestory are both enclosed within its arched wall-rib; they are consequently very disproportioned in height as compared with those of northern churches. But here the architect evidently intended to grapple with the difficulties of the climate, and, designing his whole church with the one great object of minimizing the light and heat, he was compelled to make his windows small. The clerestory windows were traceried, and filled with rich stained glass, which was well set back from the face of the wall. The result is a perfect success as far as light and shade and the ordinary purposes of a Spanish congregation are concerned, but the difficulty of taking notes, sketches, or measurements, in most parts of the church, even at mid-day, can hardly be imagined. The dark stone of which the whole church is built increases not a little the sombre magnificence of the effect. The planning of the nave is very peculiar. It seems as though the main requirement of the founders of this church was a plentiful number of altars; for, as will be seen on reference to the plan, there are no less than twenty-seven distinct chapels inside the church, and twenty-two more round the cloister. It seems, indeed, that such a church as this must from the very first have been built for precisely the kind of worship still used in it. There was never any proper provision for a crowd of worshippers joining in any one common act of prayer or worship. The capitular body filled the Coro and sang the services of the day unnoticed by the people; whilst, as they separated to the chapels to which each was attached, the people followed them by twos and threes to the altar services in which only they wished to join. At present not more than
The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014|
BARCELONA CATHEDRAL INTERIOR OF WEST END OF NAVE
There was never any proper provision for a crowd of worshippers joining in any one common act of prayer... the Coro sang the services of the day unnoticed by the
people... the people followed them by twos and threes to the altar services in which only they wished to join.
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| The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014
BARCELONA CATHEDRAL VIEW OF THE STEEPLES FROM THE CLOISTER
The cloisters are not good in their detail, but yet are very pleasant; they are full of orange-trees, flowers, and fountains... There are some geese cooped up in one cor-
ner, who look as if their livers were being sacrificed for pats... finally a troop of hungry cats, who are always
howling and prowling about the cloisters and church...
The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014| about half the altars are commonly used; yet still each morning mass was generally being said at three, or four, or five of them at the same time, and each altar every day seemed to have a considerable group of worshippers, among whom I noticed a considerable number of men of the upper class. The high altar seems always to have had curtains on either side of it, their rods being supported on columns of jasper in front. These curtains were drawn at the Sanctus, and remained so until the consecration was completed. One sung mass only is celebrated at this altar each day, and an old treatise on the Customs of the Church cites in defence or explanation of this rule the words of a very early council, una missa et unum altare.[289]
It is on ascending the towers that one of the greatest peculiarities of the Barcelonese churches is seen; they are all roofless, and you look down on to the top of their vaulting, which is all covered with tiles or stone neatly and evenly laid on the vault, in such a way as effectually to keep out the weather. The water all finds its way out by the pockets of the vaults, and by pipes through the buttresses with gurgoyles in front of them. Everything seemed to prove that this was not the old arrangement, for it is pretty clear that the walls had parapets throughout, and that there were timber roofs, though I saw no evidence as to what their pitch had been. The present scheme, ugly and ruinous as it looksgiving the impression that all the church roofs have been destroyed by the fire of the fortresses above and at the side of the cityseems nevertheless to have solved one of those problems which so often puzzle usthe erection of buildings which as far as possible shall be indestructible. There is now absolutely no timber in any part of the work; but it is of course questionable whether a roof which endures the test of a Spanish climate, with its occasional deluge of rain succeeded by a warm drying sun, would endure the constant damp of a climate like ours. But at any rate the makeshift arrangement which is universal here is very suggestive. The flying buttresses are insignificant, owing to the small height of the clerestory.
The cloisters are not good in their detail, but yet are very pleasant; they are full of orange-trees, flowers, and fountains. One of these is in a projecting bay at the north-east internal angle, and is old; another by its side has a little St. George and the Dragon, with the horses tail formed by a jet of water; and a third, and more modern, plays in the centre among the flowers. In addition, there are some geese cooped up in one corner, who look as if their livers were being sacrificed in order to provide pats for the canons; and finally a troop of hungry, melancholy cats, who are always howling and prowling about the cloisters and church, and who often contrive to get into the choir-stalls just before service, whence they are forthwith chased about by the choristers and such of the clergy as are in their places in good time! These cloisters are said to have been completed in A.D. 1448,[292] and I have no doubt this date is correct.
On the exterior they are bounded on three sides by streets, and the apsidal ends of the chapels do not show, the wall being straight and unbroken. The cloister is lofty and has panelled buttresses between the windows, of which latter the arches only remain, the traceries having been entirely destroyed. The view from hence of the church is one of the best that can be obtained, the octagonal transept towers being the most marked features. The floor is full of gravestones, on which the calling of the person commemorated is indicated by a slight carving in relief of the implements of his trade.
Reference Notes from the Original Text
[278] Count of Barcelona - He was buried here, and this inscription was formerly in the church: Sub hac tribuna jacet corpus condam Wilfredi comitis filius Wilfredi, simili modo condam comitis bon memori, Dimittat ei Ds. Amen. Qui obiit, vi. Kal. Madii sub era DCCCCLII. (A.D. 914).
[279] San Cucufate del Valls is not far from Barcelona; it has a fine early cloister somewhat like that of Gerona Cathedral, an early church with parallel triapsidal east end, octagonal lan-tern and tower on south side.See illustrations in Parcerisa, Recuerdos, &c., de Esp. Catalua, ii. 23, &c.
[289] Customs of the Church cites in defence or explanation of this rule the words of a very ear-ly council, una missa et unum altare. Villanueva, Viage las Iglesias de Espaa, xviii. 157.
[292] These cloisters are said to have been completed in A.D. 1448. Villanueva, Viage Lit.
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| The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014
BARCELONA CATHEDRAL VIEW OF THE STEEPLES FROM THE CLOISTER
The cloisters are not good in their detail, but yet are very pleasant; they are full of orange-trees, flowers, and fountains... There are some geese cooped up in one cor-
ner, who look as if their livers were being sacrificed for pats... finally a troop of hungry cats, who are always
howling and prowling about the cloisters and church...
The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014| about half the altars are commonly used; yet still each morning mass was generally being said at three, or four, or five of them at the same time, and each altar every day seemed to have a considerable group of worshippers, among whom I noticed a considerable number of men of the upper class. The high altar seems always to have had curtains on either side of it, their rods being supported on columns of jasper in front. These curtains were drawn at the Sanctus, and remained so until the consecration was completed. One sung mass only is celebrated at this altar each day, and an old treatise on the Customs of the Church cites in defence or explanation of this rule the words of a very early council, una missa et unum altare.[289]
It is on ascending the towers that one of the greatest peculiarities of the Barcelonese churches is seen; they are all roofless, and you look down on to the top of their vaulting, which is all covered with tiles or stone neatly and evenly laid on the vault, in such a way as effectually to keep out the weather. The water all finds its way out by the pockets of the vaults, and by pipes through the buttresses with gurgoyles in front of them. Everything seemed to prove that this was not the old arrangement, for it is pretty clear that the walls had parapets throughout, and that there were timber roofs, though I saw no evidence as to what their pitch had been. The present scheme, ugly and ruinous as it looksgiving the impression that all the church roofs have been destroyed by the fire of the fortresses above and at the side of the cityseems nevertheless to have solved one of those problems which so often puzzle usthe erection of buildings which as far as possible shall be indestructible. There is now absolutely no timber in any part of the work; but it is of course questionable whether a roof which endures the test of a Spanish climate, with its occasional deluge of rain succeeded by a warm drying sun, would endure the constant damp of a climate like ours. But at any rate the makeshift arrangement which is universal here is very suggestive. The flying buttresses are insignificant, owing to the small height of the clerestory.
The cloisters are not good in their detail, but yet are very pleasant; they are full of orange-trees, flowers, and fountains. One of these is in a projecting bay at the north-east internal angle, and is old; another by its side has a little St. George and the Dragon, with the horses tail formed by a jet of water; and a third, and more modern, plays in the centre among the flowers. In addition, there are some geese cooped up in one corner, who look as if their livers were being sacrificed in order to provide pats for the canons; and finally a troop of hungry, melancholy cats, who are always howling and prowling about the cloisters and church, and who often contrive to get into the choir-stalls just before service, whence they are forthwith chased about by the choristers and such of the clergy as are in their places in good time! These cloisters are said to have been completed in A.D. 1448,[292] and I have no doubt this date is correct.
On the exterior they are bounded on three sides by streets, and the apsidal ends of the chapels do not show, the wall being straight and unbroken. The cloister is lofty and has panelled buttresses between the windows, of which latter the arches only remain, the traceries having been entirely destroyed. The view from hence of the church is one of the best that can be obtained, the octagonal transept towers being the most marked features. The floor is full of gravestones, on which the calling of the person commemorated is indicated by a slight carving in relief of the implements of his trade.
Reference Notes from the Original Text
[278] Count of Barcelona - He was buried here, and this inscription was formerly in the church: Sub hac tribuna jacet corpus condam Wilfredi comitis filius Wilfredi, simili modo condam comitis bon memori, Dimittat ei Ds. Amen. Qui obiit, vi. Kal. Madii sub era DCCCCLII. (A.D. 914).
[279] San Cucufate del Valls is not far from Barcelona; it has a fine early cloister somewhat like that of Gerona Cathedral, an early church with parallel triapsidal east end, octagonal lan-tern and tower on south side.See illustrations in Parcerisa, Recuerdos, &c., de Esp. Catalua, ii. 23, &c.
[289] Customs of the Church cites in defence or explanation of this rule the words of a very ear-ly council, una missa et unum altare. Villanueva, Viage las Iglesias de Espaa, xviii. 157.
[292] These cloisters are said to have been completed in A.D. 1448. Villanueva, Viage Lit.
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| The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014
Gothic Memories
of Barcelona
Part Two
by Marta Laurent Veciana
A modern insight on
the old town of
Barcelona.
Getting lost in the al-leys of the Old Town in Barcelona Today I feel like getting lost: Im head-ing to the Old Town to stroll around its medieval alleys and forgetting about routine.
I get out of the subway at Liceu, the stop in the center of La Rambla and right in front of the Boqueria market.
There is no better way to start the day than a latte at Pinotxo Bar: Juanito, the owner, knows how to make it foamy and hot, and he insists I pair it with a xuxo, a delicious fried bun stuffed with crme.
The market is buzzing today, so I leave it behind and my steps take me down la Rambla to soon leave this main street but before, Ill walk over the Miro mosaic that most tour-ist dont even pay attention to, and Ill
smile to the Asian dragon that looks down at passersbys from the top of Casa Bruno Quadras.
Im entering the medieval alleys now. I look up when I pass by Santa Ma-ria del Mar church... Ive always liked its huge rose window. By the time I reach Carrer de la Palla, the tourist crowds seem to be so far away. I stop at some cute clothes shops and I finally buy that scarf that I had seen at Oliv, a store where I sometimes take my guests during my tours to see the remains of a medieval mikhva.
The Jewish section is deserted ex-cept for a couple of tourists trying to find the synagogue. I give them direc-tions and continue my stroll towards Plaa Sant Felip Neri. The floral fra-grance coming from a hand-made soap shop welcomes me. I love this romantic square, especially in June, when the tipuana tree is blooming and carpets the pavement with its tiny yellow flowers.
The Barcelona Grapevine Issue 1 2014|
Im so close to the Cathedral that I cant resist the temptation of going to the cloister.
A colleague is giving explanations to his group, and some families with small children are taking pictures of the geese that live in the garden. Its lively but still calm.
Back to the street, I take a side al-ley that goes around the back of the Cathedral.
Which way sho