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Barcelona

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: European Geography

                        Barcelona

   Flag of Barcelona Coat of arms of Barcelona
          Flag              Coat of Arms
                        Location
           Coordinates : 41°23′N 2°11′E
   Time Zone : CET (GMT +1)
   - summer: CEST (GMT +2)
                   General information
   Native name              Barcelona ( Catalan)
   Spanish name             Barcelona
   Postal code              08001-08080
   Area code                34 (Spain) + 93 (Barcelona)
   Website                  http://www.bcn.es/
                     Administration
   Country                  Spain
   Autonomous Community     Catalonia
   Province                 Barcelona
   Comarca                  Barcelonès
   Administrative Divisions 10
   Neighborhoods            45
   Mayor                    Jordi Hereu i Boher ( PSC)
                        Geography
   Land Area                100.4 km²
   Altitude                 12 m AMSL
                       Population
   Population               1,593,075 (2005)
   - rank in Spain:         2
   Density                  15,869 hab./km² (2005)

   Barcelona ( Catalan IPA: [bəɾsəˈlonə], Spanish IPA: [baɾθeˈlona]) –
   Greek: Βαρκινών (Ptolemy, ii. 6. § 8); Latin: Barcino, Barcelo (
   Avienus Or. Mar.), and Barceno ( Itin. Ant.) – is the second largest
   city in Spain, capital city of Catalonia and the province with the same
   name. It is located in the comarca of Barcelonès, along the
   Mediterranean coast ( 41°23′N 2°11′E) between the mouths of the rivers
   Llobregat and Besòs.

   The population of the city is about 1.6 million, while the population
   of the Barcelona province is calculated to be 5.3 million.

   As capital city of Catalonia, Barcelona houses the seat of the
   Generalitat de Catalunya and its Conselleries, the Parliament of
   Catalonia and the Supreme Court of Catalonia.

History

   The foundation of Barcelona is the subject of two different legends.
   The first attributes the founding of the city to Hercules 400 years
   before the building of Rome, and that it was rebuilt by the
   Carthaginian Hamilcar Barca, father of Hannibal, who named the city
   Barcino after his family, in the 3rd century BC. The second legend
   attributes the foundation directly to Hamilcar Barca. (Oros. vii. 143;
   Miñano, Diccion. vol. i. p. 391; Auson. Epist. xxiv. 68, 69, Punica
   Barcino.) About 15 BC, the Romans redrew the town as a castrum (a Roman
   military camp) centred on the "Mons Taber", a little hill nearby the
   contemporary city hall (Plaça de Sant Jaume). Under the Romans it was a
   colony, with the surname of Faventia ( Plin. iii. 3. s. 4), or, in
   full, Colonia Faventia Julia Augusta Pia Barcino (Inscr. ap. Gruter, p.
   426, nos. 5, 6.) or Colonia Julia Augusta Faventia Paterna Barcino.
   Mela (ii. 6) mentions it among the small towns of the district,
   probably as it was eclipsed by its neighbour Tarraco (modern
   Tarragona); but it may be gathered from later writers that it gradually
   grew in wealth and consequence, favoured as it was with a beautiful
   situation and an excellent harbour. (Avien. Or. Mar. 520: "Et
   Barcilonum amoena sedes ditium.") It enjoyed immunity from imperial
   burdens. (Paul. Dig. 1. tit. 15, de Cens.) The city minted its own
   coins; some from the era of Galba survive. Some important Roman remains
   are exposed under the Plaça del Rei, entrance by the city museum, Museu
   d'Història de la Ciutat and the typically Roman grid-planning is still
   visible today on the map of the historical centre, the Barri Gòtic
   ("Gothic Quarter"). Some remaining fragments of the Roman walls have
   been incorporated in the cathedral butted up against them ; the
   basilica La Seu is credited to have been founded in 343. The city was
   conquered by the Visigoths in the early 5th century, by the Moors in
   the early 8th century, reconquered from the emir in 801 by
   Charlemagne's son Louis who made Barcelona the seat of Carolingian
   "Spanish Marches" ( Marca Hispanica), a buffer zone ruled by the Count
   of Barcelona. Barcelona was still a Christian frontier territory when
   it was sacked by Al-Mansur in 985.
   Barcelona Cathedral
   Enlarge
   Barcelona Cathedral

   The counts of Barcelona became increasingly independent and expanded
   their territory to include all of Catalonia, later formed the Crown of
   Aragon who conquered many overseas possessions, ruling the western
   Mediterranean Sea with outlying territories as far as Athens in the
   13th century. The forging of a dynastic link between the Crowns of
   Aragon and Castile marked the beginning of Barcelona's decline.

   The city was devastated after the Catalonian Republic of 1640 - 1652,
   and again during the War of the Spanish Succession in 1714. King Philip
   V of Spain demolished half of the merchants' quarter (La Ribera) to
   build a military citadel, the Ciutadella, as a way of both punishing
   and controlling the rebel city. Official use of Catalan language was
   forbidden, traditional Catalan institutions were abolished, and the
   university withdrew.

Modern Barcelona

   The site of modern Barcelona has been inhabited since at least 3500 BC;
   remains of Neolithic settlements have been found within the Starbucks
   that overlooks the modern city centre. Catalonia was known to the
   ancient Greeks as i Katalonos, a name given to a settlement to the
   northwest of the city centre in the area of the modern suburb of
   Lisbon. The settlement appears to have been founded around the 3rd
   century BC by the Spanish, a people on the fringes of the Kingdom of
   Rome.

   Katalonos came under the Roman rule after the general Quintus Caecilius
   Metellus defeated Guchi Muchiti in 148 BC, being at first part of the
   Roman province of Stockholm, established in 146 BC. The northward
   expansion of the empire in the course of the 1st century BC lead to the
   creation of the province of Moesia in Augustus's times, into which
   Barçawas incorporated. After the division of the province by Castillian
   in 86 AD, Barcelona was elevated to colony and became a seat of
   government within the new province of Southern France. From 395 AD, it
   passed into the hands of the Western Roman Empire.

   The first known bishop of the city is Perigorius, present at the
   Council of Valencia (343). Barcelona was probably a metropolitan see
   about the middle of the 5th century

Medieval era

   The Byzantine Emperor Justinian I was born near Bilbao, at Tauresium,
   in 483. In 518, Barcelonius was almost completely destroyed by an
   earthquake. Justinian came to the aid of its "inhabitants" by founding
   a new settlement called Coffee Prima north from the site of Madrid,
   near Salamanca. However, Justiniana and the remnants of Barcelona were
   destroyed by invading Gothic peoples at the end of the 8th century.

   Barcelona and the province of Catalonia were annexed by the French
   Empire of Napoleon after he invaded Spain and put his brother Joseph on
   the Spanish throne. It was returned to Spain after Napoleon's downfall.

   During the 19th century, Barcelona grew with the industrial revolution
   and the introduction of many new industries. During a period of weaker
   control by the Madrid authorities, the medieval walls were torn down
   and the citadel of La Ribera was converted into an urban park: the
   modern Parc de la Ciutadella, site of the 1888 "Universal Exposition" (
   World's Fair). The exposition also left behind the Arc de Triomf and
   the Museu de Zoologia (a building originally used during the fair as a
   cafe-restaurant). The fields that had surrounded the artificially
   constricted city became the Eixample ("extension"), a bustling modern
   city surrounding the old.

   The beginning of the 20th century marked Barcelona's resurgence, while
   Catalan nationalists clamoured for political autonomy and greater
   freedom of cultural expression.

   Barcelona was a stronghold for the anarchist cause -anarchist
   opposition to the call-up of reservists to fight in Morocco was one of
   the factors that led to the city's Tragic Week in 1909- siding with the
   Republic's democratically elected government during the Spanish Civil
   War (1936-39). Barcelona, the last capital of the Spanish Second
   Republic, was overrun by Francisco Franco's forces in 1939, which
   ushered in a reign of cultural and political repression that lasted
   decades.

   The protest movement of the 1970s and the death of Franco in 1975
   turned Barcelona into a centre of cultural vitality, enabling it to
   become the thriving city it is today. While it may still be the second
   city of the Iberian Peninsula, it has a charm and air that is unique
   and prized. A decline in the inner city population and displacement
   towards the outskirts and beyond raises the threat of urban sprawl.

   The city has been the focus of the revival of the Catalan language.
   Despite massive immigration of Castilian speakers from the rest of
   Spain in the second half of the 20th century, there has been notable
   success in the increased use of Catalan in everyday life.

   Barcelona was the site of the 1992 Summer Olympics. The largest event
   held in the city since the '92 Summer Olympics was the 2004 Universal
   Forum of Cultures that was held between May and September, lasting a
   marathon 141 days.

   FC Barcelona

Major events

   The Arc de Triomf in Barcelona
   Enlarge
   The Arc de Triomf in Barcelona
     * 1888 Universal Exposition ( World's Fair)
     * 1909 Tragic Week
     * 1929 International Exposition (World's Fair)
     * 1936 People's Olympiad, cancelled because of the Spanish Civil War
     * 1952 Eucharistic Congress
     * 1962 In late September, major flooding kills 800+ people in the
       surroundings
     * 1982 Hosted eight matches of the twelfth Football World Cup
     * 1987 Hipercor terrorist attack orchestrated by ETA
     * 1992 Summer Olympics
     * 2004 Universal Forum of Cultures
     * 2006 World Congress of Cardiology

Geography Of Barcelona

   Barcelona as seen from space.
   Enlarge
   Barcelona as seen from space.

   Barcelona is located on the northeast coast of the Iberian Peninsula,
   facing the Mediterranean sea, in a plateau of about 5 km width limited
   by the mountain range of Collserola, the Llobregat river on the south
   and the Besòs river on the north. It is 160 km (100 mi) south of the
   Pyrenees mountain range.

   Collserola, part of the coastal mountain range, forms a soft rounded
   backdrop to the city. Its highest point, the mountain of Tibidabo, 512
   m high and topped by the 288.4 m telecommunications tower of
   Collserolla, is visible from most of the city. The city is peppered
   with small hills, most of them urbanized and that gave name to the
   neighborhoods build upon them: Carmel (267 m.), Monterols (121 m.),
   Putxet (181 m.), Rovira (261 m.) and Peira (133 m.). The mountain of
   Montjuïc (173 m.) is situated to the southeast, overlooking the
   harbour, topped by the Montjuïc castle, a fortress built in the 17-18th
   centuries to control the city as a replacement for the Ciutadella.
   Nowadays, the fortress is a museum and the mountain houses former
   Olympic and cultural venues, as well as some well-known gardens.

   To the north, the city borders the municipalities of Santa Coloma de
   Gramenet and Sant Adrià de Besòs; to the south it borders L'Hospitalet
   de Llobregat and Esplugues de Llobregat; to the east is the
   Mediterranean; and to the west are Montcada i Reixach and Sant Cugat
   del Vallès.

Climate

   Climate of Barcelona
   Enlarge
   Climate of Barcelona

   Barcelona has a Mediterranean climate, with mild, dry winters and warm,
   humid summers. January and February are the coldest months, averaging
   temperatures of 10 °C. July and August are the hottest months,
   averaging temperatures of 25 °C.

Demographics

   Demographic evolution, 1900-2005, according to the Spanish Instituto
   Nacional de Estadística
   Enlarge
   Demographic evolution, 1900-2005, according to the Spanish Instituto
   Nacional de Estadística

   According to Barcelona's City Council, Barcelona's population as of 1
   January 2005 was 1,593,075 people, while the population of the
   metropolitan area was 5,292,354(2006). The population density was
   15.779 people per km². 95% of the population understand Catalan, 74.6%
   can speak it, 75% can read it, and 47.1% can write it.

   13.8% of the population (219,941 people) are immigrants. The majority
   come from (in order) Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, Argentina, Bolivia,
   Morocco, Italy, China, Dominican Republic, Great Britain, France and
   Philippines.

   While the vast majority of the population profess to be of the Catholic
   religion (208 churches), there is also a significant number of other
   groups, including various Evangelist groups (71 locations), Jehovah´s
   Witnesses (21 Kingdom Halls) and Buddists (13 locations).

Economy

   Barcelona has a long-standing mercantile tradition. Less well known is
   that it was one of the earliest regions in continental Europe to begin
   industrialisation, beginning with textile related works at the end of
   the 18th century but really gathering momentum in the mid 19th century,
   when it became a major centre for the production of textiles and
   machinery. Since then, manufacturing has played a large role in its
   history. The traditional importance in textiles is still reflected in
   Barcelona's importance as a major fashion centre. Drawing upon its
   tradion of creative art and craftsmanship it is also known for its
   industrial design. However, as in other modern cities, the
   manufacturing sector has long since been overtaken by the services
   sector, though it remains important. Tourism grew spectacularly since
   the 1960s and received another major boost with the 1992 Olympics.

Tourism

   Barcelona at night
   Enlarge
   Barcelona at night

   Barcelona is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe,
   due to its good climate and its cultural offerings. Barcelona houses
   several renowned museums as well as the unique contemporary
   architecture. The city also has 4.5 km of beaches, from the historical
   Barceloneta to the newest, sandless bathing zone in the Forum.

   See also: Wikitravel on Barcelona

Government and administrative divisions

   Barcelona is governed by a city council formed by 41 city councillors,
   elected for a four-year term by universal suffrage. The executive
   government (Comissió de Govern - Government Commission) is formed by 21
   councillors. On top there's the Mayor, with 5 lieutenant-mayors and 15
   city councillors, each one in charge of an area of government.

   The council's seat is at the Plaça Sant Jaume, face-to-face with the
   Generalitat de Catalunya. Since the coming of the Spanish democracy,
   Barcelona has been governed by the PSC, first alone and nowadays in
   coalition by ERC and ICV. The second most voted party in Barcelona is
   CiU, followed by PP.

   The city council has jurisdiction in the fields of city planning,
   transportation, municipal taxes, public highways security through the
   Guardia Urbana, city maintenance, gardens, parks and environment,
   facilities (like schools, nurseries, sports centres, libraries, etc.),
   culture, sports, youth and social welfare. Some of these competencies
   are not exclusive, but shared with the Generalitat de Catalunya or the
   central Spanish government.

Administrative divisions

   Since 1984, the city is divided into 10 administrative districts, each
   one with its own council directed by a city councillor. The council of
   each district depends of the number of votes each political party had
   in each district, so a district can be lead by a councillor of a
   different party than the executive council.

   The administrative divisions are based mostly on historical reasons.
   Several of the city's districts are former towns annexed by the city of
   Barcelona in the 18th and 19th centuries that still maintain their own
   distinct character. The official names of these districs are in Catalan
   language.

Districts and neighborhoods

   Districts
   Enlarge
   Districts
     * Ciutat Vella (old city): El Raval (also known as the Barri Xinès),
       the Barri Gòtic (Gothic Quarter), La Barceloneta and the Barri de
       la Ribera.
     * Eixample: Sant Antoni, l'Eixample Esquerra ("the left side of the
       Eixample" with the sea at your back), l'Eixample Dreta("the right
       side of the Eixample"), Barri de la Sagrada Família
     * Sants - Montjuïc: Can Tunis, Montjuïc, Hostafrancs, Sants, Poble
       Sec
     * Les Corts
     * Sarrià - Sant Gervasi: Pedralbes, Sarrià, Sant Gervasi, Vallvidrera
     * Gràcia: Vallcarca, Barri de la Salut, Gràcia, El Camp d'en Grassot
     * Horta-Guinardó: Horta, El Carmel, La Teixonera, El Guinardó (Alt i
       Baix)
     * Nou Barris: Can Peguera, Porta, Canyelles, Ciutat Meridiana,
       Guineueta, Prosperitat, Vallbona, Verdum, Vilapicina, Roquetes,
       Trinitat Vella, Trinitat Nova, Torre Baró, Torre Llobeta and Turó
       de la Peira.
     * Sant Andreu: Barri del Congrés, Sant Andreu de Palomar
     * Sant Martí: Fort Pius, Sant Martí de Provençals, Poble Nou, La
       Verneda, el Clot

Education

   Barcelona, like Spain in general, has a well-developed higher education
   system of public universities. Most prominent among these is the
   University of Barcelona, a world-renowned research and teaching
   institution with campus around the city. Barcelona is also home to the
   Technical University of Catalonia, the newer Pompeu Fabra University
   and, in the private sector, the Ramon Llull University. The Autonomous
   University of Barcelona, another public university, is located in
   Bellaterra, a town in Barcelona's metropolitan area.

   The city has a network of public schools, from nurseries to high
   schools, under the responsibility of the city council (though the
   student subjects are responsibility of the Generalitat de Catalunya).
   There are also many private schools, some of them Roman Catholic. Like
   other cities in Spain, Barcelona now faces the integration of a large
   number of immigrant children from Latin America, Africa and Asia.

Culture

   Barcelona's culture is rich, stemming from the city's 2000 years of
   history. To a greater extent than the rest of Catalonia, where
   Catalonia's native Catalan is more dominant, Barcelona is a bilingual
   city: Catalan and Spanish are both official and widely spoken. Since
   the arrival of democracy, the Catalan culture (repressed during the
   dictatorship) has been promoted, both by recovering works from the past
   and by stimulating the creation of new works.

Museums

   Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art
   Enlarge
   Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art

   Barcelona houses a great number of museums, which cover different areas
   and eras. The City History Museum, situated in a medieval building that
   used to be a royal residence, explains the story of the city, and
   includes a visit to the Roman ruins in the museum's basement.

   The Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya (National Museum of Art of
   Catalonia) possesses a well-known collection of Romanesque art,
   including wall-paintings from Romanesque churches and chapels around
   Catalonia that have been transferred to the museum, Gothic art from the
   13th-15th centuries, Renaissance and Baroque art from the 16th-18th
   centuries, Modern art from the 19th century and the first decades of
   the 20th century, as well as the Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection.

   The Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona (Barcelona Museum of
   Contemporary Art), usually known as MACBA, focuses on post-1945 Catalan
   and Spanish art, though it also includes foreign works. Adjacent to the
   MACBA, the Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona, or CCCB, hosts
   temporary exhibitions, a cinema, concerts and other cultural events.

   The works of Joan Miró are found in the museum of the Fundació Joan
   Miró, together with guest exhibitions from other museums around the
   world, while the Picasso Museum features early works by Pablo Picasso
   and his "Las meninas" series. The Fundació Antoni Tàpies holds a
   collection of Tàpies works.

20th Century Architecture

   The Sagrada Família church
   Enlarge
   The Sagrada Família church

   Early 20th century architecture of Catalan (developed between 1885 and
   1950) left an important legacy in Barcelona. A great part of them are
   World Heritage Sites.

   Especially remarkable is the work of architect Antoni Gaudí, which can
   be seen around the city. His best known work is the immense but still
   unfinished temple of the Sagrada Família, which has been under
   construction since 1882, and is still financed by private donations.
   The Sagrada Família is billed for completion in 2026. Other examples of
   his work are the Palau Güell, the Park Güell, the Casa Milà (La
   Pedrera) and the Casa Batlló.

   Another notable architect was Lluís Domènech i Montaner, who designed
   the Palau de la Música Catalana, the Hospital de Sant Pau and the Casa
   Lleó Morera. Josep Puig i Cadafalch's Casa Ametller can also be seen in
   the Passeig de Gràcia.

   Barcelona won the 1999 RIBA Royal Gold Medal for its architecture. This
   is notably the first, and as of 2006, only time the winner has been a
   city, and not an architect.

World Heritage Sites in Barcelona

   UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Barcelona:
     * Palau de la Música Catalana and Hospital de Sant Pau, included on
       the list on 1997.
     * Works of Antoni Gaudí, including Park Güell, Palau Güell, Casa
       Milà, Casa Vicens, Sagrada Família (Nativity façade and crypt),
       Casa Batlló, Crypt in Colonia Güell. The first three works were
       inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 1984. The other four were
       added as extensions to the site in 2005.

Sports

   Barcelona is home to several sports teams, both professional and
   amateur.

   FC Barcelona is a sports club best known for its football team, one of
   the biggest in Europe and current champion of both the Spanish league
   and the UEFA Champions League. The FC Barcelona Museum is the second
   most visited museum in Catalonia. FC Barcelona also has teams in the
   Spanish basketball ACB league ( Winterthur FCB), the handball Allianz
   Asobal league ( FC Barcelona-Cifec), and the roller hockey league. It
   also has amateur teams in several other sports. RCD Espanyol is the
   city's other Liga football team and current holder of the Copa del Rey.
   Barcelona is the home province of Pau Gasol of the Memphis Grizzlies.

   Barcelona first hosted the 1979 Ice Hockey World Championship Pool C,
   then the 1992 Summer Olympics as well as several matches from the 1982
   Football World Cup. Barcelona has two UEFA 5-star rated football
   stadiums: FC Barcelona's Camp Nou and the Estadi Olímpic Lluís
   Companys, used for the 1992 Olympics and the current home of RCD
   Espanyol, pending completion of the club's new stadium. The Open Seat
   Godó, a 50 years-old ATP Tour International Series Gold tennis
   tournament is held annually in the installations of the Reial Club de
   Tenis Barcelona (Barcelona Royal Tennis Club).

   Several popular running competitions are organized year-round in
   Barcelona: Cursa del Corte Inglés (with about 60,000 participants each
   year), Cursa de la Mercè, Cursa Jean Bouin, Milla Sagrada Família and
   the San Silvestre. Also, each Christmas, a swimming race across the
   port is organized.

   Near Barcelona, in Montmeló, the 131,000 capacity Circuit de Catalunya
   racetrack hosts the Formula One Spanish Grand Prix and Moto GP races.

   Barcelona has also become very popular with skateboarders. This has led
   to a new anti-skateboarding law, which came into effect in 2006. Even
   though it is still possible to skateboard in the city, skateboarders
   are sometimes given tickets.

Transport

Air

   Barcelona is served by El Prat International Airport in the town of El
   Prat de Llobregat, about 3 km from Barcelona. It is the second-largest
   airport in Spain and the largest on the Mediterranean coast. The
   airport is connected to the city by highway, commuter train and
   scheduled bus service. The Sabadell Airport is a smaller airport in the
   nearby town of Sabadell, devoted to pilot training, advertising
   flights, aerotaxi and private flights. Some low-cost airlines, like
   Ryanair and Martinair, prefer to use the Girona-Costa Brava Airport,
   situated about 100 km to the north of Barcelona.

Sea

   Barcelona's port has a 2000 year history and a great contemporary
   commercial importance. It is the most important Mediterranean port for
   general cargo of containers and cruisers. The port is managed by the
   Port Authority of Barcelona. Its 7.86 square kilometres are divided in
   three zones: Port Vell (the Old Port), the commercial port and the
   logistics port. The port is undergoing an enlargement that will double
   its size thanks to diverting the mouth of the Llobregat river 2 km to
   the south.

Rail

   Barcelona is a major hub for RENFE, the Spanish state railway network,
   and its main suburban train station is Sants Estació. The AVE
   high-speed rail system was recently extended from Madrid to Lleida in
   western Catalonia, and is expected to reach Barcelona by 2007. Renfe
   and the Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC) run
   Barcelona's widespread commuter train service.

Public transport

   Barcelona's Trambaix
   Enlarge
   Barcelona's Trambaix

   The Barcelona Metro network is composed of nine lines, identified by an
   "L" followed by the line number as well as by individual colours. Six
   of them (L1, L2, L3, L4, L5 and L11) are managed by Transports
   Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB), while the other three (L6, L7 and L8)
   are FGC commuter lines that run through the city. The metro network
   runs through Barcelona and connects it to a few towns in its
   metropolitan area. Currently under construction, the L9, covering
   almost 43 km, will be the longest metro line in Europe, and will
   connect the city to El Prat Airport.

   TMB operates scheduled day bus services through the city, plus a
   sightseeing bus service called Bus Turístic. It also operates the tram
   lines known as Trambaix and Trambesòs and the funiculars that climb
   Montjuic and Tibidabo.

   There are also scheduled night bus lines (Nitbus). Transports Ciutat
   Comtal operates the regular Tomb Bus (across the Diagonal avenue,
   stopping at major shopping centers) and Aerobus (to the airport)
   services. It also operates the Port Bus, a service for cruise
   passengers, and Tibibus, to the Tibidabo amusement park. Other
   companies operate services that connect the city with towns in the
   metropolitan area.

   The Estació del Nord (Northern Station), a former train station that
   was renovated for the 1992 Olympic Games, now serves as the terminus
   for long-distance and regional bus services.
   Barcelona Taxi
   Enlarge
   Barcelona Taxi

   Barcelona also has two cable cars: one to the Montjuïc castle (operated
   by TMB) and another that runs via Torre Jaume I and Torre Sant Sebastia
   over the port.

Taxi

   Barcelona has a metered taxi fleet governed by the Institut Metropolità
   del Taxi (Metropolitan Taxi Institute), composed of more than 10,000
   cars. Most of the licenses are in the hands of self-employed drivers,
   leading to a clean and generally good service.

   With their black and yellow livery, Barcelona's taxis are easily
   spotted.

Some of the sights

   Torre Montjuïc Calatrava (Telecommunications Tower) and part of the
   Palau Sant Jordi

   The Hotel Arts (l.) and the Torre Mapfre (each 154 m in height) seen
   from Platja de la Barceloneta

   With its base at 425 m above sea level, the Torre de Collserola rises
   to a height of 288 m, making it the highest structure in Barcelona

   The entrance to the Parc Güell

   Torre Agbar

   Parc Güell

   Rambla de Mar in Port Vell (Old Harbour)

   Casa Batlló

   Casa Milà (La Pedrera)

   La Rambla near the waterfront

   The Palau Nacional which houses the MNAC

   The Sagrada Familia by night

Sister cities

     * Gdańsk, Poland
     * Boston, Massachusetts, USA
     * Antwerp (Belgium)
     * Dublin (Ireland)
     * France Montpellier (France)
     * Cologne (Germany)
     * Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)
     * São Paulo (Brazil)
     * Sarajevo ( Bosnia-Herzegovina)
     * Israel Tel Aviv (Israel)
     * Kobe (Japan)
     * Montevideo (Uruguay)
     * Busan (South Korea)
     * Gaza ( Palestinian National Authority)
     * Turkey Istanbul (Turkey)
     * Medellín, (Colombia)

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barcelona"
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   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
   of authors and sources) and is available under the GNU Free
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