Barcelona History

Barcelona history is rich and exciting, linked closely to the history of Catalonia. Take a cheap flight to Barcelona with Jet2.com and visit this fascinating destination, founded in 230BC by the Carthaginians and later invaded by the Visigoths and then the Muslims.

Barcelona's invasions continued in 801AD, when armies from what is now France pushed back the Muslims. The plains and mountains of Barcelona were now populated by Catalans and the language spoken was similar to langue d'oc (medieval southern French).

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The capital of the Visigothic empire from 416-712, Barcelona was then taken over by the Moors and later by the Arabs. In 780 Charles the Great sent his son Louis to Barcelona. After a long siege, Louis took over the city and it became the capital of the Spanish. Upon Charles the Great's death, Barcelona fell once again into the hands of the Arabs. From this time onwards, Barcelona flourished under the reign of several independent kings and enjoyed great success as a commercial town.

A century of Muslim domination - in which period commercial activity was high and a sense of religious coexistence and the sharing of scholarly and scientific knowledge was enjoyed by Muslims, Jews and Christians - was followed by the arrival of Christian governors to the city. The governors forced the Muslim community into a prisoner zone named The Call. You can see this area in present day Barcelona located around the streets Palla, Banys Nous, Bisbe and Placa Sant Jaume.

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After the fifteenth century, Barcelona and Catalonia suffered a deep economic depression and political slump under the reign of Catholic monarchs. Barcelona declined in importance in comparison with cities like Madrid (which would go on to become Spain's capital). The early 19th century would, however, see a cultural renaissance and a turn in fortunes for Barcelona.

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Cultural renaissance and Romanticism saw Barcelona flourish in the 1830's. The traditional Catalan culture and language was revitalised; a movement led largely by poets and writers of the Romantic and Modernist persuasion, keen to make the Catalan language popular once more. A leading figure in the art world at this time was Modernist Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi. You can view his fabulous Art Nouveau works throughout Barcelona -simply by booking a cheap flight to Spain online at Jet2.com.

Gaudi's great works include Casa Mila also known as La Pedrera; Casa Batlló, also referred to as Casa Dels Ossos or house of bones, because of its skeletal appearance; Park Güell: beautiful architectural gardens; La Sagrada Familia: a large Roman Catholic bastillla; and much more besides. Gaudi achieved worldwide recognition but the only place to view his works is wonderful Barcelona.

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Barcelona's more modern history saw a Franco dictatorship followed by over 25 years of democracy, bringing us up to the present day. The city's infrastructure benefited from considerable constructions to house the 1992 Olympic Games, including the Olympic Vila and the Port Olimpic. Barcelona is now a top tourist attraction boasting modern culture and entertainment alongside a rich and varied history.

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