Labyrinthine alleys, majestic avenues, meandering parks, and pristine beaches—this is the urban fabric of modern Barcelona, a city 2,500 years in the making. We traipsed the Catalonian capital's streets this past week and to provide orientation and context to the photos shared via our Instagram feed, here's a brief history of the city divided into five acts.
Act 1: Establishment
Located on the northeastern coast of Spain, Barcelona, has a storied history. As legend tells it, General Hamilcar Barca founded the city around 230 BC. In 19 BC, it fell under Roman rule. Much growth and development took place in the 13th and 14th centuries and though the population continued to increase, it did so within the confines of the Medieval walls. The city boundaries of the built environment remained largely unchanged until the 19th century.
