La Ribera is a charming district of Barcelona.
This is the city's old crafts district.
It reflects the region's past as the heart of industry and commerce in medieval times.
Today, I'd like to take a closer look at this place.
La Ribera: article summary
La Ribera: visit Santa Maria de Mar
The Ribera district is home to the majestic church of Santa Maria del Mar, perhaps the most famous of all the churches. the greatest example of pure Catalan GothicThe exterior walls are unadorned, with a sober facade flanked by three-tiered octagonal bell towers and a beautiful rose window on the portal.
Begun in 1329, fires during the Civil War riots of 1936 consumed all the chapels' exterior features. From choir to altar, the place was stripped of its essence. The result is a large room bathed in the soft light of stained-glass windows.
Take a stroll through Place El Born
The back door of the church leads to the Passeig del Born, a pretty rectangular square where jousting took place in the Middle Ages and which is now the heart of this fashionable district. The network of streets leading off from here abounds with galleries, trendy bistros and chic boutiques.
Indeed, forget the church, El Born is best known for its late-night partying. From Asian noodle restaurants to tapas joints, you'll be spoilt for choice in El Born.
La Ribera : El Born Centre de Cultura i Memoria
The magnificent El Born Centre de Cultura i Memoria has been converted from an old market into a museum and cultural center. It features the archaeological ruins of a medieval city and also hosts concerts and exhibitions.
Go to Montcada street
One of Barcelona's most majestic streets, Carrer de Montcada, is surrounded by remarkable Gothic palaces. This district is the most authentically medieval part of the city.
No. 12, Museu de Cultures del Món presents art and objects from all over the non-Western world. The curators' passion for collecting and sharing their artistic wealth is clearly apparent.
All the mansions along Carrer de Montcada are worth a look. The one that's always open is the beautiful, baroque Palau Dalmases. On the first floor is Espai Barroc, a rococo bar. At the end of the street, on the Plaçeta Montcada, you'll find taste some wonderful tapas Basques.
La Ribera: spend some time at the Picasso Museum
Visit Museu Picasso is one of Barcelona's main attractions, occupying five palaces (two of which are used for temporary exhibitions). After the museum opened in 1963, Picasso donated sketches and paintings from his childhood and youth. As a result, there are extraordinary coverage of his entire career.
His first works date from his ninth year. As a teenager, he produced large canvases in the realist style of the XIXᵉ century, before moving on to cubism with which it is most associated.
Museu Europa d'Art Modern
Visit Museu Europa d'Art Modern (MEAM) is a living museum promoting figurative art from the late XIXᵉ century to the present day. It boasts a large collection of visually arresting and stimulating contemporary art, well worth a visit!
La Ribera: enjoy the Palau de la Música Catalana
Inaugurated in 1908, it is the epitome of modernism and has been honored with the title of UNESCO World Heritage Site. An explosion of mosaics, tiles, stained glass, glazed porcelain, sculpture and chasing awaits you inside.
The brick exterior is sobering compared to what's inside, where every square centimeter is embellished. The best way to fully discover the Palau is to to attend a concert.
If you're ever in Barcelona, you won't want to miss the Ribera district. That's right, This is a mythical place with many interesting museums to visit.
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