12 Mar Barcelona

Barcelona is the Capital of the Autonomous Catalan Community, and the second largest city in Spain.
Situated in the north-east of Spain, on the Mediterranean coast with an area of 104 sq. km., and a population of 1.6 million, it is the metropolitan center for three million people.

The official languages are Catalan and Spanish.
Barcelona is the second largest industrial city in Spain, a city of commerce and the administrative center: The Catalan Government with its accompanying civil institutions are all in Barcelona. In addition Barcelona is a cultural center and a tourist magnet (17% of the working body are employed in a tourist oriented capacity). The port of Barcelona is one of the busiest in Europe.
In 1992 Barcelona hosted the Olympic Games, a fact that contributed significantly to the urban and economic development of the city.
Barcelona was founded in the year 15 B.C. as a Carthaginian colony. Over the centuries the city has come under many different rules, and the traces of these cultures – Roman, Visigoth, Islamic and others, can be seen in various quarters.

In addition, Barcelona is an important cultural and artistic center, and artists of many different disciplines have worked and are still working there. Among the better known are giants such as Gaudi, Dali, Miro and Picasso.
Barcelona is also famous for its architectural style, known as Moderniste, and the many buildings by Gaudi as well as by other architects are well worth visiting.