Culture of Barcelona. Places to visit - old town, temples, theaters, museums and palaces

» Museu Nacional d Art de Catalunya was created by merger of the collections of the Museum of Modern Art and the Museum of Art of Catalonia.
» The Romanesque Collection of the museum is considered one of the most complete in the world. It was formed on the basis of the unique Romanesque frescoes department; they are exposed at an appropriate architectural background.
» That’s the largest museum of Catalonia and the most important center of Spanish painting in the world.
» The museum is located at the foot of Montjuic at the National Palace built in 1929.
» If you delve into the history, then you can see that this museum was opened in 1934. However, the Spanish Civil War affected the activities of the museum, and the later was closed after having existed for only about two years.

Location on the map:   Facts: » The Church of the Sacred Heart is located at the top of Tibidabo and is visible from any point of Barcelona. Above the temple stands the statue of Christ embracing the whole world.
» The Church of the Sacred Heart at the moment is the building consisting of at least two parts. The lower part looks like a fortress wall (it’s built of Montjuic stone), and the upper is a church in the Gothic Revival style.
» Due to the fact that the facade of the temple is constructed in a special way, it seems that the building tends directly to heaven. The building of the church is decorated with magnificent statues of the Apostles, the Virgin Mary and patron saints of Catalonia.
» The place for the erection wasn’t chosen occasionally, as the name of the mountain Tibidabo comes from the Latin phrase ‘give you’ and is a string of the Gospel. It means all earthly pleasures and wealth offered when Satan tempted Christ.

» The Barcelona Cathedral is dedicated to St. Eulalia, a young girl who was tortured and martyred for Christian faith.
» That’s the main religious building in Barcelona.
» The most valuable relic of the Barcelona Cathedral are relics of Saint Eulalia buried under the main altar; if you push the 50-cent coin in the slot, the sarcophagus will light with fires.
» The painted wooden sarcophagus is set on the stand at the south wall. According to the legend, it belongs to Ramon Berenguer I, Count of Barcelona, and his wife.
» The chapel stores the most revered image of Christ, Holy Christ of Lepanto, that was on the ship of Juan of Austria at the battle of Lepanto.

» Columbus Monument is the grandiose monument established in honor of the discoverer of the Americas, Christopher Columbus.
» The monument is situated at the site where Columbus returned from his first voyage to America. The monument is a reminder of Columbus visit to Queen Isabella I and King Ferdinand II in Barcelona.
» The word ‘Tierra’ is engraved on the pedestal; it’s translated from Spanish as ‘land’.
» There is an elevator inside the main column of the monument. You can climb to the statue itself, where a site next to Columbus provides a wonderful opportunity to enjoy the panoramic view of Barcelona from a height of over 40 meters.
» Like all art, a monument to Columbus generates a lot of controversy and legends. The main question that plagues all the tourists and residents of Barcelona is a place, where Columbus points the finger of his right hand. Many believe that Columbus shows at New World, which he was able to open. Some claim that Columbus is pointing with his finger towards the East, to his homeland, the city of Genoa.
» The monument is set on an octagonal pedestal, the corners of which are decorated with bronze figures of the goddess of victory. Portraits of people who have played an important mission in the life of Christopher Columbus and his travels are seen at the rear of the pedestal.

» Olympic Stadium is the multi-sport stadium in Barcelona that was the main arena of the Summer Olympic Games in 1992.
» The stadium is named in honor of Lluis Companys, the President of Catalonia during the Spanish Civil War.
» For the first time the Olympic Games were to be held at the stadium in 1936, as an alternative to the Olympic Games, organized by the Nazis in Berlin.
» The day before the opening of the Olympic Games (17 July) there was the signal for a coup organized by General Franco. That’s the well-known phrase, ‘Above all Spain cloudless sky.’
»  Many years later, when the Olympic Games were held in Barcelona in 1992, the central part of the sports arena at Montjuic became the main venue of the Olympic Games. Olympic ring, raised here, included the most important and impressive sports facilities.