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Thursday, August 31

Sagrada Familia Mosaic and Happy BlogDay 2006!

Mosaic at Sagrada Familia Spire
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With this colorful picture of a mosaic detail on one of Sagrada Familia spires by Gaudi, I wish you all a Happy Blogday2006 or 3108, a number that looks like the word Blog and a day in which you are supposed to share five links and then use tag blogday2006 at Technorati. It is some sort of social experiment supposed to expand the blogosphere, creating more interaction among bloggers. So here they are:

- Barcelona Photobloggers, the blog that represents and unifies the photoblog community in Barcelona.
- Mexican Pictures an impressive photoblog about different countries describing common people.
- Photoschau, a German photoblog with spectacular pictures.
- FotobyImran fantastic images posted from Singapore, Malaysia.
- Moodaholic, some other pictures that called my attention, from Denmark.
Of course I have many more favorites but I tried not to choose them to hurt no feelings.

PS: Last Tuesday, August 29th Barcelona Photoblog was featured among other fellow bloggers in an article titled Ciudadano blog. Miles de bloggers de Barcelona copan con sus experiencias los diarios en internet by Borja Bujedo and Lucía Magí, published in La Vanguardia (the article is in Spanish), an important newspaper in our country, edited in Barcelona. As it is the first time I ever appear in the papers or any media you can imagine how happy I feel right now. If the article has helped Barcelona or Spanish bloggers gain more recognition in the press and at the same time visitors got to know more about our daily work, it would be really rewarding. This could not have happened without all you people visiting me, thank you very much.
In this Bloginmedia you can find more information.

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Wednesday, August 30

Santa Caterina Market in Barcelona

Mercat de Santa Caterina
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Santa Caterina or Isabel II Market was the first covered market in Barcelona. It was built from 1844 to 1848, the name coming from the original convent over whose ruins it was raised as it was customary then. Recently, the old building has been remodeled (1997-2005) by architects Enric Miralles and Benedetta Tagliabue (EMTB) those who designed the Scottish Parliament. Here is Santa Caterina Market as seen from the other side, notice the wooden structure that covers the ceiling and the metal beams that climb up like branches. The colorful roof (325.000 tiles) emulating vegetable and fruit stalls has become one of Barcelona's landmarks, although it can only be appreciated fully in official pictures or if you tip someone in the neighbouring buildings. Don't miss this wonderful article that appeared on Architectural Records analysing the project and giving technical details. If you want to know more about Barcelona markets check The Market Route.

Google Earth View of the Santa Caterina Market in Barcelona.

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Tuesday, August 29

Barcelona City Walls: Defense Tower

Barcelona City Walls: Defense Tower
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Back in the month of May I posted a picture about some wild flowers growing on one of the last preserved fragments of Barcelona City Walls, and I promised that further ahead I would show a more illustrative photo of the bulwark itself. So here you are, a defense tower part of the western wall. There was a first wall built by king James 1st in the 13th century running parallel to where La Rambla is now and a hundred years later the latter was enclosed by an outer wall, this time engulfing El Raval (on your right while walking down La Rambla towards the sea). This image you see is part of such outer wall, at Avinguda del Parallel, near Reials Drassanes (Royal Dockyards), turned into Barcelona's Museu Marítim (Naval Museum).

Google Earth View of the Barcelona City Walls: Defense Tower

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Monday, August 28

The Textile and Clothing Museum of Barcelona

The Textile and Clothing Museum of Barcelona
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Today I show you a picture of The Textile and Clothing Museum of Barcelona located at the old Marquès de Llió Palace bought by the City Council in 1955 and restored later to open as a museum in 1969. I give you the museum's own definition and a link to their page: "The Textile and Clothing Museum is an institution charged with safeguarding the valuable heritage of material history formed by textiles, tapestries, embroideries, lace, liturgical ornaments, civil dress and accessories, and apparatus for the production of these objects, dating from the early centuries of our era to the present day". Very near Picasso Museum, but that's another story...

Google Earth View of the Textile and Clothing Museum at Carrer Moncada in Barcelona.

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Sunday, August 27

Barcelona Chair by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe

Barcelona Chair by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
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Today I show you some pictures about Ludwig Mies van der Rohe Pavilion described in my previous post. Ludwig Mies van der Rohe was born in Aachen, Germany in 1886 and died in Chicago, Illinois in 1969. Influenced by Prussian architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel and his use of simple cubic forms and broad proportions and seduced by Russian Constructivism and the Dutch De Stijl group, this young employee in his father's stone-carving business soon got to hobnob with the best of Berlin's cultural society in the 20's. He entered the famous Bauhaus design school, and created modernist furniture classics such as our Barcelona Chair in 1929 and the Brno chair in 1929-1930. Here is another picture of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe Pavilion, one of the best exponents of his new ideas: enclosed large open "universal" spaces with clearly ordered structural frameworks.

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Saturday, August 26

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe Pavilion in Barcelona

Barcelona Pavilion by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
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Back in 1929, during Barcelona International Exposition, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, the famous architect built the German Pavilion which was demolished one year later when the Exposition was over. In the 80's, the Pavilion was reconstructed on the same place (near Barcelona Fair premises and MNAC) by architects Ignasi Solà-Morales, Christian Cirici and Fernando Ramos.
Don't expect too much from the site as it is just a pavilion to admire design and material. If you are an architecture enthusiast perhaps you can buy interest books on Ludwig Mies van der Rohe at the bookshop. Tomorrow I will show you more pictures and write some words about this famous German architect. Hereby, I acknowledge the kind suggestion of my wife in choosing this place and specifically in taking this shot.
Pavilion Visiting hours: 10:00 to 20:00
Entrance fee: 3.50€

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Friday, August 25

Modernist Lamp Post at Passeig de Gracia, Barcelona

Modernist Lamp Post
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One of the distinguishing traits of Passeig de Gracia in Barcelona, are these modernist lamp posts on both sides of the street. Unlike gas street lighting installed in 1852, these lamp posts with benches date back from 1906 and were designed by Pere Falqués. There are 31 in all as far as I am concerned and were restored in the 80's during a remodelling campaign in the city. Please examine this other shot of the lamp post for more details.

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Thursday, August 24

Passeig de Gracia: Reminiscing

Modernist Lamp Post with Bench
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This is just a beautiful modernist bench and lamp post (all-in-one), like many others. But what if you check this other photo by Robert Capa almost at the end of Spanish Civil War. I really got to worship these benches after I saw the picture.

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Wednesday, August 23

Barcelona's National Theater of Catalonia

National Theater of Catalonia
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The National Theatre of Catalonia opened in the city in 1996. The building resembling a Greek temple was designed by Ricardo Bofill, the famous Catalan architect who projected Barcelona Airport or will build the hotel Vela in the new mouth of the port. With a capacity of 894 seats, the main auditorium has a classical amphitheater shape. Discover all the technical details about its design here. If you want to know more about theater in Catalonia you can read this excellent article.

Aerial View of Barcelona's National Theater of Catalonia (Google Earth Image)

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Tuesday, August 22

Banco Vitalicio in Passeig de Gracia, Barcelona: Detail

Door
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This is a detail of one of the doors at the entrance of Banco Vitalicio building, facing the intersection of Passeig de Gràcia and Gran Via de Les Corts Catalanes. Here is another picture with details of the reliefs by Enric Monjo on the façade of the same building.

Aerial View of Banco Vitalicio: Passeig de Gràcia, Barcelona, Spain (Google Earth Image)

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Monday, August 21

Banco Vitalicio: First High-Rise Building in Barcelona

Banco Vitalicio Façade
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This impressive building at Passeig de Gracia,11 holds the headquarters of Banco Vitalicio de España (Full View), an insurance company of renown prestige. It was built from 1941 to January 1950 on the same place where Palau Marianao was. The building was a project of Lluís Bonet i Garí (1893-1993) one of the architects who, after the Spanish Civil War, continued with the building of the Sagrada Família. With its 17 floors it was one of the first high-rise buildings in Barcelona and a sample of the new prosperous times after the end of the dark postwar period of the 40's.

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Sunday, August 20

Seat 600: A Part of Spanish History

Seat 600
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Seat 600 is part of Spanish history, a car attached to the memories of thousand of families that couldn't afford to buy expensive brands in the sixties. Although it was a Fiat license, it was built in Spain and the Seat factory was located in Barcelona (now in Martorell, in the outskirts of the city).

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Saturday, August 19

El Timbaler del Bruc

Timbaler del Bruc
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El Timbaler del Bruc, a young drummer representing the heroic resistance of Catalan partisans at the region of El Bruc (Anoia) against Napoleon's troops on June 6th and 14th, 1808. The French army had to withdraw, and such deeds are celebrated each year at the Fiesta del Timbaler, where inhabitants of this town impersonate historical characters of both sides in battle scenes. According to the legend the sound of the drum strengthened by the echo of nearby mountains scared the invaders away. This figure is part of an exhibition at History Museum of Catalonia.

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Friday, August 18

Cogwheel at History Museum of Catalonia in Barcelona

Cogwheel
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As a reminder of Catalan industrial past, you can admire old machinery parts such as this cogwheel at the History Museum of Catalonia in front of Barcelona port.

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Thursday, August 17

Catalan Modernisme: Casa Pia Batlló

Casa Pia Batlló
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Casa Pia Batlló taken from Rambla Catalunya. Check previous post for some more information. If you want to know more about Modernisme (not Modernism), feel free to use the new Barcelona Photography search engine (orange rectangle on my sidebar) or the Google box at the bottom.

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Wednesday, August 16

Modernist Street Lamp at Casa Pia Batlló in Barcelona

Street Lamp at Casa Pia Batlló
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This modernist street lamp with an elaborate ironwork can be admired on the façade of Casa Pia Batllò, a house designed by the famous Catalan architect Josep Vilaseca i Casanovas (1848-1910). Built from 1891 to 1896, this modernist building is located at the insection of Gran Via Les Corts and Rambla Catalunya.

Check a Google Maps view of Casa Pia Batlló in Barcelona or this Google Earth Image.

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Tuesday, August 15

Woman Sculpture at History Museum of Catalonia

Sculpture
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Woman sculpture at History Museum of Catalonia in Barcelona. As you see I am using my archives as this photoblog is not working full gas due to summer holidays. I am taking note of all those kind comments I have been receiving from old friends and newcomers. By the end of the month I will be visiting you all as usual. Don't think I forget any of you, you are the reason for this place to exist. Have a nice day.

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Monday, August 14

Spanish Civil War's Republican Posters Exhibition

Republica
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If you happen to be in Barcelona and you like history, particularly the Spanish Civil War history, don't miss this exhibition about Republican posters at the History Museum of Catalonia till Sept. 11th, the Day of the Catalonian Nation, also known as the Diada.

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Sunday, August 13

Come and Go

Come and Go
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Just some anonymous people walking along Diagonal Ave. in Barcelona. Common, ordinary people on their way to work or just wandering. The picture was taken from the bus and completely at random.

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Saturday, August 12

Flower Blend

Flower Blend
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This day I celebrated my birthday. Yes, I am a Leo, with all the good and the bad traits. Anyway I mean no harm. I picked up these flowers for the occasion.

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Friday, August 11

History Museum of Catalonia: Escalators

Catalonia History Museum
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Just a photograph taken from the upper floor at the History Museum of Catalonia. The striking red color and the reflections coming from the roof called my attention. Even though the museum has a good restaurant on top and a marvelous view from the balcony over Barcelona port and surrounding terraces, a quiet atmosphere prevails in the interior.

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Thursday, August 10

Sunset at Sant Antoni de Vilamajor near Barcelona, Spain

Sunset at Sant Antoni de Vilamajor_Barcelona
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Another sunset image from Sant Antoni de Vilamajor, not very far away from Barcelona city, while staying at some friends' this summer.

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Wednesday, August 9

Sunset at Sant Antoni de Vilamajor near Barcelona

Sunset at Sant Antoni de Vilamajor near Barcelona
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See you soon. I hope you don't mine me changing the dates. I just thought you could share some of my pictures and at the same time I keep the logical sequence of days in my posting. Thanks for your understanding. Have a nice August.

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Tuesday, August 8

Rainbow at Sant Antoni de Vilamajor, Barcelona

Rainbow at Sant Antoni de Vilamajor_Barcelona
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Taken after my return from Paris. I am leaving for a town in Murcia, Spain and will be back around August 16th.

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Monday, August 7

Aerial Shot of the Pyrenees

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Sunday, August 6

Aerial Shot of Barcelona, Spain

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Saturday, August 5

Barcelona from the Sky

Barcelona From the Sky
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Barcelona on my way to Paris.

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Friday, August 4

Big Table at L'Illa Diagonal, Barcelona

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Thursday, August 3

Chestnut Fruit at Bellaterra, Barcelona

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Wednesday, August 2

Big Ripe Tomato at Bellaterra

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Tuesday, August 1

Ripe Tomato at Bellaterra, Barcelona

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