Hotel Arts and Torre Mapfre: Almost Twins

As seen from Sagrada Familia's "watch tower" these almost twins, Torre Mapfre and Hotel Arts stand all alone overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Though the average height of buildings along the coast is growing bigger there is still a certain concern for following a reasonable criterium that does not alter too much the city skyline.

Trade Center: Stairways to Heaven in Barcelona

The first modern office complex in Barcelona was designed by José Antonio Coderch de Semenat in 1968. This high-rise building (any high tower under 35 meters, otherwise it would be a skyscraper) is located at Avda. Carlos III in Les Corts just behind shopping center El Corte Inglés and it is called the Trade Center Complex.

Street Artist X: Barcelona Graffiti

Today I post another picture about Barcelona graffiti, this time showing the other wall, see previous work in Street Artist IX: Barcelona Graffiti. The image could be easily called: A Fantasy from Hell, as it looks as the devil devouring sinners' souls, but of course you could all help me reinterpret the scene.

Palau de La Mercè: Top of the Hill

Palau de la Mercè with the MNAC (National Art Museum of Catalonia), is the perfect place to enjoy a panoramic view of Plaza España (red or green subway lines) and the rest of the city. If you take the escalators at the end of the walk from the square to the palace you will meet several statues of classical style which look great against the sky.

Sitting On the Dock of the Bay

Just like the song by Otis Redding you can sit at the end of this wharf just in front of Maremagnum "wastin time" with beautiful Barcelona right behind you.

>> Sittin' in the mornin' sun

I'll be sittin' when the evenin' come

Watching the ships roll in

And then I watch 'em roll away again, yeah

I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay

Watching the tide roll away

Ooo, I'm just sittin' on the dock of the bay

Wastin' time <<

Painting at Port Vell in Barcelona

When you visit Maremagnum as you sure will, don´t forget this shaded arcade between the shopping center and the aquarium. Surrounded by terraces where you can hide from the summer heat you can find these permanent exhibitions of paintings performed live for you by the skillful artists that abound in this area. Art together with some coffee or a couple of beers is a perfect blend.

Maremagnum: The Tourist Paradise

Today it was really warm (about 22 Cº) so we decided to take a walk and head for Maremagnum , a combination of shopping mall and leisure center including the aquarium, imax cinema, and lots of restaurants and disco bars on the very edge of Barcelona's Port Vell ("old harbor") waterfront. Standing on the planks of the wooden platforms by the sea you can take pictures like this. 

The word "maremagnum" is derived from Latin and can be translated as "great sea" or "large body of water." The name reflects its waterfront location, with views of the Mediterranean Sea. Maremagnum is a popular destination for both locals and tourists due to its convenient location near the city center and its wide range of offerings. 

The shopping center houses numerous stores selling fashion, accessories, electronics, books, and more. There are also several dining options, including restaurants, cafes, and fast-food outlets, catering to different tastes and budgets. 

In addition to shopping and dining, Maremagnum features a cinema complex, a bowling alley, and a variety of entertainment venues. It is known for its vibrant atmosphere, particularly during weekends and holidays when visitors can enjoy live performances, concerts, and cultural events. 

Maremagnum's waterfront location makes it an attractive spot to relax and enjoy views of the sea. It has outdoor terraces and seating areas where visitors can soak up the Mediterranean ambiance. Overall, Maremagnum offers a combination of shopping, dining, entertainment, and scenic surroundings, making it a popular destination for people looking for a diverse experience in the heart of Barcelona.

Street Artist IX: Barcelona Graffiti

Signed by street artist Peri-Kain (I don´t want to infringe copyrights) this graffiti can be seen on the walls of a small alley inside shopping mall La Maquinista, a big commercial area near Sta. Coloma de Gramanet in the outskirts of the city. To my surprise Nicola from Wiesbaden, Germany, another member of the Citydailyphoto Family had already published a photo about this type of urban art today. As I took the picture this morning and I had my mind made up I decided to post it anyway and give her my today's "recommended link" thus reinforcing our common topic. By the way the image this time is no digital art trick, I only used more shadows to avoid reflection on hair on the right and a little touch of color temperature.

Recommended Link to a Dailyphoto friend Wiesbaden (Germany) by Nicola

Street Artist VIII: Silence is Golden

After so much architecture I think a photo of people will keep up the good spirit. Let's return to Las Ramblas and admire this Oriental character that swiftly adopts different poses each time a coin makes some noise giving you a sudden start with his rod. Do not disturb the artist while he is working, for him silence is golden.

Francesc Macià Square: Winterthur Vanishes

Today's image depicts Plaça Francesc Macia, one of the roundabouts of La Avinguda Diagonal . The building on the right built in the seventies used to be Winterthur's headquarters. This insurance company got rid of it three years ago and a luxury hotel is scheduled to open soon keeping the peculiar arches or shells of the façade. As the picture looked pretty standard I decided to select the building, saturate and tint the windows yellow, and then I inverted all the colors.

Paseo San Juan: The Billowing Balconies

Passeig de Sant Joan together with Carrer Aribau, the Rondes and Avinguda Diagonal mark the boundaries of the so called golden square or Quadrat d'Or the exclusive area of the Eixample where most of the modernist buildings are and whose core is Passeig de Gracia; why so many?, well, at the beginnings of last century the Catalan middle class moved from what is nowadays the old part of the city to the Eixample and as a result of their vanity and well doing architecture burst up. Though not so impressive as its neighbors, Paseo San Juan shows off houses with spectacular balconies such as the one in today's picture. Its like watching the waves of the sea or a billowing flag.

Plaza Real: Shadows of Barcelona

If you come to Barcelona this place is a must, be it day or night. In the morning you can sit in the terraces protected in the long shadows of the arcade or under the palm trees. At night trendy bars or night clubs await. You have hostels and restaurants, you have concerts, you have small thieves and police cars. You name it.

During my many incursions in Las Ramblas I like to hide from the sun and steal some back light pictures like these.

Montjuic: Woman and Dome

This sculpture was unveiled during the Olympic Games of Barcelona 1992. Located near the entrance of MNAC (National Art Museum of Catalonia) in the Palau de la Mercè whose main dome you can see in the background, the woman seems to be the same size as the building. I wanted to confront sculpture and architecture in the same picture,two secular expressions of human creativity that always go hand in hand.

Modernisme in BW

This is one of the many buildings that represent Catalan modernisme along Diagonal Ave. The picture was taken from the bus. I again used the angle looking for perspective. The shot was made directly in black and white. Diagonal is one of the main streets of Barcelona cutting the metropolitan area into two, the Zona Alta and the lower portion of the city.

Sagrada Familia: The Jungle Columns

Architecture imitates mother nature sometimes when it comes to capricious forms defying the laws of physics. Imagine a huge tree with a thick trunk and a heavy load of foliage on top. Picture yourself taking a closer look to its base: a dense labyrinth of arched roots that know nothing about calculus, geometry or physics deadening the enormous weight, spreading the charge and making a bigger base. Now take all that draw it on a plane without Autocad or Maya. Don´t get scared, you can´t but Gaudi did. He didn´t invent the buttress and prop systems as they were widely used in cathedrals before but he took it to a mathematical perfection. I already have this image published at Flickr but I wanted to share it with you that appreciate art and are eager to know more about each other's cities.

Casa Bruno Quadros: Modernism or Eclectic Whim

At number 82 of Las Ramblas (remember the place I mentioned in the Dragon and Umbrella post) Josep Vilaseca i Casanovas the same artist that designed L'Arc del Trionf located east of barri gótic, built this house from 1891 to 1896, meant to be an umbrella shop. The building is often disregarded as part of Catalan Modernisme because of its eclectic style splashed as it is with so many elements of Far East inspiration in vogue during the Universal Exposition of 1888. Though I had shown the other side I believe its beauty well deserves a second glance.

The Olympic Barcelona Shuttle

Designed by Santiago Calatrava, the famous architect, this antenna was conceived for the Spanish Telecom but it never worked as it was useless for radio telecommunications. Built for the Olympic Games of Barcelona 1992 it stands near Palau Sant Jordi, a covered stadium where main sports events are held as well as big concerts. The picture was slightly blurred so I decided to accentuate the silhouette against the sky as it is the shape what gives the place the charming futuristic touch.

Barcelona Artists: Drawings or Photos?

How many times have you seen these anonymous artists while going for a stroll in big cities like London, Paris, Rome or maybe your own? In Barcelona you may have the chance to have your small photo drawn freehand if you don´t have patience enough to sit and pose while being the center of attention of onlookers. Maybe you are later exhibited in this gallery of famous hollywood actors. Conclusion: Yet another expression of art to enjoy in Las Ramblas.

Street Artist Photo VII: The Saga

It is spring, and the sun comes out in all its splendor over Barcelona. Birds go into business and flowers in the stalls along La Rambla de las Flors indulge in their particular beauty contest. Lucky tourists who managed to win the weather lotto go like crazy up and down the promenade. Time for Barcelona street artists to work extra hours. After assuming I had seen them all, I have to accept the inevitable truth, they clone like Molly. See this elegant gentleman spreading his wings while holding tight his records of financial transactions.

Vertigo at the Edge of the Vortex

Alfred Hitchcock might as well have used Sagrada Familia for his Vertigo movie. This is the core of the spire as seen from the shaft of the lift that saves you the painstaking effort of climbing the extremely narrow spiral staircase which you can see at the far end. At the moment the price for this compensation is to stand in line for a while and pay 2 euros for the elevator.