Blog Post 2: Medieval Catalonia - Let’s go to The Born



Austin Leibowitz

IES Barcelona - Catalan Cultural Studies

Prof: Xavier Alcón Riera 

Blog Post 2



1. Make a list of five streets dedicated to craftsmanship or trades and describe them. What are the “Els Gremis” (guilds)?

1. Placa de Santa Caterina
2. Carrer de La Princesa
3. Carrer de Sombrerers
4. Carrer de General Alvarez De Castro
5. Carrer de Llibreteria

These streets are all significant in terms of their devotion to craftsmanship. They are small streets, with the workshop being on the ground floor, with the residencies on the floors above. 

"Els Gremis" were guilds of craftsmen and tradespeople that were common in medieval Europe. The guilds were powerful and played an important role in the economic and social development of the region. They each had their own set of rules and the most important guilds in Catalonia were carpenters, shoemakers, and silversmiths.



2. “La casa-taller” (The house-workshop) was the typical craftsmanship family house in medieval Catalonia. The same place to live and work. Describe how spaces were organized in a “Casa-taller”.


The Casa-taller in medieval Catalonia was organized into two areas, with the ground floor serving as the workshop, and the upper floors dedicated to where they lived. The layout was designed to separate the loud and dirty workshop from the family's living space.

3. Observing the buildings of this area of Barcelona, mention some of the main architectural aspects that distinguish the craftsman work buildings to the industrial production ones. For example, materials, spaces, or structures of the buildings and streets.

The buildings of the El Born area in Barcelona show the transition from traditional craftsmanship buildings to modern industrial production ones. Originally characterized by the use of stone and brick, visible structural elements, and narrow, irregular streets that follow the medieval urban grid. Now, on the other hand, the buildings exhibit more modern materials like glass and are designed with larger, open spaces, on wider, regular streets.

4. Find the cultural relation and symbolism of these five places cited below to catalan culture. Take on account the different historical periods in each case.

a) Santa María del Mar: a Gothic-style church located in the Ribera district of Barcelona. It is considered one of the best examples of Catalan Gothic architecture and is a symbol of Catalan culture and identity. It was constructed in the 14th century by the guilds of Barcelona reflecting the power and influence of the city's merchant class.

b) El Mercat del Born: Built in the 19th century.  Its construction represented the modernization of the city and the growth of the bourgeoisie. After being partially destroyed during the Siege of Barcelona in 1714, the site was used to build the Citadel, a symbol of Bourbon repression, until it was demolished in the 19th century to make way for the market.




c) El Fossà de les Moreres: a small square located in the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona. It is named after a moat that surrounded the city walls during the Middle Ages and was a place where felons sentenced to death were executed. Today, it symbolizes Catalan resistance and national identity.

d) La Ciutadella Park (The Fortress of Philip V by 1714): built in the mid-19th century on the site of a former military citadel built by Philip V after the Siege of Barcelona. It was designed as a public park and a symbol of modernity, but it also carries the historical legacy of repression. In the 20th century, it became a site of political activism and protest. 

5. After September 11th, 1714 the decrees of Nova Planta were proclaimed in Catalonia by Philip V. Mention the main changes in Catalan society by doing a little research after the Field study.

After the implementation of the decrees of Nova Planta in 1716, Catalonia lost its freedom, and the Catalan institutions were abolished. The use of the Catalan language was restricted, and Spanish was made the official language, leading to a decline in Catalan culture and identity.

6. What is el Consolat de Mar?


El Consolat de Mar is located in the Ciutat Vella district. It was originally built in the 14th century as a maritime court and is now used as the headquarters of the Presidency of the Generalitat de Catalunya.

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