Eixample, Barcelona Photos

While the Gothic Quarter where Barcelona started in Roman times hugs the port, its narrow, twisting streets and city walls became an obstacle for urban advancement. In the mid 19th century, city fathers decided to tear down the ancient walls to allow expansion. In 1859, Civil Engineer Ildefons Cerdà i Sunyer devised a plan for a street grid to surround the old town and to control development. This street grid and district was named the Eixample. One notable feature is that the streets intersections don't form square crosses. Rather each corner is octagon shaped and corner buildings chamfered, opening up intersections to light and adding visual interest. By 1900, the building boom in the Eixample was employing innovative Modernista architecture, which is the Catalan version of Art Nouveau, making this district an interesting place to walk. Prominent streets in the Eixample include the Paseig de Gracias and the Gran Via.

Click thumbnail to enlarge. F11 to view website full screen.


Casa Serra (1903-8) (Rambla de Catalunya 126). Barcelona, Spain.	Casa Serra & Diputació de Barcelona addition (1988). Barcelona, Spain.	Diputació de Barcelona addition (1988) to Casa Serra. Barcelona, Spain. Architect: Federico Correa & Alfons Milà i Sagnier.	Casa Serra (1903-8) (Rambla de Catalunya 126). Barcelona, Spain. Architect: Josep Puig i Cadafalch.

Tower of Casa Serra. Barcelona, Spain.	Casa Serra facade. Barcelona, Spain.	Casa Serra facade. Barcelona, Spain.	Casa Serra facade. Barcelona, Spain.

Coquette Giraffe statue (1972) by Josep Granyer outside Casa Serra. Barcelona, Spain.	Coquette Giraffe statue (1972) by Josep Granyer. Barcelona, Spain.	Statue (1912) of boy holding frog by Josep Campeny i Santamaria (Diagonal at Carrer Còrsega). Barcelona, Spain.	Casa Llorenç Armengol (1900) (Rambla de Catalunya 125) beside modern building. Barcelona, Spain. Architect: Adolf Ruiz i Casamitjana.

Typical corner building in Eixample district at Rambla de Catalunya & Carrer del Rosselló. Barcelona, Spain.	Rambla de Catalunya 119 & 121 balconies. Barcelona, Spain.	Decorated facade of Rambla de Catalunya 121. Barcelona, Spain.	Bays & balconies on Eixample building on Rambla de Catalunya 105. Barcelona, Spain.

Typical corner building in Eixample district at Rambla de Catalunya 105 at Carrer de Provença. Barcelona, Spain.	Corner building at Rambla de Catalunya 89. Barcelona, Spain.	Corner building (1904-1910) (Rambla de Catalunya 77). Barcelona, Spain. Architect: Josep Domènech i Estapà.	Corner building (1888) (Rambla de Catalunya 63). Barcelona, Spain.

Casa Asunción Belloso facade (Rambla de Catalunya 74 & Valencia 239). Barcelona, Spain.	Casa Asunción Belloso (1909) (Rambla de Catalunya 74 & Valencia 239). Barcelona, Spain. Architect: Josep Domenech i Estapà.	Casa Juncosa (1907-9) (Rambla de Catalunya 78). Barcelona, Spain. Architect: Salvador Viñals i Sabaté.	Casa Queraltó (1907) (Rambla de Catalunya 88). Barcelona, Spain. Architect: Josep Plantada i Artigas.

Casa Francesc Farreras (1899) (Rambla de Catalunya 86). Barcelona, Spain. Architect: Josep Pérez i Terraza.	Facade details of corner building at Rambla de Catalunya 86. Barcelona, Spain.	Modern infill building at Rambla de Catalunya 91-93. Barcelona, Spain.	Companyia de Gas Lebon (1896) (Balmes 17-19). Barcelona, Spain. Architect: Francesc de Paula del Villar Carmona.

Corner building with Griffon statue (Gran Vía Corts Catalanes 604 or Balmes 15). Barcelona, Spain.	University of Barcelona (1863-87) (Plaça de la Univeristat). Barcelona, Spain. Architect: Elies Rogent i Amat.	Clock & bell tower of University of Barcelona (1863-87). Barcelona, Spain.	Seminari Concilar de Barcelona (c1882) at Balmes & Diputació. Barcelona, Spain.

Mix of Eixample buildings at Balmes & Consell de Cent. Barcelona, Spain.	Museu del Modernisme Català (Balmes 44-48). Barcelona, Spain. Architect: Enric Sagnier i Villavecchia.	Facade detail of Museu del Modernisme Català (Balmes 48). Barcelona, Spain.	Beaux Arts facade (Balmes 47). Barcelona, Spain.

Eixample corner building (Balmes 59 at Aragon). Barcelona, Spain.	Eixample corner building (Balmes 61). Barcelona, Spain.	Casa Jeroni F. Granell II (c1900) (Balmes 65). Barcelona, Spain. Architect: Jeroni F. Granell i Manresa.	Nuestra Señora de Los Angeles church brick facade (Balmes 78). Barcelona, Spain.

Casa Joan Baptista Pons (1909) (Carrer de Balmes 81). Barcelona, Spain. Architect: Joan Baptista Pons Trabal.	Casa Jaume Larceguí (1907) (Balmes 83). Barcelona, Spain. Architect: Eduard Mercader i Sacanella.	Casa Jaume Larceguí (1907) (Balmes 83) & Casa Frederic Vallet Xiró (1900) (Balmes 85). Barcelona, Spain.	Balmes 81 & Casa Jaume Larceguí (1907) (Balmes 83). Barcelona, Spain.

Casa Pons (1911) (Balmes 87). Barcelona, Spain. Architect: Josep Maria Barenys i Gambús.	Architectural variety streetscape (Calle de Maillorca 218-214). Barcelona, Spain.	Matched pair of Modernista row houses (Balmes 107-109). Barcelona, Spain.	Casa Manuel Verdú (1905) (Rambla de Catalunya 101). Barcelona, Spain. Architect: Maurice Augé.

Alting Grupo Inmobil (aka Banc Sabadell) (1992) (8 floors) (Avinguda Diagonal, 371). Barcelona, Spain.	Alting Grupo Inmobil (1992) (on Avinguda Diagonal). Barcelona, Spain.	Heritage building with towers (Avinguda Diagonal 438). Barcelona, Spain.	Roofline details of Avinguda Diagonal 438. Barcelona, Spain.

Colegio Virgen del Carmen (1910-1921) (Avinguda Diagonal 424). Barcelona, Spain. Architect: Josep Domènech i Estapà.	Details of Colegio Virgen del Carmen (Avinguda Diagonal 424). Barcelona, Spain.	Casa Asia (aka Palacio Baró de Quadras) (1904-6) (Avinguda Diagonal 373). Barcelona, Spain. Style: Modernista. Architect: Josep Puig i Cadafalch.	Carving detail of Casa Asia (aka Palacio Baró de Quadras). Barcelona, Spain.

Casa Comalat (Avinguda Diagonal, 442 / Còrsega, 316). Barcelona, Spain. Style: Modernista. Architect: Salvador Valeri Pupurull.	Deutsche Bank (1993) (19 floors) (Avinguda Diagonal 446) over odalisque on Plaça de Joan Carles I. Barcelona, Spain.	Casa Pericas (1919) (Avinguda Diagonal 389). Barcelona, Spain. Architect: Josep Maria Pericas i Morros.	Obelisk Victory monument (Plaça de Joan Carles I). Barcelona, Spain. Architect: Adolf Florensa i Ferrer & Josep Vilaseca i Casanovas.

Obelisk Victory monument (Plaça de Joan Carles I). Barcelona, Spain.	Passeig de Gràcia 110 apartment building on Plaça de Joan Carles I. Barcelona, Spain.	Finial atop Carrer de Pau Claris 183 at Diagonal. Barcelona, Spain.	Relief figure on facade of Barcelonian architecture. Barcelona, Spain.

Modern building with projecting windows (Carrer del Rosselló just east of Passeig de Gràcia). Barcelona, Spain.	Modern peeled-back windows detail (Carrer del Rosselló at Gràcia). Barcelona, Spain.	Eixample decorated structure (Carrer del Rosselló 248). Barcelona, Spain.	Rear facade of Palacio Baró de Quadras (aka Casa Asia) (1904-6) (Carrer del Rosselló 279). Barcelona, Spain. Style: Modernista. Architect: Josep Puig i Cadafalch.

Rear facade of Palacio Baró de Quadras (aka Casa Asia). Barcelona, Spain.	Rear facade details of Palacio Baró de Quadras (aka Casa Asia). Barcelona, Spain.	Rear facade overhang of Palacio Baró de Quadras (aka Casa Asia). Barcelona, Spain.	Casa Alexandre Girona (1903) with glass-enclosed balconies (Carrer del Rosselló 301). Barcelona, Spain. Architect: Ramon Ribera.

Modernista Gothic crown of Casa Alexandre Girona (Carrer del Rosselló 301). Barcelona, Spain.	Casa Terrades (aka Casa de les Punxes) (1904-5) (on triangular block between Diagonal & Carrer Rosselló). Barcelona, Spain. Style: Modernista. Architect: Josep Puig i Cadafalch.	Avinguda Diagonal 490-500 (1955). Barcelona, Spain.	Heritage building with red dome on Avinguda Diagonal. Barcelona, Spain.

Dome of heritage building on Avinguda Diagonal with oval windows. Barcelona, Spain.	Casa Miguel Sayrach (1918) (Av. Diagonal 423-425). Barcelona, Spain. Style: Modernista. Architect: Manuel Sayrach i Carreras.	Corner tower of Casa Miguel Sayrach. Barcelona, Spain.	Balconies of Casa Miguel Sayrach. Barcelona, Spain.

Balcony & pillars of Casa Miguel Sayrach. Barcelona, Spain.	Casa Miguel Sayrach & adjacent apartments. Barcelona, Spain.	Red & reflective facade (Av. Diagonal 427-9). Barcelona, Spain.	Red & reflective facade (Av. Diagonal 427-9). Barcelona, Spain.

Crown of heritage building (1929) (Av. Diagonal 564). Barcelona, Spain.	Elaborate building on Av. Diagonal. Barcelona, Spain.	Eixample corner building (Gran Via 603 at Rambla de Catalunya). Barcelona, Spain.	Cinema Coliseum (1923) (Gran Via 595-599). Barcelona, Spain. Style: Beaux Arts. Architect: Francesc de Paula Nebot.

Towers of Cinema Coliseum on Gran Via. Barcelona, Spain.	Borsa de Barcelona (1958) (10 floors) (Passeig de Gràcia 19) & Edificio Unión y el Fénix. Barcelona, Spain.	Edificio Unión y el Fénix (1931) (10 floors) (Passeig de Gràcia 21). Barcelona, Spain. Architect: Eusebi Bona Puig.	Comedia Cines (converted 1941 from 1887 mansion) (Passeig de Gràcia 13). Barcelona, Spain. Architect: Rodriguez Lloveras.

Comedia Cines & streetscape of Passeig de Gràcia to Edificio Unión y el Fénix. Barcelona, Spain.	Generali building (1921) (17 floors) (Passeig de Gràcia 11). Barcelona, Spain. Architect: Lluis Bonet i Garí.	Crown of Generali building (1921). Barcelona, Spain.	Portico of Generali building (1921). Barcelona, Spain.

Facade carvings of Generali building (1921). Barcelona, Spain.	Casa Mulleras (1903-5) (Gran Via 654). Barcelona, Spain. Architect: Enric Sagnier i Villavecchia.	El Palace Hotel (1919) (Gran Via 668). Barcelona, Spain.	Casa Josep Planàs (1907) (Gran Via 633). Barcelona, Spain. Architect: Enric Sagnier i Villavecchia.

Gran Havana Hotel in Casa L. Fradera (1872) (Gran Via 647). Barcelona, Spain.	Casa Bures (Gran Via 655). Barcelona, Spain. Style: Modernista. Architect: Miguel Pascual i Tintorer.	Modernista monument (1910) to Doctor Bartomeu Robert y Yarzábal (1842-1902) mayor of Barcelona (1899-1901) by Josep Llimona on Gran Via. Barcelona, Spain.	Nationalist grouping atop monument to Doctor Bartomeu Robert by Josep Llimona on Gran Via. Barcelona, Spain.

Rear of monument to Doctor Bartomeu Robert depicting his medical life by Josep Llimona on Gran Via. Barcelona, Spain.	View from monument to Doctor Bartomeu Robert toward Barcelona Triumphal Arch. Barcelona, Spain.	Heritage building near Barcelona's Arc de Triomphe. Barcelona, Spain.	Catalan Electricity Building (1897-9) (near Barcelona's Arc de Triomphe on 42 Roger de Flor). Barcelona, Spain. Architect: Pere Falqués i Urpí.

Crown detail of General Catalana de Electricidad building. Barcelona, Spain.	General Catalana de Electricidad building portal detail. Barcelona, Spain.	Cast iron facade of Barcelona Estació del Nord, (1910-5) former rail & now bus station & sports facility. Barcelona, Spain. Architect: Demeterio Ribes.	Detail atop Barcelona North Station near Arc de Triomphe of 1888 Universal Exhibition. Barcelona, Spain.

Clock & facade details of Barcelona North Station. Barcelona, Spain.	Buildings on square facing Barcelona's Arc de Triomphe. Barcelona, Spain.	Buildings on square facing Barcelona's Arc de Triomphe. Barcelona, Spain.	Modern building on square facing Barcelona's Arc de Triomphe. Barcelona, Spain.

Curved neoclassical building (Plaça de Calvo Sotelo 3-5). Barcelona, Spain.	Passeig de Gràcia streetscape from roof of Casa Mila. Barcelona, Spain.


See Also:	Barcelona, Spain Paseig de Gracias, Barcelona