Barcelona is located in northeastern Spain and is the capital of the Catalonia autonomous region. Palm trees sway in the sea breeze, and the scent of the ocean fills the air. The seawater is deep blue, and many large black fish follow visitors along the stone piers. The statue of Christopher Columbus stands tall in the harbor square, marking the past dominance and glory of this nation. After immigrating to Spain and living in Barcelona, you will find that this city is just like the buildings designed by Gaudí: colorful, surprising, innovative, and unique.
London buses running through the streets
As everyone knows, the double-decker bus is one of London's most famous icons, but few people know that it was once also a symbol of Barcelona. After World War II, the first modern bus in Barcelona was the famous TILLING STEVENS "White Box" bus—a vehicle with 85 horsepower that once traveled through every street and alley of Barcelona.
The Columbus statue is tilted
When you come to Barcelona, you must visit La Rambla and the Columbus Monument at the end of the street. The statue of Columbus holds a book in one hand and points toward the distance of the sea with the other. Most people think he is pointing toward South America, but that is not the case: he is pointing southeast, while South America is to the southwest. It turns out that if the statue pointed toward the Americas, it would only face an abrupt mountain ridge, failing to reflect the history of Columbus's voyages. The romantic Spaniards felt this was not poetic enough, so they decided to let Columbus "face the sea with spring flowers blossoming"!
Cemeteries attracting tourists
Cemeteries are often considered gloomy and terrifying places, but if you come to Barcelona, you will find a unique interpretation of them here. "Cemetery tourism" in this coastal city is becoming increasingly popular, especially at the famous Montjuïc Cemetery. Furthermore, this cemetery houses one of the world's only "death-themed" libraries, containing over 4,000 precious documents.
Master designers still in debt
Few people probably know that Barcelona's Eixample district is the neighborhood in all of Europe that best embodies the urban planning concepts of the early 20th century. The grid-like layout of the blocks provides a striking visual impact. However, the fate of the district's designer, Ildefons Cerdà, was quite tragic. Initially, his design was not accepted by the middle class of the Catalonia region, and even years after the plan was approved for construction, the Barcelona government still owed him his salary. Like Gaudí, these master designers created brilliance in Barcelona but lived in poverty their entire lives.
The twin sister of the Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty in New York, USA, attracts countless tourists from all over the world every day, but there is more than one Statue of Liberty in the world. In Barcelona, you can also see Spain's own "Statue of Liberty." Compared to the one in New York, this "Barcelona Statue of Liberty" can be called a miniature of the miniature. To catch a glimpse of her beauty, you only need to visit the Arús Library in Barcelona.