District of Eixample in Barcelona: What places to visit

In the middle of the 19th century Barcelona went through a huge increase in its population, thanks in part to the significant improvement in living conditions for the majority of the city’s citizens.

This was caused by an increase in employment opportunities offered by the new factories built during the industrial revolution, which had just begun. Because of the lack of space within Barcelona’s former city walls, many of these factories had to be constructed in nearby towns and villages, and in most cases they couldn’t be built near to the walls because these areas were strictly reserved for agricultural use.

The need to improve communication links between Barcelona and these areas led to the construction of new roads, of which the Passeig de Gràcia (which links the Vila de Gràcia with Barcelona) is one. Over time, and especially thanks to the Pla Cerdà, the outskirts of the city started to develop.

One of the most fashionable and well-known areas of l’Eixample is what’s known as Gayxample (also written as Gaixample in Catalan), which of course is a play on the words ‘Gay’ and ‘Eixample’.

Situated in an area of the Antiga Esquerra de l’Eixample (the former left side of the Eixample), it started to receive its name at the end of the 20th century, a time at which a large amount of bars, restaurants, nightclubs, hairdressers, clothes shops and even hotels started to flourish, whose target market was the gay community.

From then on, the amount of these businesses has risen, which has converted it into a 100% gay friendly area, where the heterosexual public are also of course warmly welcomed.

The development of l’Eixample has its own name, Ildefons Cerdà, as it was this Spanish engineer and town planning specialist who was in charge of designing what’s now known as Pla Cerdà in the second half of the 19th century, and who worked out how this new area of Barcelona should look.

In spite of a few changes to the original design and the progressive evolution of the district, the current layout is very true to his original idea and philosophy.

Characteristics of the Pla Cerdà

Structure and geometry: perfect layout and controlled geometry of the blocks within the area, that although might look like perfect grids, are actually octagonal in shape.

Orientation: so that the buildings could benefit from the most sunlight, some roads were built parallel to the sea, and the rest are in a perpendicular direction.

Buildings: limits were set on the height of buildings (a limit that wasn’t always respected), to allow the sun to shine on the streets for as long as possible during the day.

Well-being: to improve the well-being of the families who lived in the interior buildings within each block, a garden area or patio was designed for the residents’ benefit.

Catalan Modernism belongs to a common trend that emerged throughout Europe in the second half of the 19th century, that has a different name depending on the country in which the term is used (Art Nouveau, Modern Style, Jugendstil, Liberty and Floreale are all other examples).

The defining qualities of Catalan Modernism in particular (1885-1920), that in spite of being applied to various art forms is particularly well known for architecture, especially as so many examples by great geniuses such as Antoni Gaudí, Lluís Domènech i Montaner, Josep Puig i Cadafalch, Enric Sangier and many others remain in existence today, have ensured that this art form of our city is still so valued and appreciated throughout the world.

The large amount of modernist buildings in l’Eixample, especially within the ‘Golden Square’ area, is due in part to the fact that the development of this area of Barcelona coincided with the birth and development of the new architectural style.

In addition to this, the new-found wealth of the Catalan bourgeoisie, which was in turn thanks to the economic boom of the industrial revolution, meant that these people would not think twice about paying the best modernist architects of the time to design their homes.

As you can see, l’Eixample is a huge area that, on top of that, is home to a range of interesting architectural and cultural places. That is why the best way to get to truly know the most popular places as well as some hidden gems that few know about, is to go on a personalised guided tour.

At irBarcelona we work with the best official guides in Barcelona and Catalonia, which allows us to manage a personalised tour in English that interests you. Ideal for groups, it allows you to see everything scheduled beforehand as well as do the same with other less-known places that the guides will show you.

If you want more information, please contact us.

For all the art-lovers amongst you, walking through the streets in the Antiga Eixample Esquerra and the Eixample Dreta neighborhoods is a real treat, because there are many art galleries, whose presence serves to augment the already extensive cultural life of the area.

The fairs and markets in L’Eixample, whether the temporary ones or those that are only set up at certain times of the year, are also important additions to the district.

Barcelona Food Market Lunch Tour with Wine Pairing

On the Passeig de Gràcia, very close to the central Plaça Catalunya, you’ll find El Nacional, a building that houses four gastronomic spaces with a common aim of providing local cuisine. Its iconic, modern and attractive décor sets the scene for a quality menu, which makes a visit compulsory if you’re in the area.

Its four gastronomic spaces

La Braseria: specialising in all types of meat.
La Llotja: to enjoy high quality fresh fish and seafood.
La Taperia: where tapas are the true stars of the show.
La Paradeta: delicatessen plates, and sandwiches that are ideal if you’re in a hurry.

Passeig de Gràcia, 24 bis, Barcelona.
Non-stop service between 12:00 and 01:00.
elnacionalbcn.com