My Top 5 Fake Barcelona

The saying goes "no es oro todo lo que reluce" and in Barcelona, as in any other town, there are monuments that visitors (and locals) considered to be "authentic" when they are just fakes. You are bound to see and take a picture of them as you stroll down the old town, so be aware!

Fake aqueduct remains

Real aqueduct remains

• ROMAN AQUEDUCT: The remains of an aqueduct you can see next to Casa de l'Ardiaca in Plaça
  Nova were built during Franco's dictatorship (I have been said it was meant to be a compensation for the pains the city had endured during the war!). But don't be sad, if you want to see the real remains of the Roman aqueduct that brought water to Barcelona, you may see the remains of the original archs just a few meters ago from the fake ones. 
• CATHEDRAL GOTHIC FAÇADE: The building of the Cathedral took many years, and it was not until the 20th century that funds were collected to built the façade. Manel Girona, a local banker, provided the funds and the façade was built following 19th century plans in neogothic style. But don't be disappointed, there are older parts in the Cathedral, check for instance Santa Llúcia's chapel. 
• GENERALITAT GOTHIC BRIDGE crossing to Casa dels Canonges. Thousands of pictures are taken of this bridge, but it is not Gothic but Neogothic. The bridge was built in 1928 and it was strongly  criticised by Barcelonians of its time. Here is a very interesting article explaining the possible meaning of the skull in the bridge. Unfortunately, there is no English translation.

  

  Fake Gothic Bridge

• ROSE WINDOW IN SANTA MARIA DEL MAR: in this case maybe it is too hard to consider it fake. The original rose window suffered serious damages in the earthquake of 1428 and, some years later, the new rose window was built. 
• DISPLACED BUILDINGS: This is also a special case. The buildings are not fake, but they are not located where they originally were. In Plaça del Rei, for instance, is Casa Padellàs. It fits perfectly the surrounding buildings but, originally, it was were now is Via Laietana. When the avenue was built (in the 1930s), it was moved to its present location. Another building moved to a different location is Església de la Concepció, a worthwhile visit in the corner of Carrer Aragó with Carrer Roger de Llúria.

My TOP 5 FOUNTAINS in Barcelona

Maybe the most widely known fountain in Barcelona is Font de Canaletes, in Rambles, very near Plaça Catalunya. The legend says that you will never leave Barcelona, if you drink from that fountain. Well, you may try and see if it works.

Nevertheless, there are many other fountains in the city. Here is my TOP-5 list.


FONT IN PLAÇA SANT JUST

 

In Plaça Sant Just, five minutes away from Plaça Sant Jaume, is considered by some people as the oldest fountain in town (in direct competition with Font de Santa Anna). It dates from the 14th century but some works were done in 1831. It stood in the parish burial ground (now charming Plaça Sant Just) and, as you can see, it still works pretty well. 


FONT DELS SENYORS

You may skip the fountain in front of Basilica de Santa Maria del Mar. It is just in front but it is so simple, that you probably will not look at it twice. But you should know that the fountain of Santa Maria (1403) was once known as “font dels senyors” (or fountain of the gentlemen) because it was near Carrer de Montcada, where the nobility members lived. It is one of the oldest fountains in the city and has suffered only little modifications since it was built.

FONT DE SANTA ANNA

Font de Santa Anna with the emergency staircase Alejandro mentioned in his comment

This fountain is at the crossing between Portal de l’Àngel and Carrer Cucurulla. It dates back from 1356 and it is said to be the oldest fountain in town. It has ceramics works in Noucentisme style which date from 1918. Next to the fountain, there was a watering place were passing-by livestock could drink (part of the place can still be seen). It is a remainder of the times when there was a cross-road here for travellers coming in and out of the town. Now it is a good meeting point for people shopping in the area. 

A city council information on Gothic style fountains


FONT MÀGICA

This huge ornamental fountain was built in 1929 for the International Exhibition, and still offers a spectacular display of music, water acrobatics and lights which generate over 50 kinds of shades and hues. It was designed by engineer Carles Buigas, and was one of the great successes of the 1929 International Exhibition. The fountain was thoroughly restored for the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games so that it could continue to offer a unique display to delight all age groups. Every year, Montjuïc’s Magic Fountain is the site for the "Piromusical", a huge firework display with a music and laser show, which is the closing event for Barcelona’s main festival, La Mercè (September 24). The Magic Fountain is located at the end of the Avinguda Reina Maria Cristina just below the Palau Nacional.

Check the Web site to see operating times and dates: Ajuntament de Barcelona - Font Màgica


FONT BARCELONA

Barcelona is said to be one of the cities with more drinking water fountains. There are about 1,600 fountains and 825 of them belong to one single model, known as FONT BARCELONA. You will see this humble fountain in almost every street. That is why it is my 5th top fountain.



If you want to have more information on any of the fountains or even have a map with the location of each of them, there is an APP called Fonts BCN. All the fountains are here, and each fountain with an artistic or historical value is explained in detail. 

ESGLÉSIA DE LA CONCEPCIÓ

ESGLÉSIA DE LA CONCEPCIÓ

A place to relax

Carrer Aragó 299 (in the corner with Roger de Llúria, barely 10 minutes away from Passeig de Gràcia)

It is hard to believe that a real Gothic Church exists so near of the modernist cornerstones in Passeig de Gràcia. Originally, it stood as the Convent de Santa Maria de Jonqueres, very near of Plaça Urquinaona, close to the Roman Walls. When Barcelona started growing, the council thought it was needed to open a new road (Via Laietana) – luckily the Convent was not destroyed but moved stone by stone to the Eixample. The church tower also belonged to a Gothic church in the city center. In this case, it belonged to the Església de Sant Miquel which was placed behind the City Council. Both elements, put together with some small adaptations form the present Església de la Concepció.