BAR'CELO'NA, Sp. pros bit ethit-lo'nn (an ciently, ('olonia Parent ia Julia Augusta Pia Barcino). The capital of Catalonia and of the Province of Barcelona, the largest city of Spain, after Madrid, and the most important maritime, commercial, and industrial centre in the kingdom (Slap: Spain. G 2). It is situated in latitude 41° 21' 44" N., longitude 2° 30' 32" E.. on the :Mediterranean coast, between the mouths of the Llobregat and the Bes6s, in a fertile and well populated valley surrounded by hills. 440 miles northeast of Madrid by rail, 310 miles in a direct line. It has a pleasant and equable climate (mean temperature. 61° F.), and a good municipal water-supply. Barcelona consists of the old city, formerly surrounded by walls, which have been converted into promenades, and numer ous suburbs of modern architecture containing the various manufacturing establishments to which the city owes a great deal of its im portance. The only fortification of Barcelona is the Castillo de Monjuich, situated on an iso lated mountain near the city, and provided- with large magazines and extensive barracks. In the older portion of the city, bounded by the Hondas and the Salons, which mark the site of the old walls, the streets, with the exception of the wide Rambla, the Calle de Fernando VII., and the Cal le de la l'rincesa, are narrow and crooked. They are lined with houses most beautiful in design. although of somewhat gloomy coloring. The Rambla, which begins at the Columbus Monu ment, near the harbor, and ends at the Plaza de Cataluna, is the favorite city promenade, and contains most of the theatres. hotels, and shops. On the northern side of the city is situated the magnificent public park, with its fine avenues. flower-beds, lakes. and several museums, includ ing the :Muse° de Reproducciones. containing a fine collection of plaster casts. The Cathedral of Barcelona occupies the highest point in the centre of the old city, a site formerly occupied by a Roman temple and a Moorish mosque. It is a magnificent building of Spanish Gothic.
founded in the Thirteenth Century. with a spa cious nave, ornamented with fine reliefs. Its 26 chapels date chiefly from the Sixteenth and Seventeenth centuries. The Church of Santa Maria del Mar, in late Gothic, has a fine facade decorated with bronze statues and two towers. Among other churches may be mentioned that of San Pedro he las Paellas, dating from the Tenth Century. and the Gothic Church of Santa Maria del Pine.
The secular buildings of Barcelona include the old palace of the counts of Barcelona, con taining the archives; the Casa de la Diputacion, erected in the Fifteenth Century, and used by the chamber of deputies for the province; and the Casa. Consistorial, containing the municipal archives. Among the more modern buildings are the exchange, the custom-house. and the palace of justice. As the capital of Catalonia, Barcelona is the seat of the Captain-General. a supreme court, and a bishop. It has a large number of nunneries and monasteries, to which are attached numerous educational and benevo lent institutions. The University of Barcelona was founded in 1450, partly removed in 1714 to Cervera, and again established at Barcelona in 1837. It. has faculties of philosophy, law, natural sciences, mathematics, medicine, and pharmacy, with a total attendance of over 3000 students. Other educational institutions of Bar celona include schools of architecture, engineer ing, commerce, agriculture, war, theology, peda gogy, etc. The elementary education is under the control of the municipality, and is compul sory—but only in theory. The Provincial and the University libraries have together over 154.000 volumes. and the general archives of the Kings of Aragon number nearly 4,000,000 documents. The l'alacio de Belles Artes, situated in the park, is used for exhibitions of paintings and sculptures. Barcelona has a considerable num ber of theatres, among which the Gran Teatro de Liceo is the largest, with a seating capacity of 4000. There is also a bull-ring, with a seat ing capacity of 14,500.