AROUND TOWN - Top 10 Barcelona - page 67

! Barcelona Cathedral

the Council of One Hun-
dred ruled the city from
1372 to 1714. Also of note
is the Pati dels Tarongers,
a graceful patio with
orange trees. d Palau de la
Generalitat • Pl de Sant Jaume
• Map M4 • Open 10:30am-
1:30pm 2nd & 4th Sun of month
for guided tours (ID/passport
required) • Free d Ajuntament
• Pl de Sant Jaume • Map M4
• Open 10am-1:30pm Sun for
guided tours • Free

Soaring over the Barri
Gòtic is Barcelona's
mighty Cathedral dating
from 1298. See pp14-15.

@ Museu Picasso Discover the youthful

repertoire of one of the
20th-century's most re-
vered artists. See pp24-5.
£ Palau de la Música

Cathedral spire

Catalana
The city's most prestigious
concert hall is a monument to
both la musica Catalana and to
Modernisme . See pp26-7 .
$ Plaça de Sant Jaume

% Conjunt Monumental

de la Plaça del Rei
In the heart of the Barri Gòtic
is the beautifully preserved,
medieval Plaça del Rei (see p36) ,
presided over by the 13th- to 14th-
century Palau Reial (royal palace).
The impressive palace complex
includes the Saló del Tinell, a
massive hall crowned by Gothic
arches, where Ferdinand and
Isabel welcomed Columbus after
his 1492 voyage to the Americas.
The medieval Capella de Santa
Àgata has a beautiful 15th-century
altarpiece by Jaume Huguet.
A visit to the Museu d`Història
de la Ciutat gives access to the
Palau Reial and to one of the
largest underground excavations
of Roman ruins on display in
Europe. d Pl del Rei • Map M4 • Open
10am-8pm Tue-Sat, 10am-3pm Sun (Oct-
May: closes 2-4pm, 7pm) • Adm • DA

The site of the Plaça de Sant
Jaume (see p36) was once the
nucleus of Roman Barcino. With
these roots, it seems fitting that
the square has become home to
Barcelona's two most important
government buildings: the Palau
de la Generalitat (seat of the
Catalan government) and the
Ajuntament (city hall). Look for
the detailed carved relief of Sant
Jordi, Catalonia's patron saint,
on the 15th-century Generalitat
façade. Within is the lovely 15th-
century Capella de Sant Jordi
(see p39) , designed by architect
Marc Safont. A highlight of the
Gothic Ajuntament is the lavish
red-and-gold Saló de Cent, where

Left Italianate façade, Palau de la Generalitat Right Mosaic pillar, Palau de la Música Catalana

71

For more on Barri Gòtic squares See pp36-7