The district ‘Eixample’
The Eixample is characterized by long straight streets, a strict grid pattern crossed by wide avenues, and square blocks with chamfered corners (Catalan: illes, Spanish: manzanas) and it is demographicly seen the largest of Barcelona. The district is full of little shops, restaurants, musea and several parks. The idea for this district was a visionary, pioneering desigh by Ildefons Cerdà and it is build at the end of the 19th century. Another thing that Ildefons Cerdà wanted to accomplish with the design was to connect the old city with the surrounding villages. The grid pattern remains as a hallmark of Barcelona, but many of his other provisions were unfortunately ignored. The four sides of the blocks and the inner space were built instead of the planned two or three sides around a garden. The streets were narrower and only one of the two diagonal avenues was carried out. A dream of Cerdà was a mixed composition of inhabitants, but instead of that, the inhabitants were of a higher class.
Some parts of the Eixample were influenced by Modernist architects, chief among whom was Antoni Gaudí. His work in the Eixample includes the Casa Milà and the Casa Batlló, both of which are on the wide Passeig the Gràcia, as well as the Sagrada Familia. Other architects who were important for the looks of several parts of the Eixample including Josep Puid i Cadafalch, Josep Domènech i Estapà, Josep Vilaseca i Casanovas and perhaps above all Enric Sagnier i Villavecchia, responsible for a total of over 500 buildings in the city (not all of them in the Eixample).
The district consists of the neighborhoods ‘Dreta de l’Eixample (Spanish: Eixample Derecho), Esquerra de l’Eixample (Spanish: Eixample Izquierdo), Sant Antoni (Spanish: Sant Antonio), Sagrada Familia and Fort Pienc. There is also a rather small part of the district know as the ‘Gayxample’, and that district is full of shops, nightclubs and hotels for and made by gay people. Besides that, the district has a lot of nightlife, varieting from salsabars to student cafe’s and luxury design nightclubs.
The Eixample is characterized by long straight streets, a strict grid pattern crossed by wide avenues, and square blocks with chamfered corners (Catalan: illes, Spanish: manzanas) and it is demographicly seen the largest of Barcelona. The district is full of little shops, restaurants, musea and several parks. The idea for this district was a visionary, pioneering desigh by Ildefons Cerdà and it is build at the end of the 19th century. Another thing that Ildefons Cerdà wanted to accomplish with the design was to connect the old city with the surrounding villages. The grid pattern remains as a hallmark of Barcelona, but many of his other provisions were unfortunately ignored. The four sides of the blocks and the inner space were built instead of the planned two or three sides around a garden. The streets were narrower and only one of the two diagonal avenues was carried out. A dream of Cerdà was a mixed composition of inhabitants, but instead of that, the inhabitants were of a higher class.
Some parts of the Eixample were influenced by Modernist architects, chief among whom was Antoni Gaudí. His work in the Eixample includes the Casa Milà and the Casa Batlló, both of which are on the wide Passeig the Gràcia, as well as the Sagrada Familia. Other architects who were important for the looks of several parts of the Eixample including Josep Puid i Cadafalch, Josep Domènech i Estapà, Josep Vilaseca i Casanovas and perhaps above all Enric Sagnier i Villavecchia, responsible for a total of over 500 buildings in the city (not all of them in the Eixample).
The district consists of the neighborhoods ‘Dreta de l’Eixample (Spanish: Eixample Derecho), Esquerra de l’Eixample (Spanish: Eixample Izquierdo), Sant Antoni (Spanish: Sant Antonio), Sagrada Familia and Fort Pienc. There is also a rather small part of the district know as the ‘Gayxample’, and that district is full of shops, nightclubs and hotels for and made by gay people. Besides that, the district has a lot of nightlife, varieting from salsabars to student cafe’s and luxury design nightclubs.
definitely some interesting facts! thanks..
Hi, I have lift in the Eixample district when I studied in Spain.. but this blog is telling me things I have never known! great
Hi, I live in Eixample… it is great district!
im living in dreta eixample, the noise is not a problem because the vibe is great, and whats more is that it is simple to find your way around as the main streets seem to cross every smaller street.
great post, i also like the other one on the grand designer Ildefons
http://roombarcelona.com/districts/ildefons-cerda-i-sunyer.html