El Born

The guilds of Barcelona were very similar to modern day unions; they were organized societies dedicated to particular trade where they controlled production, prices, working hours, and other aspects of the craft. The El Born neighborhood still shows remnants of this old system. The streets are still named after the particular guild or craft that was produced on that street in middle-age Barcelona. Some examples of these streets are the Carrer dels Mirallers where they made mirrors, the Carrer dels Sombrerers where they made hats, Carrer dels Semolerers where the wheat guild was housed, and the Carrer dels Carders where rope was crafted. The Carrer de Argenteres was where the silver guild was. All the buildings in the El Born take after the style of "casa-taller," or workshop-house.




The bottom floor of the workshop-house was used for production and sale of the guild's craft. In the picture on the right, the metal door on the bottom left of the building is where this work and sale area would have been. The owner or leader of the workshop-house would live in the floor directly above the workshop/store. This floor where the owner lived is called principal. If you take a look at the windows, you'll notice that they get smaller as the building ascends. This is because those with more money lived on the lower floors and the poorer tenants lived in the upper floors.

Even though wealth determined which floor members of the workshop-house would live on, they all lived in the same building. Each building is originally made of stone and wood but now they have been covered with stucco and paint. Many of the windows have balconies with iron railings added to the facade. The buildings are all extremely narrow and have a narrow staircase, which can be seen to the right of the workshop store in the picture above. This narrow feature of the buildings is a stark contrast to the modern buildings in the area, which are made of metal and glass. This modern look imposes on the aesthetic of El Born and many other parts of Barcelona and as our teacher has said, "I don't agree with the death penalty but the people who designed these hideous modern buildings next to the beautiful buildings from the Middle Ages should be hanged."



One of the best examples of the guilds' and Catalonian Gothic architectural styles is the church of Santa Maria del Mar. The church was made over a period of almost 50 years and began construction after the first wave of the bubonic plague. The church is special because it was made by the craftsmen and artisans of El Born. In some ways, it was their way of showing the Castilian people in Madrid that they too could make a beautiful church. It stands as a testament to the people of Barcelona and Catalonians as it was built and paid for completely by members of the guilds.




The church is extremely aesthetic and those who live near it still have a great affinity for it. People sign up years in advance to get married there and many people pay to adopt one of the stain glass windows, which helps in maintaining the building. For centuries Catalonians have been buried in the church, the picture on the left is an example of one of the tombstones from 1679! El Mercat del Born is an important landmark in this neighborhood as well. This building sticks out compared to other older buildings because it was built in the 19th century using iron and glass. Iron was a popular resource used for construction during this period because it was sturdy and people enjoyed the aesthetic. Another landmark in El Born is La Ciutadella park. The park is the former site of the Ciutadella, implemented by Phillip V and designed by Prosper Verboom during the reign of the Bourbons after the War of Succession. The Ciutadella was a reminder of the power of the Bourbons and Spanish crown over the Catalonians and Barcelona until it was taken down in 1888 as the area was used for the Universal Exhibit. This World Fair was made to celebrate Catalan culture and emphasize the rebirth of Barcelona, it remains one of the only green areas in Barcelona.

El Fossá de les Moreres is the memorial dedicated to the Catalonian people who died during the war of Spanish Succession. The plaza is located beside the church of Santa Maria del Mar and contains a large red half-arch topped with an eternal flame meant to memorialize the people of El Born who were killed defending Barcelona. On September 11th, 1714 the war ended and the reign of the Bourbons and Phillis V began. The decrees of Nova Planta were passed by the Phillip V and this removed almost all autonomy and historical Catalonian political institutions. The Catalonian people were forced to submit to their new authority, endure oppression, and forfeit their rich history. This day is still seen by many Catalonians as the day they lost their freedom. 

The Consolat Del Mar was our last stop on our field trip to El Born. This medieval institution served as a quasi-judicial body used to settle maritime and commercial disputes. At this location judges would settle disputes between traders, commercial workers, and mariners in the city of Barcelona in order to avoid the involvement of the Spanish crown. Today, this building serves as the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce's operating center.