Mordu and Rachel in Providence: Gothic Quarter of Barcelona

The Gothic Quarter is one of the older parts of the city with ancient, medieval, and modern construction. The Quarter is full of winding, twisting alleys that are too narrow for vehicular traffic and always dim because the buildings are very tall. It's easy to get lost, but Mordu actually had the whole maze figured out pretty quickly. Which was a good thing because, as many readers know, I have NO sense of direction. We enjoyed lots of artsy shops and little food and drink places, and we also took a tour to be sure we saw some of the more historic parts. Pictures below.

Typical windy street in the Gothic Quarter.

Street performer on La Rambla. The main commercial/tourist drag of the Gothic Quarter, La Rambla, is the exception to the narrow, windy rule. It is straight as a ruler and has a very wide boulevard full of peddlers, street performers, and outdoor dining space for the surrounding restaurants.

Another street performer on La Rambla.

In one of the many alleys, a shrine to Eulalia, the patron saints of Barcelona. Since nothing about her life or death is G-rated, I leave it to folks with strong stomachs to Google it.

Restored medieval (pre-Inquisition) synagogue. It's so old that the doorway is at this point quite short. This may be because street level has risen, or because the building has sunk, or because Jews are short. Feel free to comment with your best theory.

What knockers!

Roman aqueduct hanging out (literally) in one of the main squares.

After the Jews were expelled from Spain, the Jewish graveyard was pilfered and the stones used to construct buildings. This stone, clearly once a Jewish headstone, is part of the palace of Barcelona - home to the monarchs of Catalonia for centuries.

Courtyard outside the palace of Barcelona where, apparently, Christopher Columbus met with Ferdinand and Isabella on his triumphant return from ~~India~~ the New World.