The history of Barcelona: three thousand years in the struggle for independence and prosperity. Where is Barcelona located on the map of Spain and the world Barcelona name
HISTORY OF FC BARSALONA
1908-1926
In 1908, one of the club's co-founders and former forward Joan (Joan, Hans) Gamper became president of the club for the first time. This happened when the club was on the verge of collapse: after winning the 1905 Catalan championship, the club did not win any trophies for three years, and its financial situation also deteriorated sharply. Gamper was subsequently re-elected president of the club five times. One of Gamper's main achievements was that he helped Barça acquire their own stadium. On March 14, 1909, the team “moved” to the Carrer Indústria stadium, with a capacity of 8,000 spectators.
Gamper also began a campaign to increase the number of club members, and by 1922 their number exceeded 10,000. Also in 1922, the team changed its home ground again, moving to the Camp de Les Corts stadium (or simply Les Corts); The original capacity of this stadium was 22,000 seats, later expanded to an impressive 60,000 seats.
“FC Barcelona cannot die. And he won't die. If no one wants to take care of the club’s affairs now, I will do it myself. I am sure that I will be supported by those who did not doubt me even when football seemed like an abnormal thing. From this day on, I want to forget the injustice and deception that forced me to retire from the affairs of the club, and I want to fight so that one day we will all get back on our feet again...” (From the speech of Hans (Joan) Gamper at a meeting of the Board of Directors FC Barcelona December 2, 1908).
In 1912, Gamper invited the Filipino-Spanish forward Paulino Alcántara to the club, who would give the team a 13-year career (1912-1916, 1918-1927), scoring 357 goals during this time, becoming the top scorer in the history of the club, and opening a long series world-famous football masters who have ever played for Barcelona.
In 1917, at the instigation of Gamper, the former player of the team in 1912-1916, Englishman Jack Greenwell, who coached the team until 1924, became the coach of Barça. These measures helped improve the situation at the club. As a result, during the Gamper presidency, Barcelona won eleven Catalan Championships, six Spanish Cups and four Pyrenees Cups, this was the club's first "golden age". In addition to Alcantara, the then Barça squad, under president Gamper and coach Greenwell, included players such as Emilio Saguy Lignan (aka Saguy-Barba), Josep Samitier, Felix Sezumaga, Franz Platko and the great goalkeeper Ricardo Zamora. However, after several years of playing at Barça, Zamora moved to the camp of its worst enemy, Espanyol.
1923-1939
In the middle of the club's glorious 1920s, Barcelona began to suffer from unsporting political conflicts that would mark decades of the club's history.
On June 14, 1925, the crowd, during a game in honor of the Catalan Orpheus choir, sang the Royal March - the official anthem of the Spanish Kingdom, abolished under the dictatorship of Primo de Rivera. In retaliation, the Barcelona stadium was closed by the authorities for six months (then the period was reduced to three), and Gamper was forced to resign as president of the club. The club's founder committed suicide on July 30, 1930, during a period of depression caused by personal and financial problems.
Although the team still had many good players, such as Josep Escola, the club entered a period of failure, as political conflicts in the country relegated sport to the background in the public eye. Barça faced a crisis on three fronts at once: financial, social (the number of club members was constantly declining) and sports (although the team consistently won the Catalan championship (1930, 1931, 1932, 1934, 1936, 1938), but success at the all-Spanish level from eluded them, with the exception of victory in the Mediterranean League in 1937, but this, however, had already happened war time with all its features).
On August 6, 1936, soldiers of Francisco Franco's army arrested and killed the club's president, Josep Suñol, near Guadarrama. In the summer of 1937, the team, led by head coach Patrick O'Connell, went on a tour of the United States and Mexico, where they were considered envoys of the Second Spanish Republic. At this time, the Civil War was in full swing in Spain. This trip improved the financial position of the club, but after it more than half of the team did not return to Spain engulfed in the fire of war, remaining in search of refuge in Mexico and France.
On March 16, 1938, Franco's aircraft dropped a bomb on the Barça social club, causing great damage. A few months later, the city of Barcelona was occupied by the Francoists and the club, as a symbol of the "undisciplined" Catalan nationalists, faced a number of serious problems. By that time, the number of club members had dropped to 3,486 people.
1939-1974
At the end of the Civil War, under the established Franco dictatorship, the Catalan language and flag were banned (as part of the fight against separatism). Football clubs were also banned from using non-Spanish names. As a result, the team in 1941 was forced to change its name from the old, English-language Football Club Barcelona to the “correct” Spanish Club de Fútbol Barcelona; The club will exist under this name for 33 years. At the same time, the Catalan flag was removed from the coat of arms.
In 1943, at the home stadium of Les Corts, in the first semi-final match of the Generalissimo Cup (Copa del Generalísimo - this is how the Spanish Cup, also known as the King's Cup, was renamed by the new government), the team defeated Real Madrid with a score of 3:0. Madrid won the return match 11:1.
Despite the difficult political situation, Barcelona was able to achieve great success in the 1940s and 1950s. In 1945, the team won the Spanish Championship for the first time since 1929, the coach of the winning team was Josep Samitier, and such masters as Cesar Rodriguez, Anthony Ramallets and Juan Velasco played for the team at that time.
The team won two more championship titles in 1948 and 1949. Also in 1949 the Latin Cup was won.
Under the leadership of coach Ferdinand (Fernando) Daucik and with the presence of Ladislao Kubala, whom some experts consider the best Barça player of all time, in 1952 the team took five trophies: the Spanish Championship, the Spanish Cup (at that time officially called the Copa del Generalísimo , the Generalissimo Cup, that is, Franco), the Latin Cup, the Spanish Super Cup (“Eva Duarte Cup”, as it was called in those years in honor of Eva (Evita) Duarte de Peron) and the Martini and Rossi Cup. In 1953, the team did a double, winning the championship and the Copa del Rey. In the 1957 season, another victory was won in the Spanish Cup. In 1958 the Fairs Cup was won.
In 1957, the newly commissioned Camp Nou became the club's new stadium.
The string of victories continued under the new coach Helenio Herrera.
The squad by that time was strengthened by the young Luis Suarez, who became the European Footballer of the Year in 1960, and two Hungarians from the legendary “golden team”, Sandor Kocsis and Zoltan Czibor, who left their homeland after the suppression of the USSR and the countries of the so-called. “people's democracy” uprising in Hungary (they were taken to the team on the recommendation of Kubala, who knew them closely). With this line-up, Barça achieved a national double in 1959 (Championship and Copa del Rey), and in 1960 they won the second Fairs Cup in their history and again won the national championship. In 1961, they became the first club in history to knock Real Madrid out of the European Cup, breaking Madrid's six-year "monopoly" on the title. In the Champions Cup final in Bern, the Spaniards lost to the Portuguese Benfica with a score of 2:3.
The 1960s were generally not very successful for a club of this level: two Spanish Cups (1963 and 1968) and the 1966 Fairs Cup. In those years, the Spanish Championship became an “internal affair” of the two Madrid giants - Real Madrid and Atlético; Barça was not able to interfere in their rivalry.
In 1974, the team returned to its original name - Futbol Club Barcelona.
1974-1978
In the 1973-1974 season, a man who was destined to become a new Barça legend, the Dutch forward Johan Cruyff (Cruyff), joined the team. Having already established himself as a master of football during his time at Ajax, Cruyff immediately gained a foothold in the base and soon became the team leader. He quickly became a favorite among Barça fans for his performances, but especially rose in their esteem after he told reporters that he had chosen Barça over their arch-enemy Real Madrid (who were also interested in the Dutchman's services). allegedly because, due to his convictions, he could not play for a club associated with the name of Franco. In addition, he later named his son the Catalan name Jordi. Largely thanks to Cruyff, in 1974 Barcelona won the Spanish Primera League for the first time since 1960, and at the same time defeated Real Madrid in El Clasico at the Santiago Bernabeu with a score of 5:0. Also in his first season for Barça, Cruyff was recognized as the best footballer of the year in Europe. In 1978, Cruyff left the club and went to play in the USA.
1978-1988
In 1978, Josep Luis Nunez was elected president of the club. His main goals as head of the club were to transform Barça into a world-class club and ensure financial stability.
During the Nunez era, Barça won two Cup Winners' Cups - in 1978/79 (victory in the final over Fortuna Düsseldorf in extra time) and 1981/82 (in the final at their home Camp Nou they beat Liege 2-1 "Standard") years; the team also won three King's Cups at this time (1980/81, 1982/83, 1987/88).
Before the start of the 1981/1982 season, the German Udo Lattek was appointed coach of the club, who managed to win the Cup Winners' Cup with the team. In June 1982, the team was strengthened by the Argentinean Diego Maradona, who moved from the Argentine team Boca Juniors for a then record transfer sum of £3 million. However, soon, in 1984, the superstar (who managed to have a hand in winning the 1983 Copa del Rey) was bought by the Italian club Napoli, breaking the world transfer record (£ 5 million).
Before the start of the 1984/1985 season, Englishman Terry Venables was appointed coach of the club. German midfielder Bernd Schuster also joined the club. In the 1984/1985 season, the team confidently won the Spanish Championship. And the next season it reached the final of the Champions Cup, where at the Ramon Sánchez Pizjuan stadium in Seville it lost to the Romanian Steaua (0:2 in the penalty shootout).
In the summer of 1986, English goalscorer Gary Lineker, Welsh striker Mark Hughes and promising Basque goalkeeper Andoni Zubizarreta joined the club. At the same time, Bernd Schuster left the team, joining the camp of his worst enemy - Real Madrid. Before the start of the 1987/1988 season, Luis Aragones replaced Venables as the club's coach. That season ended with the club's victory in the Copa del Rey (beating Real Sociedad 1-0 in the final) and the players' uprising against President Nunez, known as the Motin del Esperia, which, however, did not prevent Nunez's continued tenure in office. (he remained the head of the club until 2000), but many players were forced to leave the club after this event.
1988-1996
In 1988, Johan Cruyff returned to the club as head coach. The team that he headed received a little later, in the early 90s, the nickname “Dream Team”, by analogy with the legendary US basketball team of those years, which won the 1992 Olympics, which was held just in Barcelona.
At that time, a galaxy of brilliant players came to Barça: Amor, Guardiola, Jose Maria Bakero, Txiki Begiristain, Nadal, Eusebio, Goicoechea, Gheorghe Hagi (“Carpathian Maradona”), Ronald Koeman, Michael Laudrup, Romario and Hristo Stoichkov.
From 1991 to 1994, Barça won the Spanish Championship four times in a row. On the European stage, the team won the 1988/1989 Cup Winners' Cup (victory in the final over Sampdoria 2:0) and the 1991/92 Champions Cup (the same Sampdoria was beaten in a dramatic match at Wembley, the decisive goal was a free kick Ronald Koeman scored in the 111th minute of the match). In addition, the club's trophy collection included the Spanish Cup (1990), the UEFA Super Cup (1992) and three Spanish Super Cups. In 1992, in Tokyo, the team lost in the final of the Intercontinental Cup to the Brazilian club Sao Paulo (1:2).
However, the winning streak soon came to an end. In the 1993/94 Champions League final in Athens, Barça was defeated by Milan 0:4. This was the first serious, major defeat in several years. In 1996, after two not very successful seasons (1994/1995, 1995/1996), Cruyff left the team's coaching bridge. In this post, the Dutchman set two club coaching records: for length of tenure and for the number of trophies won (11). Cruyff's departure is considered to be the end of the Dream Team era; most of the players from that legendary roster also left the team by the beginning of 1997.
1996-2003
After Cruyff left, his place was taken by the Englishman Bobby Robson, who spent only one season in this post (1996/97), but was very successful: the team achieved a “cup hat-trick” (Copa del Rey, Spanish Super Cup and Cup Winners' Cup). Also, during his stay at Barça, Robson managed to acquire the future superstar Ronaldo from the Dutch PSV and utter the phrase that became a catchphrase: “Catalonia is a country, and FC Barcelona is its army.” However, Ronaldo played only one season for the club, leaving for Inter Milan. Robson was replaced as coach by the Dutchman Louis van Gaal. By this time, the club had been strengthened by Luis Figo, Giovanni de Oliveira, Luis Enrique Martinez, Patrick Kluivert and Rivaldo.
In the 1997/98 season, the team did a “double”, winning the championship and the Spanish Cup. True, the performance in the Champions League was unsuccessful, while Barcelona also suffered a major defeat at their home Camp Nou stadium from Dynamo Kyiv 0:4. In 1999 the club celebrated its centenary. The best gift for the anniversary was another victory in the Spanish Championship.
In the same year, one of the club's leaders, Rivaldo, was recognized as the best football player in Europe, becoming the fourth Barça player to receive this award. However, Barca's loss in the semi-finals of the Champions League to compatriots from Valencia was perceived as a failure, especially against the backdrop of the victory of the Catalans' main rivals, Real Madrid, in that tournament; and in the end, all this led to the fact that, despite the club’s great successes in the domestic arena, both long-time president Josep Nunez and head coach Louis van Gaal had to resign from their posts. In the same unlucky year for the club, one of its key players, fan favorite Luis Figo, left for Real Madrid. Joan Gaspar's short presidency (2000-2003) was not marked by a single trophy won.
2003-2008
In 2003, after Gaspard resigned, the club was headed by a new young president, Joan Laporta, and a young coach, Frank Rijkaard, a former star of Ajax and Milan, took the helm of the team.
Under his leadership, the team began to gradually, step by step, return to its former glory. Players such as world champions Ronaldinho and Edmilson, Olympic champion Samuel Eto'o, French Monaco leaders Rafael Marquez and Ludovic Giuly, Champions League winner Deco, striker Henrik Larsson, defenders Belletti and Van Bronckhorst came to the club, and also fully revealed their At this time, their own students who had previously played for the club had their own talent: goalkeeper Victor Valdez, defender Carles Puyol (who received the captain's armband), midfielders Xavi and Andres Iniesta and striker Lionel Messi.
In Rijkaard's first season (2003/04), the team came second in the championship, and already in the second (2004/05) they confidently won the Primera Division and took the Spanish Super Cup. In the same season, Ronaldinho, the leader of Barça's attacks, became the best football player in the world according to FIFA and received the Golden Ball.
In the 2004/05 Champions League, the team faced failure: already in the first round of the playoffs, after a home victory (2:1) over Chelsea, they were beaten away at Stamford Bridge 4:2.
In the 2005/06 season, the team enjoyed triumph.
In November 2005, Barca beat Real Madrid 3-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu; that match became a benefit performance for Ronaldinho, who was applauded even by the home team's fans. Also, that match was the second victory at the Bernabeu for Rijkaard, he became the first in the history of the blue garnet coach to defeat Real Madrid away from home twice.
That season, Barça easily won the Spanish championship, then took the country's Super Cup, twice beating another bitter rival, Espanyol. But the apogee of success came on May 17, 2006, when Barcelona defeated London's Arsenal 2:1 in the Champions League final in Paris at the Stade de France. That match initially went poorly for the Catalans (gunner Sol Campbell opened the scoring in the 37th minute), but then the removal of London goalkeeper Jens Lehmann in the opening of the match had an impact, Arsenal went on the defensive, and towards the end of the match, Barça -they finally put the pressure on the opponent, Eto'o and Belletti scored, both times they were assisted by substitute Henrik Larsson.
At the 2006 Club World Cup, Barça took second place, losing in the final to the Brazilian Internacional 0-1 (Adriano Gabiru scored a goal in the last minutes for the Brazilians). And in the European Super Cup the team was beaten by Sevilla with a score of 0:3.
The 2006/07 season was not so successful for Barça, even though in the off-season the club strengthened with new players - world champion Gianluca Zambrotta, vice-world champion Lilian Thuram and Icelandic Chelsea striker Eidur Gudjohnsen. During the pre-season tour of the USA, leading forwards Messi and Eto’o were injured and were out for a long time. The club could not find its game for a long time during the season, but in the end it still achieved second place in the championship (scoring the same number of points as the winner, but losing in additional indicators), which, however, against the backdrop of previous victories, was regarded by many as a failure. In the Champions League, Barça was eliminated already at the 1/8 stage, losing on the away goal rule to Liverpool (1:2, 0:1).
Before the 2007/08 season, striker Thierry Henry, defender of French Lyon Eric Abidal, Juvarian midfielder Yaya Toure and central defender of Spanish Zaragoza Gabriel Milito, who were bought from London Arsenal for € 24 million, joined the team, which, coupled with the already existing composed of masters gave great hope for success. But, alas, the season turned out to be a failure. The team turned out to be uncompetitive in the national championship, losing not only to Real Madrid, but also to Villarreal and took only third place in Primera, and even then not without difficulty. In the Champions League, Barça lost to Manchester United in the semi-finals (0:1 on aggregate). At the end of this unsuccessful season, Frank Rijkaard was fired from the club.
2008-2012
In the summer of 2008, the team was led by its legendary player Pep Guardiola, and with his arrival the team began to be updated. Gianluca Zambrotta, Lilian Thuram, Edmilson, Deco, Esquerro, Ronaldinho left the team. To replace those who left, Barça acquired six players, including Daniel Alves, Seydou Keita, Alexander Hleb, and Gerard Pique.
At the end of the season, the team won the title of national champion for the 19th time. In the Copa del Rey final, held on 13 May 2009 at the Mestalla Stadium in Valencia, Barcelona won the title for the 25th time, beating Athletic Bilbao 4–1. To Gaizka Toquero's goal, scored in the 8th minute of the match, the Catalans responded with four - performed by Yaya Toure, Lionel Messi, Bojan Krkic and Xavi. The victory at the Mestalla was Barça's 100th title in the club's more than century-long history.
Among other things, during the national championship the club defeated its eternal rival, Real Madrid, twice: with a score of 2:0 in Barcelona and 2:6 in Madrid. The latest result was a record for the number of goals scored by Barcelona against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu.
May 27, 2009 Barcelona on Olympic Stadium in Rome won the Champions League, defeating Manchester United in the final with a score of 2:0. The goals were scored by Eto'o and Messi.
Thus, the club made a triple, winning the King's Cup, the Spanish Championship and the Champions League in one season, which no Spanish club has ever achieved.
In a two-round clash for the Spanish Super Cup, the team defeated Athletic Bilbao. On August 16, 2009, the blue garnets won 2:1 at San Mames, and a week later at the Camp Nou, Barcelona celebrated their victory with a score of 3:0.
In the match for the UEFA Super Cup, held on August 28, 2009 in Monaco at the Stade Louis II, Barcelona beat Shakhtar Donetsk with a score of 1:0. In the 115th minute, Lionel Messi's pass was used by Pedro, who sent the ball almost from the penalty spot to the left corner of the Shakhtar goalkeeper.
On December 19, 2009, Barcelona in the final of the Club World Cup won a strong-willed victory over the Argentine Estudiantes in extra time with a score of 2:1 (the winning goal was scored in the 110th minute of the meeting by Lionel Messi). Thus, Barcelona won all six tournaments in which they took part, and became the first football club in the world in history to achieve such a result.
Before the 2009/10 season, Barcelona strengthened with left-back Maxwell from Inter. The Brazilian replaced Sylvinho, who, having become a free agent, moved to Manchester City. Then representatives of the Catalan and Milan clubs announced a new high-profile transfer. Swede Zlatan Ibrahimovic moved to Barcelona, and Samuel Eto'o went to Inter. In addition to the Cameroonian forward, Barcelona paid an additional €46 million for Ibrahimovic, making the Swede the club's most expensive acquisition and one of the most expensive in the world. The loan of Alexander Gleb was also considered part of the deal, but the transfer fell through, and instead of Inter, Gleb went to the German Stuttgart.
In the 2009/10 season, the “blue garnets” again won the Spanish championship, and they also showed good results in the European arena. The team made it to the Champions League playoffs from first place in the group and reached the semi-finals, where it was stopped by Inter Milan, which subsequently won the tournament. Barcelona also defended the Spanish Super Cup in a confrontation with Basque Athletic (5:1).
The off-season before the 2010/11 season was marked by minor changes in the blue garnet camp. Players such as Thierry Henry, Rafael Marquez (both to the New York Red Bulls), Yaya Toure (Manchester City), Dmitry Chigrinsky (Shakhtar) left the team. To Milan for rent with the option subsequent redemption Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who never found an understanding with Josep Guardiola, went for €24 million. However, the team made several acquisitions. Immediately after the end of Primera 2009/10, one of the leaders of the Spanish national team, David Villa, joined the team. Barcelona paid Valencia €40 million for his transfer. The Brazilian Adriano was also acquired from Sevilla to replace Rafa Marquez. Closer to the start of the new season, the captain of the Argentina national team, Javier Mascherano, transferred from Liverpool.
The 2010/11 season began for Barcelona with the defense of the Spanish Super Cup. Having lost the first match to Sevilla (3:1), in the return match the Catalan club defeated the opponent with a score of 4:0.
In La Liga of the 2010/11 season, a sensation occurred already in the second round - Barcelona lost at home to the modest Hercules with a score of 0:2. On November 29, El Clasico took place at the Camp Nou. Real Madrid, led by Jose Mourinho, was in first place after 12 rounds and was defeated 5:0. The match was nervous, replete with clashes between the players, who were shown 12 yellow cards and 1 red card. Jose explained his team's crushing defeat this way: Barcelona played their best football on the field, while Real did the opposite. This match did not work out for the team. But we must not forget that I have been leading Real Madrid for only a few months, while Guardiola has been coaching Barca for several years and everything is clearly set out for them.”
On January 16, after a match with Malaga, in which the Catalans won with a score of 4:1, Barcelona became the winner of the first round with 52 points, which is a La Liga record. On February 5, in a home match with Atlético Madrid, Barcelona won their 16th consecutive victory in the championship, thereby breaking Real Madrid's record of 15 consecutive victories, set 50 years ago. Barca's winning streak was interrupted by Sporting Gijon (1:1).
On May 28, 2011, Barcelona defeated Manchester United in the 2010/2011 Champions League final with a score of 3:1, goals scored by Pedro, David Villa and Lionel Messi.
After lengthy negotiations in August 2011, London's Arsenal agreed on the terms of the transfer of their captain Cesc Fabregas to Barcelona, the deal amounted to €40 million. In addition, the team was joined by Chilean striker Alexis Sanchez, who moved from the Italian Udinese for €26 million .
On August 26, 2011, in the UEFA Super Cup match, Barcelona beat Porto 2:0. By winning this trophy, the Catalan club surpassed Real Madrid in the number of titles won for the first time since 1964: it was Barça's 76th official trophy, which is one more than Madrid.
On December 18, 2011, Barcelona again became the world champion among clubs, defeating the Brazilian Santos with a score of 4:0 in the final, Messi scored a double, and Xavi and Cesc Fabregas scored another goal each.
On May 25, 2012, the Catalan club won its 26th Copa del Rey, beating Athletic Bilbao 3:0 in the final match. The goals were scored by Pedro (2) and Lionel Messi.
On April 27, 2012, head coach Pep Guardiola announced that he was going to leave the club. According to him, the reason for leaving was fatigue from work and a desire to relax. The result of his work on the coaching bridge - 14 trophies in four seasons - became a record figure, and Guardiola became the most successful coach in the history of the club, surpassing Johan Cruyff, who had 11 titles.
2012-2014
In the summer of 2012, after Guardiola left, the team was headed by his assistant, Tito Vilanova. The squad underwent minor changes during the summer transfer window. Left back Jordi Alba was bought from Valencia for €14 million, replacing Eric Abidal, who suspended his career. Alexander Song Bilong was also bought from London's Arsenal, replacing Seydoux Keita, who left for the Chinese Dalian Aerobin.
The start of the season was not the best for the new coach. In the fight for the Spanish Super Cup, Barcelona lost to its main rival, Real Madrid, according to the away goal rule (3:2, 1:2). However, the start of the championship turned out to be the best in the history of Examples. The first loss of points followed in the 7th round, where the Catalans shared points at home with Real Madrid (2:2), but this was the only game in the first round where Barcelona did not take three points.
During the first round, Tito Vilanova's team scored a record 55 points. The first defeat in the championship occurred in San Sebastian, where the “blue garnets”, leading 2:0 during the meeting, lost to the middle team of the championship “Real Sociedad” with a score of 3:2. On February 26, Barcelona was eliminated from the Spanish Cup. After the first match with Real, a 1:1 draw was recorded, but then the Madrid team confidently beat the Catalans on the road with a score of 1:3. In the 35th round, Barcelona became the champion of La Liga, winning the Spanish title for the 22nd time in its history and scoring a record 100 points. In the final match of the Catalan Cup, Barcelona defeated Espanyol in a penalty shootout (1:1, 4:2 on penalties), winning this trophy for the first time since the 2006/07 season. On July 19, 2013, during a press conference between club president Sandro Rossell and Catalan sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta, Vilanova's resignation as head coach of Barcelona was announced due to health problems.
On July 23, 2013, the name of the new coach was announced on the official website of the Catalan club: he was fifty-year-old Argentinean Gerardo Martino, who had previously successfully worked with the Paraguay national team and the Argentine club Newell's Old Boys. The contract is for two years. In the off-season, Barcelona made a high-profile transfer: the club joined the Brazilian national team striker and football club"Santos" Neymar. According to various sources, the young talent cost the Catalan club between 57 and 72 million euros. At the same time, David Villa, who moved to Atlético Madrid, Thiago Alcantara, who left for Bayern, and Eric Abidal, who signed a contract with Monaco, left Barcelona.
Gerardo Martino made his debut as Barcelona coach on August 2 in a friendly match for the Joan Gamper Cup against Santos, in which the Catalan club defeated the Brazilians with a score of 8:0. On August 29, Barcelona won its first and, as it turned out, only title of the season - the Spanish Super Cup. Having drawn both matches with Atlético Madrid (1:1, 0:0), Barcelona won this trophy thanks to an away goal in the first meeting of these clubs; newcomer Neymar scored the only goal for the Catalans. This Spanish Super Cup was Barcelona's 11th in history.
The team under the leadership of the Argentine coach began the Spanish Championship with 8 victories in a row, and Gerardo Martino himself became the first specialist in the history of the club who was able to win victories in the first 7 meetings of Examples. In addition, Martino became the third coach in the history of the Spanish championship to achieve such a result.
The first defeat of the season came in the Champions League group stage match against Ajax, in which Barcelona lost to the Amsterdam team with a score of 2:1. After failure in the Champions League, the blue garnets also lost in the national championship - away to Athletic Bilbao. Barcelona left the group in the Champions League with 1st place. In the round of 16, Barça had a meeting with Manchester City. In the first match away, the blue garnets won 2-0, thanks to goals from Messi (from the penalty spot) and Dani Alves. A 2-1 victory was recorded at the Camp Nou; the Argentinean and the Brazilian scored again. As a result, Barcelona defeated Manchester City with a total score of 4-1. On March 23, in the next El Classico, held at the Santiago Bernabeu, Barcelona defeated Real Madrid with a score of 3-4, Messi scored a hat-trick. Thus, Barcelona interrupted Real's unbeaten streak of 35 matches (Real's last loss was recorded at the Camp Nou, which Barca won 2-1). In the quarterfinals of the Champions League, the Catalans lost on aggregate to Atlético Madrid (1:1, 0:1).
On April 16, 2014, in the final of the Copa del Rey, Barcelona lost to their eternal rival Real Madrid with a score of 1:2.
On May 17, 2014, Barcelona lost the Spanish championship, playing in a draw with Atlético Madrid, which later became the champion. Head coach Tata Martino resigned after this match and left the post of head coach of the team. Luis Enrique, who previously headed the Celta Vigo club, was appointed as the new head coach.
2014-2017
On May 19, 2014, it became known that former Barcelona player Luis Enrique was appointed head coach, and with his arrival, the renewal of the roster began. Victor Valdez, Jose Pinto, Oyer Olazabal, Cesc Fabregas, Jonathan dos Santos, Alexis Sanchez, Isaac Cuenca, Bojan Krkic left the team. Players such as Ibrahim Afellay, Alexander Song, Christian Tello, Gerard Deulofeu were loaned out, and club captain Carles Puyol also ended his playing career. To replace those who left, Barcelona acquired Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Claudio Bravo, Jeremy Mathieu, Douglas, Thomas Vermaelen, Ivan Rakitic and Luis Suarez. In addition, Munir El Haddadi and Sandro Ramirez were promoted from Barcelona B to the main team.
On October 25, Barcelona lost away to Real Madrid with a score of 3:1. This match ended the dry streak of Barca newcomer Claudio Bravo, who did not concede for 776 minutes.
On January 11, 2015, the Catalans beat the current champion Atlético Madrid (3:1) at home; Neymar, Leo Messi and Luis Suarez scored goals. On May 17, Barcelona beat Atletico Madrid at the Vicente Calderon stadium (the only goal scored by Messi) and became the 23-time champion of Spain.
In the Champions League, Barcelona took first place in its group (they beat Cypriot APOEL twice (1:0 and 4:0) and Amsterdam Ajax (3:1 and 2:0), defeat and victory in two matches with PSG (2:3 and 3:1)). In the round of 16 against Manchester City in the first away game, the Catalans won with a score of 2:1 (Luis Suarez scored a double). In the return match, Barcelona won a minimal victory - 1:0 (Rakitic) and advanced. In the quarterfinals, the blue garnets again met with Paris Saint-Germain. In both meetings, Barcelona won 3:1 and 2:0. Neymar scored three goals, Luis Suarez scored twice more. In the semi-finals, Barcelona played Bayern Munich under the leadership of Pep Guardiola. In the first match at the Camp Nou, Barca won 3:0, Lionel Messi scored a brace and Neymar scored one goal. In the return match, the “blue garnets” lost to Bayern - 2:3 (Neymar scored a double), but on aggregate, three years later they reached the final of the tournament.
On May 30, Barcelona won the Copa del Rey for the 27th time in its history, beating the Basque Athletic with a score of 3:1 in the final match (Messi scored twice, Neymar scored another goal) and became the first team since 1954 to win the all matches of the Spanish Cup in one draw. In addition, the goals scored by Messi and Neymar in the final made the Messi-Suarez-Neymar club's strikers, with 120 goals, the most successful trio in the history of Spanish football. The previous scoring record belonged to Real Madrid players Cristiano Ronaldo, Gonzalo Higuain and Karim Benzema, who scored 118 goals in the 2011/12 season.
On June 6, the club beat Juventus Turin with a score of 3:1 at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin (goals from Rakitic, Suarez and Neymar) and won the fifth European Cup in its history, gaining the right to keep it forever. This final was the last match for the club of one of the Spanish veterans, Xavi, after which he continued his career in the Qatari club Al-Sadd. As a result of this tournament, Lionel Messi, along with Crishitano Ronaldo, became the top scorer in the history of the European Cup/Champions League. Having won three major titles this season, Barcelona became the first club in history to achieve the Treble twice.
In the 2015/2016 season, Xavi and Pedro left the team and moved to Chelsea; Martin Mantoya was also sent on loan. In place of those who left, Barcelona acquired midfielder Arda Turan from Atlético Madrid and defender Aleix Vidal from Seville. Because Barcelona were subject to a player registration ban, they could only make their debut in January.
Barcelona started the season with a match for the UEFA Super Cup against Sevilla (5:4), Pedro scored the winning and final goal for Barça in the 115th minute of the match. Later, in the match for the Spanish Super Cup, Barcelona lost to Athletic Bilbao.
In the 1/8 of the Champions League, Barcelona met with London Arsenal - 2:0, 3:1. In the quarter-finals, Barcelona lost to Atlético Madrid 2:1, 0:2.
May 14, at last round, Barcelona, beating Granada 3:0, became the champion of Spain for the 24th time. Luis Suarez scored all three goals, simultaneously becoming La Liga's top scorer and Golden Boot winner.
In the 2016/2017 off-season, Barça was again active in the transfer market; many new, young players joined the team, but only French defender Samuel Umtiti was able to truly meet expectations, who almost immediately reserved a place in the main squad. Due to the large arrival of newcomers and their not the best play, Barcelona was unstable all season, losing points against not the strongest clubs, which led to the fact that on March 1, Luis Enrique announced that he would leave the post of head coach of the team at the end of the season. The piquancy of the situation was given by the fact that this information appeared a week before the return match of the 1/8 finals of the Champions League, in which the Catalans needed to perform a miracle to advance to the next round (they lost the first match to PSG with a score of 0:4). Later, the coach admitted that he was not going to lead another team, but just wanted to rest.
On March 8, Barcelona defeated PSG 6-1 and entered European Cup/Champions League history as the first team to advance to the next round of the playoffs despite losing the first leg 0-4.
In the quarter finals, Barcelona's opponents were Juventus. The Catalans lost the first away match with a score of 0:3. The return game took place at the Nou Camp on April 19 and ended 0:0. Juve advanced to the semi-finals.
In the Spanish Championship, Barcelona lost the title to Real Madrid, which became champions for the first time in 5 years.
On May 27, 2017, during the Copa del Rey final, Luis Enrique played his last match as head coach of Barcelona. The team comfortably beat Alaves 3-1 to win the Copa del Rey for the third time in a row and the tournament for the 29th time in history. And Luis Enrique himself became one of Barca's most titled coaches, winning 9 out of 13 possible trophies.
2017-present
On May 29, the name of the new coach was officially announced: Ernesto Valverde, who previously coached Athletic Bilbao. The official presentation was on June 1st. The first match under the leadership of the new coach, Barca beat Juventus with a score of 2-1 in the International Champions Cup, also beating Manchester United and Real Madrid, Barcelona became the winner of this tournament for the first time in history.
On August 3, 2017, Barcelona officially announced the departure of striker Neymar for a world football record 222 million euros (this amount of compensation was specified in the Brazilian’s contract). The player moved to PSG. The club was joined in the summer transfer window by Gerard Deulofeu, Nelson Semedo, Paulinho, and young promising player Ousmane Dembele, who transferred for a then-record €105 million for the club (excluding bonuses).
Despite a good showing during friendly games, Barcelona started the season with a defeat in the Spanish Super Cup, losing to Real Madrid by an aggregate score of 5-1 (3-1 at home, 2-0 away). Afterwards, Barca had an incredible stretch without defeat, which ended on January 17, 2018, in the away match of the 1/4 of the Spanish Cup against Espanyol (1-0), but in the return match Barca won 2-0 and advanced. In the Spanish Championship and Champions League, Barça was still invincible. During this period, Barça beat such large teams as Juventus in the group stage of the Champions League (3-0 - at home; 0-0 - away), and Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu in the 17th round of the Spanish Championship (3-0, Suarez, Messi, Vidal). Barcelona's game has changed, it has become more pragmatic and ball control is not as important an aspect of the game as it was before, and due to the departure of Neymar and the injury of Dembele, Barca began to play more often in a 4-4-2 formation instead of the usual 4-3- 3, also the departure of Neymar helped left back Jorda Alba to join attacks more often, which ultimately made him one of the most productive defenders of the European season. Also, Barca's newcomer, the Brazilian Paulinho, began to show a good game, whose transfer at the beginning of the season was assessed negatively by everyone, since the 30-year-old player, bought for 40 million euros from the Chinese Championship, in the opinion of many was not a player of Barcelona's level. However, the Brazilian began to benefit the team from the first matches and quickly fell in love with Barca fans, he quickly adapted to Barca’s game, and found a good understanding on the field with Messi and Suarez, which allowed him to become the team’s 3rd scorer during the season.
On January 23, 2018, it was announced that after seven and a half seasons in Barcelona, Javier Mascherano was leaving the team, he moved to the Chinese Hebei China Fortune. Also leaving the team were Arda Turan, who moved to Istanbul, and Rafinha Alcantara, who moved to Inter Milan. Instead of those who left, Barca acquired the young Colombian central defender Yerry Mina, who became the tallest player in the history of the club, along with Ibrahimovic (both 195 cm), and the famous Brazilian Coutinho, who moved from Liverpool for 140 million euros and became the second most expensive transfer in the history of the world football, and the first in the history of the club. Barca actively wanted to sign Coutinho back in the summer, but were unable to reach an agreement with Liverpool, and the player spent half a season in England before his transfer finally took place. Due to the fact that he was played for Liverpool in the Champions League, he could no longer help the new team in the same tournament. His debut took place on January 25 in the return match of the 1/4 Copa del Rey at the Camp Nou against Espanyol (2-0). He received number 14, as many media reported - number 7, vacated after Turan's departure, was reserved for another star player whom Barca wants to buy in the summer.
The evolution of Barcelona's kit
Wikipedia materials were used in preparing the article
Barcelona is one of the most beautiful Spanish cities, which is the capital of Catalonia. It is also known as a major Mediterranean port.
The French border is located 120 kilometers from it. Barcelona is the largest Spanish center of trade and industry. Tourists from all over the world come to see local historical sights.
Ancient times
The founding of the city is still being tried to be explained by two different legends. The first one says that ancient settlement was created in this place by the Greek mythological hero Hercules. According to legend, Rome was founded only four centuries later. In the 3rd century BC. e. Hamilcar Barca of Carthage, whose son is Hannibal, gave the city the name Barcino in honor of his family.
According to the second legend, the first settlement in this territory was founded by Hamilcar (Amelkart) Barka himself.
The chronicle history of the city began to be recorded on parchment in 237 BC by the famous ancient commander Hamilcar Barca. It was this year that he began setting up his military camp on a narrow coast near Mount Montjuïc. At the suggestion of Barka's associates, the name of the camp was determined as Barcino ("Lightning"). Hamilcar received this nickname in ancient times because his army moved with great speed. Barka agreed to this option. This moment is considered the founding of the city, which later became an important Mediterranean locality.
In 133 BC. e. The Roman army, led by Lucius Scipio, conquered Laie in Iberia. In 15 BC. e. In these places, the construction of a Roman fortification was completed, the central part of which was located on Mount Taber. This hill is now located next to the city hall on the square. St. James. The Romans named the city Colonia Faventia Giulia Augusta Pia Barcino. It was a small settlement in contrast to neighboring Tarraco, which is now called Tarragona. Time passed and the city became richer and more significant. Its convenient location and excellent harbor played a role in this. Here they started minting their own coins. Some of them have survived to this day. Ancient fortifications in the form of ruins in this moment located in the city. The Roman layout can be seen on the map of the city center in the Gothic Quarter. St. Paradis is the site of ancient Roman columns.
The expansion of Barcelona took place inside a walled fortress. In the fifth century, Barsino was conquered by the Visigoths. Later the city became a more significant settlement than Tarraco.
Middle Ages
In the fifth century, Barsino was under the rule of the Visigoths. By order of King Ataulf, the capital of his state was located here.
In 511, a battle took place near the city, in which the Ostrogoths and Visigoths took part. The first ones won. The Ostrogothic army was commanded by Duke Ibba.
In the first half of the eighth century, Barcelona was conquered by the Moors. Before this, a battle between the Visigoths and the Arabs took place near the small town of Medina Sidonia. Historians have not established exactly where it was. It is believed that the battle took place near the Guadelete River. There are no further details about her.
The Latin chronicle of 754 records Roderic's march towards the Transductine Mountains for battle. His army was prepared for battle. But since soldiers were taken into the army by force, when the battle began, many of them fled, and Roderich was killed. At the same time, many of his opponents were also killed.
According to Arab sources, the battle took place on July 19, 711. It, like the previous chronicle, talks about discord in the Visigoth camp. It was for this reason that the Muslims won, and their opponents fled from the battlefield. The Arab chroniclers wrote nothing about other details of the battle. But historians claim that Tariq’s army defeated the Visigoth army, Roderic was killed, and the soldiers taken into his ranks by force fled. When Cordoba and Toledo fell, the Muslims took possession of vast Catalan and Portuguese lands, but there is little information about the occupation of these territories by the Moors. The Muslims successfully advanced deep into Spanish lands. Within five years, they managed to capture almost the entire territory of the Iberian Peninsula, which became subordinate to the province of al-Andalus.
The Moors also influenced the activities of local authorities. Under them, new coins began to be minted. When Musa ibn Nosseira arrived, a gold coin was introduced into circulation, based not on the Visigothic model, but on the North African one. The first coins were issued with a Latin inscription stamped on them. It was a translated Islamic saying, “There is no God but Allah.”
The Moors, who ruled the Spanish lands, did not occupy military towns. They settled in the southern regions of the Iberian Peninsula. Perhaps for this reason, Muslims did not choose Barcelona and the city did not develop as rapidly as it did with the settlements of al-Andalus.
In 801, Louis the Pious managed to recapture the city from the Moors. The capital of Spain was founded here. Barcelona became a buffer zone, ruled by a local count. Founder of Catalonia as independent state managed to become Margrave Wilfred the Hairy.
Barcelona existed as a Christian outpost. In 985 it was sacked by al-Mansur, after which Count Borrell II freed himself from Carolingian rule.
Local counts in the 10th-11th centuries declared independence and expansion of their territory to other Catalan lands. The union of dynasties, which included Aragon and Catalonia, brought Alfonso II to the throne in 1162, the first monarch of the united country. Jaime I was engaged in expanding the borders of his kingdom, to which he annexed southern lands along with Valencia. Aragon in the 13th century began to subjugate the maritime territories, the western Mediterranean and outlying outposts. During the existence of the confederation of Aragon and Catalonia, active construction of buildings in the Gothic style was carried out. It was also the time of the adoption of new legislation with the Code of Customs. In 1410, the Castilian dynasty of Trastámara began to rule these territories. When the dynastic Castilian-Aragonese branches united, the city's development ceased.
The year 1450 marks the creation of the legendary University of Barcelona.
The influence of Jews on the development of the city
The Jewish population appeared here in the first century, when the Temple was destroyed. Until the beginning of the 13th century, Jews were rich and influential people cities. In addition, numerous scientists - representatives of this people - lived here. In 1263, the monk Pablo Cristiane initiated a debate in which he was opposed by a representative of the Jewish population, Nachmanides.
In 1367, the Christian Church declared that the "holy bread" had been defiled by local Jews. Representatives of this nationality were herded into the synagogue, where they were locked up and not given water or food. They also had nowhere to relieve themselves. Thus, the local authorities wanted to force them to obey the orders that the Infante don Juan disseminated. He was the viceroy of the monarch, Don Pedro. The Jews gave up their property and handed over to the authorities three representatives of the community, whom the Christian inquisitors burned at the stake. From that time on, Jews were not supposed to leave home without special signs on their clothes.
In 1391, Christians ravaged the Jewish district of Barcelona. More than four hundred people were killed. The synagogue was destroyed, and in its place a temple was built, where Jews were forcibly baptized. In 1397, by order of the king, the Jewish ghetto ceased to exist.
In 1492, Jews who did not want to be baptized were expelled from the country. Before this, all their property was taken away from them. The Spanish nobility and the wealthy Jews were so intertwined in family ties that among the representatives of this people who were expelled from the kingdom was one of the relatives of the monarch. Some Jews became Christians, but they were watched all the time local residents other nationalities. Only in the 20th century was the opening of synagogues allowed in the country.
XVIII century – our time
When the War of the Heirs to the Throne was raging in Spain, in September 1705, a British squadron commanded by the Earl of Peterborough attacked the city. A month later he fell.
Many people in Catalonia hated Madrid. With their approval, Charles III began to rule these lands, and his residence was located in Barcelona until 1711. At the end of the winter of 1706, Valencia surrendered to Peterborough, and Philip V approached Barcelona and besieged it, but was later defeated.
In 1714 he made a second attempt. This time the long siege yielded results. In September, the army of Philip V entered the city. The shopping district was half destroyed. In its place, the construction of the Ciudadelo fortress began, which made it possible to control the rebellious city and punish its population. Local separatists were subjected to repression, and the Catalan language was banned. In addition, the university was closed.
At the beginning of 1809 the city was taken by General Suchet. Then the entire territory of the country was captured. Napoleon annexed Catalonia and was overthrown only four years later. Barcelona came under the Spanish crown again.
The 19th century saw the Industrial Revolution. Numerous enterprises began to open in the city. When the country's government loosened control over the provinces, the medieval walls were destroyed in 1860, and a city park area, now called de la Ciutadella, was created on the territory of the La Ribera fortress. In 1888, the World Exhibition was held here. Barcelona began to expand due to areas where previously there were vegetable gardens and fields.
The beginning of the 20th century was marked by the revival of the city. At this time, Catalan nationalists voiced demands to grant the province autonomy and freedom of cultural expression. In 1929, Barcelona again became the site of the World Exhibition. When the civil war was going on in Spain, the Republicans settled in the city. At the beginning of 1939, it was captured by supporters of the dictator Franco. In the 40s repressions took place here. Once again the Catalan language was banned.
In the 70s last century, Franco's dictatorship fell as a result of strong protest movements throughout the country. Barcelona has become big cultural center and a prosperous city. On the Iberian Peninsula it was the second most important settlement with its own unique atmosphere. Barcelona attracted tourists. Local authorities again began to revive the Catalan language. Although there was a massive immigration of Castilians from the province, the Catalan language gradually returned to everyday life in the region.
In 1992, the Summer Olympics took place here. At that time, the IOC was headed by Juan Samaranch, born in Barcelona. In 2004, participants came to the city
World Cultural Forum, which lasted almost five months.
Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia, one of the best and most popular tourist resorts throughout and . In addition, it is a significant seaport in the Mediterranean and a large commercial and industrial center of the EU.
Barcelona is the capital of the Mediterranean Union, which includes more than four dozen states. This city hosted the 1992 Summer Olympics and hosted various European and world-class sporting events.
Geography
Barcelona is located in the northeastern part of the Iberian Peninsula on the coast Mediterranean Sea. The Pyrenees Mountains are located more than 100 km north of the capital of Catalonia. Nearby are the Colseropa mountains, which are the boundaries of the city.
Barcelona lies on a hilly area, each hill gives its names to its neighborhoods: Carmel, Monterolles, Puchet, Rovira, Peira, etc. They all have their own cultural, historical and architectural attractions.
Climate
Barcelona has a Mediterranean climate. Here there is a dry winter, similar to our Indian summer, and a mild warm summer with warm rains. The coldest time here is in January and February – about +10C. The warmest time of the year is the second half of summer – about +25C.
The city receives the most rain in October, and the least in July. This climate is ideal for tourist recreation, there is never sweltering heat or frost here.
Story
There are two main legends regarding the origin of Barcelona. The first says that the city was founded by the famous hero of ancient Greek myths Hercules in the 11th century BC, and then rebuilt in the 3rd century BC. Carthaginian Barca, father of Hannibal.
The second legend excludes Hercules from the founders of Barcelona and says that it was the Carthaginian Barca who was the first founder of this city and named it Barcino in honor of his own family.
By the beginning of our era, Barcelona had become a Roman colony, gradually becoming richer due to its harbor, minting its own coins and settling down. Beautiful Roman buildings have been preserved here today.
In the 5th century the city was conquered by the Visigoths and became the capital of their kingdom. After a short time, Barcelona was conquered by other barbarians - the Ostrogoths. And two centuries later, in the 7th century, the Moors came here.
And in the 9th century, Barcelona was conquered by the son of the Frankish king Charlemagne and appointed his own count here, who proclaimed the independence of Catalonia. Then the confederation of Catalonia and Aragon was formed, and in the 17th century - the Catalan Republic.
In the 18th century, Spain's battle for Catalonia began. Philip V captured Barcelona and destroyed it most city and banned the Catalan language. Then Catalonia was annexed to France, and after the fall of Napoleon it returned to Spain.
In the 20th century during civil war In Spain, the Catalan language was again banned in Catalonia. The protests in the seventies of the 20th century led to the revival of the language and permission to use it in everyday life. Today there are 7 universities in Barcelona.
Transport
A few kilometers from Barcelona is international Airport, it is the second largest in Spain and the largest in the Mediterranean. The airport is connected to Barcelona via metro, rail and highway.
Barcelona's seaport has a history of 2,000 years. It is engaged in the maritime transport of passengers and cargo, is growing rapidly, and in the near future its area should double.
Barcelona is the most important railway center in Spain. There are several large railway stations here. There are high-speed railways in the country, incl. passing through Barcelona.
Public transport in Barcelona is represented by the metro with 11 lines (city and private). Metro lines connect the city with its suburbs; they are located underground and on its surface.
The networks of city buses and trams belong to private companies. All city transport is adapted for disabled people. Barcelona taxi drivers mostly operate under private licenses. There is a practice of renting a car.
Beaches
Sant Sebastia beach
This is the most popular beach in Barcelona, where tourists and locals love to relax, although it is quite far from the city center. The beach is located in a cozy and clean bay and has all the necessary beach equipment, incl. for invalids.
Sant Miguel Beach
Once upon a time there was a church with the same name, and today there is a small but very comfortable beach. It is located almost in the center of Barcelona, so it continues to gain popularity.
Bogatell Beach
And this beach is located further from the center, so it is not so noisy. But here there is a very clean and well-groomed area, free showers and access to the beach, cafes and restaurants with excellent Catalan cuisine, etc.
Levant Beach
This is the farthest beach from the city center. It opened only a few years ago, but already has all the necessary infrastructure for a comfortable stay. There is excellent service and relatively few visitors.
Mar Bella Beach
This beach was opened for the 1992 Olympics and tourists and residents of Barcelona almost immediately liked it. Sports fans will find entertainment here. The city's famous yacht club is located nearby. Nudists relax nearby.
Barceloneta Beach
This is the most old beach in the city. However, age has not affected its quality in any way, so the beach is extremely popular. It was recently completely renovated, so it is now considered the cleanest and safest in the city.
Attractions
Gothic Quarter
This part of Barcelona has preserved the most historical and architectural monuments built here during the Ancient Rome, as well as Gothic buildings erected in the Middle Ages and Modern times. A great place for excursions.
Olimpic village
A modern landmark of the city, built for the 1992 Olympics. Here you can visit the Olympic port, sail a yacht around the harbor, visit two skyscrapers where athletes lived, etc.
Plaza Catalunya
This is the beginning of the New City of Barcelona, built during the time of Queen Isabella II. The square is located on the border with the Gothic Quarter, and further from it there are blocks built along straight and perpendicular lines, with branching highways.
The aquarium is the world's longest glass tunnel, through which you can observe the life of fish, animals and other sea inhabitants. It is also the largest European aquarium.
Sagrada Familia
This Catholic cathedral was built according to the design of the great Antonio Gaudi. The temple is maintained only by donations from private individuals. One of the most popular architectural monuments in the world.
Rambla street
The famous boulevard of Barcelona, where tourists and residents of Barcelona stroll in the evenings. There are many street cafes, souvenir shops, you can watch performances by street performers, etc.
House Mila
Another magnificent landmark of the city created by Gaudi. This house is considered a symbol of Barcelona, its calling card. Ordinary people live on the lower floors of the house, and on the top there is a museum.
Casa Batllo
Gaudi's houses in Barcelona
Another work by Antoni Gaudi, a true masterpiece of a brilliant architect. In fact, this is the beginning of his independent path, the first unique creation, the ideas of which Gaudi later applied in other projects.
Spanish village
This is a big museum open air, which contains reconstructions of dwellings from Catalonia, Andalusia, Galicia, Aragon and other Spanish regions where Spaniards lived during the Middle Ages.
This famous monument with an observation deck at the top is located on the Rambla. It was in the old port of Barcelona that Columbus arrived after his famous campaign, which ended with the discovery of America.
Entertainment
Barcelona is very stormy night life, which is definitely worth getting to know, first with a guide, and then on your own. It's best to avoid the tourist routes and wander into the back streets of the Old Town and the Gothic Quarter.
Here you can find old pubs with their own unique history, bohemian bars where Picasso and Dali visited, drinking establishments serving excellent craft beer, and other hot spots.
Excursions
There are hundreds of famous excursions in Barcelona from professional guides who will help you:
- get a general idea of the city;
- learn more about its history and architecture;
- enjoy Catalan museums and art;
- taste the dishes local cuisine etc.
Who is this resort for?
Of course, Barcelona, as a resort, is intended for people of the European middle class and wealthier segments of the population. The prices here are quite high, because... this is one of best resorts Europe.
Video about Barcelona
Helpful information
The Russian Embassy in Spain is located at:
Madrid, st. Velasquez, 155.
Tel.: +34 915622264 or +34 914110807,
24/7 tel.: +34 670848773.
Consulate General of Russia in Barcelona:
Tel.: +34 932805432 or +34 932800220,
24/7 tel.: +34 609306346.
Emergency numbers:
091 – national police,
092 – local police,
061 – emergency medical care,
080 – emergency assistance in case of fires.
Find a hotel at a good price
and 630 km of travel, and up to Andorra(Andorra) is a road about 240 km long. Barcelona can be called one of the most important and interesting tourist places throughout Europe.
The population here is about two million inhabitants. The suburbs that surround the metropolis are home to 3 million people. Barcelona is the most populated city Mediterranean, second in Spain in terms of population, and in the EU - 10th. But in terms of tourist influx, it can rightfully claim leadership.
The official language here is Catalan. This language belongs to the Romance group, and is also similar to Provençal and Castilian languages. The latter is official for Spain. The majority of Barcelona residents speak Catalan. However, the signs are written in two languages: Catalan and Castilian.
Barcelona people are friendly, like all Spaniards. Tourists often characterize them as carefree people, but practical and at the same time with an irresistible craving for various festivals.
From Costa Dorada. Barcelona is located to the north. Electric trains depart from Salou to Barcelona and in the opposite direction every hour, and there is a bus service.
Geographical position
Where the Mediterranean Sea washes the Iberian Peninsula, Barcelona lies on a plateau with an area of 170 km. The Collserola mountain range borders on the southern side, the Llobregat River flows there, and the northern side is limited by the Besos River. To the north of it, the Pyrenees rise 120 km. It is thanks to the mountain range that the contours of the city are somewhat rounded.
The most high point Collserola is Mount Tibidabo, which is 512 meters high. Tibidabo is home to one of Barcelona's landmarks, the famous Collserola antenna tower, 268 meters high. It was designed by Norman Foster for the 1992 Olympic Games. This tower is visible from almost anywhere in the city. Also here is (Sagrat Cor), built by Enrico Sagniera. This is the tallest building in the city. The temple is classified in the pseudo-Gothic style. Upstairs there is Observation deck, which offers views of the entire Catalan coast.
Another famous building is located on a hill called Mont Taber. However, Mont Taber is not the only hill in the city, it is all located on hills. Each of them gave the name to one of the city quarters, such as Carmel, Rovira, Monterols, Peira, Putxet and others.
One of the mountains in the city is called (Montjuïc), it is famous for the fact that there is an observation deck from which the southwestern part of the city is revealed in full view and great view to the port. There is also a fortress built in the 12th century. The fortress itself now houses a Military Museum. And around it there is a wonderful park, in which Olympic venues are located and gardens are in bloom. Many tourists come here every day.
Barcelona borders Sant Andria de Besos and Santa Coloma de Gramanet in the north, Esplugues de Llobregat and Hospitalet de Llobregat (Hospitalet de Llobregat) in the south. The east, or rather the southeast, is the exit to the Mediterranean Sea, and from the west it is adjacent to Cerdanyola del Valles and San Cugat Del Valles.
Barcelona districts description
- 1. is the central and oldest district of the city. Here are the popular tourist quarters, the Raval quarter, the beachside Barceloneta and the shopping paradise El Born (Ribera).
- 2. located next to the Old Town. This area is important for both Barcelona residents and tourists. Here is located (Sagrada Família) and Gaudí's architectural monuments.
- 3. Sants-Montjuïc is also very attractive for tourists. This includes Mount Montjuic, which was already mentioned above, and the adjacent residential areas of Poble Sec and Sants. Nightclubs and bars are of interest to tourists here.
- 4. is located 15 minutes drive from the Old Town. This is a business district and there are few attractions here. But those that exist are worthy close attention, for example, the home arena of the Barcelona club.
- 5. is one of the most expensive and luxurious areas, in which prestigious modernity harmoniously coexists with a rustic atmosphere and the Pedralbes monastery.
- 6.—area north of Eixample, formerly an independent city. Today creative people flock here because it famous place bohemian parties. In addition, there are excellent prospects for shopping here. The main pearl of the area -
- 7. The area is located in the upper zone and is not particularly popular with tourists, as it is not rich in attractions. This is mainly a residential area.
- 8. This is the northwestern outskirts of Barcelona and many immigrants live here.
- 9. A small area near the Besos River.
- 10. The area most densely populated. It is located right on the coast. It includes 10 blocks, most of which provide excellent opportunities for both a relaxing family holiday and an active beach pastime.
Accommodation in Barcelona: expensive and affordable options
Barcelona is a real tourist mecca. Naturally, there are hotels (and other accommodation options such as hostels, campsites, etc.) to suit every taste and budget. There are hotels known for their luxury all over the world and affordable hotels that allow you to travel quite economically.
There are also accommodation options in the city such as apartments. Every year it becomes more popular among visitors. You can rent a studio and an apartment with 5 bedrooms, it all depends on your desires and capabilities. For many, an accommodation option such as camping is also suitable. This option is attractive because the campsites are located in the suburbs, away from crowds.
Attractions: what you shouldn't miss
Of course, one of the main activities of everyone who comes to the city is visiting numerous attractions, the description of which is worthy of a separate book. However, in addition to visiting historical and architectural monuments, there are a huge number of leisure options. These include numerous exhibitions, festivals, theaters and cinemas, sporting events, unique shopping, relaxing on wonderful beaches, visiting parks, zoos, water parks, an aquarium, tasting Spanish cuisine in restaurants, nightclubs and so on and so forth. In this review article, you can only go through all these possibilities in dotted lines.
There are many beaches for sea and sun lovers. They here have a length of more than 4 kilometers. The beaches are sandy and have a smooth slope. One of the beaches is located right in the city center and is called Barceloneta. The phenomenon of a beach club is also common. There are many of them on the coast, and many can be reached from the city center in 10-15 minutes.
The sights of Barcelona include almost all of Barcelona. Therefore, there is always something to see.
How to get to Barcelona
Typically, most tourists arrive in Barcelona by plane. Barcelona airport is called, and is the largest in the Mediterranean and the second in passenger traffic in all of Spain.Flight connections in Barcelona are good with many big cities Europe and the world. From Russia in the summer (from late April to early October) many charter flights go to Barcelona. You can fly from Moscow and St. Petersburg to Barcelona using Vueling airlines, a subsidiary of the Spanish carrier Iberia, as well as Transaero and Aeroflot lines. There are more than 10 such shipments per week. The flight will take no more than 4 hours. Flights from Yekaterinburg operate year-round Ural Airlines. In addition to direct flights, there are also many options related to connecting flights (connection in Moscow).
Land routes to Barcelona are no less comfortable and even more interesting. So, you can get into the city by bus, your own car or rented one. The driver will need a green card, medical insurance, and international license.
Buses arrive at two bus stations: Sants and Barcelona Nord. There is a lively bus service with European cities.
There are also many railway tracks. The main railway operator in Spain is RENFE. Although Railway in Spain itself it is very developed, communications with the rest of Europe are not so developed due to the Pyrenees Mountains. However, from any European capital You can easily get to the capital of Catalonia by train. For example, from Paris in France - on Elipsos flights. There are two in the city railway stations: old, Estació de França, which takes international flights, and the new one, Estacio de Sants (Sants Estació), which is the main station of the city. The European direction from Moscow is served by Belorussky Station.
Because Barcelona is largest port, many come here for cruise ships. Almost every one of those plying the Mediterranean has a stop here. All 7 passenger terminals of the port are open to receive cruises. All capitals of Europe (and not only) have sea connections with Barcelona.
As of 2018, the population of Barcelona is about one and a half million people. If we add to these figures the population of the so-called “greater Barcelona”, that is, its numerous suburbs and satellite cities, such as Hospitalet de Llobregat, Badalona, etc., then the real number of inhabitants of Barcelona will be more than 5 million people. Thus, Barcelona is one of largest cities Spain and a fairly large city by European standards.
National composition and history
Barcelona is a cosmopolitan city, both due to its history and the influx of immigrants, foreign students and expats who work for the city's many international companies. Historically, Barcelona has always been the capital of Catalonia and was dominated by the Catalan population, but the industrial boom of the second half of the 19th century attracted workers from other regions of Spain and even Italy to the city. The ups and downs of the 20th century also affected the fate of Barcelona: in the middle of the 20th century, the city was actively being built; thousands of Spaniards came from less prosperous Andalusia to work on the city’s construction sites, and the majority remained in Barcelona. In the 80s of the 20th century, a period of prosperity began in Barcelona and immigrants from not so prosperous countries poured into the city. It is believed that from 1992 until the start of the 2008 crisis, Barcelona experienced its golden era. The city hosted the Olympic Games, developed beaches and attracted immigrants from all over the world, attracted by the opportunity for well-paid work and the simple procedure for obtaining a residence permit.
According to statistics, 4 out of 10 people living in Barcelona were not born in Catalonia. As of 2017, 17.81% of Barcelona's population are foreigners. Barcelona's largest foreign diasporas are Italians, Pakistanis, Chinese, French, Americans, Bolivians, Peruvians, Filipinos and Colombians. The city also houses some of the world's rarest diasporas, ethnic composition Barcelona is extremely rich.
Miro mosaic on the main street of Las Ramblas. According to the author, this is a sign of tolerance and welcome to everyone arriving in Barcelona from the sea.
Culture and traditions
Such a diverse national composition had its influence on the culture and customs of Barcelona. For example, the famous Catalan rumba is music created in Barcelona in the gypsy environment with obvious elements of both Catalan and Moroccan motifs. Nowadays it is one of the most popular genres of music with many artists, including both Roma and Catalans. The traditional dance of the Catalans is the sardana, which is often danced on summer evenings in the squares and embankments of the city. The dance is not complicated, so foreigners often join the circle of dancers. Another dance, the famous flamenco, came to Catalonia from Andalusia and gained many admirers. There are many places in Barcelona where you can see his performances in person.
In that amazing city Catalan holiday traditions - processions of giants, living towers of castellers and fire shows - are combined with exotic holidays of other nations, for example, foreign communities often organize Italy Day or Brazil Day. In Barcelona, the Catalan dish “pan con tomate” peacefully coexists with kebab and Italian pizza. In the city you can often see residents of other countries in their national costumes, which gives it a special flavor. The motto of Barcelona residents is tolerance, respect for other nations and at the same time honoring their roots and traditions.
Procession in national costumes during the La Merce festival.Language in Barcelona
Respect both for their ancestors and for other nations was reflected in the linguistic wealth of the city. The main language in Barcelona is Spanish, spoken by more than 90% of the population. Spanish is the language of communication in Barcelona, including between foreigners. Compared to other cities in Catalonia, Catalan is the least spoken language in Barcelona, being the lingua franca of only 28.80% of the city's population. Nevertheless, the Catalans are trying to preserve their language; one of the measures is free courses for everyone. In addition to Spanish and Catalan, the city is gaining strength English language, as the language not only of tourists, but also of numerous foreign specialists.
The most popular foreign language in Barcelona after English is French. Many Barcelonans are better at French than English. There are reasons for this - both the proximity of France and the influx of French tourists, and the obvious similarity of the Catalan language with French.
Religion in Barcelona
Spain is a secular state, but the majority of the population is traditionally Catholic. At the same time, Catalonia in general and Barcelona in particular are considered the most atheist-minded region of Spain, especially among young people. In addition, there is a significant percentage of the population who consider themselves Catholics, but do not take part in religious rituals. For example, among Barcelona residents 18-30 years old, 3.5% are devout Catholics who attend every Sunday mass, and 47.7% are atheists. If we look at another generation - Spaniards over 65 years of age, the situation changes completely: 26.7% are active Catholics and only 8.4% are atheists. Despite such sentiments in society, the church continues to play a significant role in the lives of Barcelona residents. Thus, many traditional names - Eulalia, Montserrat, Mercedes - are associated with Catholic saints and patronesses of the city.
Barcelona, thanks to its religious freedom, also favors a few denominations. The city has a significant number of evangelical churches, Protestant churches, mosques, there are Buddhist and Hindu temples. In general, Barcelona residents respect all religions, even if they are devout Catholics.
Main Cathedral Barcelona is named after the city's main patron saint, Saint Eulalia.
