Picasso and Bohemian Barcelona of 1900

Special places related to Picasso and our city in the beginning of the 20th Century. Unknown places for most of the people…

College of Architects: One of the first “skyscrapers” (it has 12 floors), it was built during the permissive legislation of the mayor Porcioles. Despite considerable opposition when it was built, it is regarded as an example of how to introduce modern architecture into old quarters of the city. Picasso designed murals on the façade which were done by sgraffito, blasting sand under pressure, by the Norwegian Carl Nestjar.

The Four Cats: Meeting point of the Catalan avant-garde artists at the beginning of the 20th Century, this bar-restaurant-cafe was frequented by Pablo Picasso who drew the menu. It was opened on 12 June, 1897 and housed on the ground floor of Casa Martí, a neogothic building designed by the modernist architect, Puig i Cadafalch. Puppet shows, Chinese shadow plays, poetry readings, concerts and above all, painting and sculpture exhibitions were held here.

The Picasso Museum: housed in a complex of 5 medieval palaces in the old quarter. Let yourself be guided through this labyrinth and you’ll discover the work of this contemporary genius. Creator of Cubism together with Braque, he never became stuck in one style but always explored new creative possibilities and left behind a transcendental legacy for the history of art; without doubt he will surprise you.

Carrer Montcada: One of the most elegant streets in medieval Barcelona, here you can find many of the palaces built by the city nobles in the 13th Century.

Santa Maria del Mar: This is the best example of Catalan religious Gothic architecture. Built from 1329 to 1383, its architectural unity and purity of style are unusual in buildings from the Middle Ages. This was the people’s cathedral built by the seafarers and people whose livelihood depended on the sea, people who wanted to build it, who paid for it and actually helped with the building. Two slim towers flank the main façade.

La Llotja School of Fine Arts: During the 18th century there was a growing desire among Catalan intellectuals and artists to create a school of fine arts. This led to the founding of the Free School of Design in 1775 in Barcelona, backed by the Board of Commerce. As a teaching academy it soon included painting, sculpture and architecture. When Picasso’s family moved to Barcelona, his father became a teacher at the academy and Picasso an outstanding pupil.

Xifré Arches: This enormous building was one of the first blocks of flats in the city. Neoclassic in style, it is named after the man who built it. Josep Xifré I Cases was a colonialist who made his fortune in Cuba in the early 19th century. Since 1836 the restaurant “Les Set Portes” (Seven Doors), specialised in Catalan cuisine, occupies the ground floor.