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1. Make a list of five streets dedicated to craftsmanship or trades and describe them. What were “Els Gremis” (guilds)?

“Els Gremis” or guilds, were associations or groups of craftsmen. Each guild focused on a specific trade and played an extremely important role in society. Those who worked in the same trade installed all in the same place, and gave it such character that the trade they carried out even happened to call the street, and with such a force that many still are called the same today. For example, to name a few of the ones that remain in the Rivera neighborhood, there is: Carrer del Les Candeles (street to buy candles), Carrer dels Corders (street for rope vendors), Placa de la Llana (street for wool vendors, wool market) , Carrer de Calders (Street for boilers/cauldrons), and Carrer dels cotoners (street from cotton)

2. “La casa-taller” (The house-workshop) was the typical craftsmanship family house. The same place to live and work. Describe how spaces were organized in a “Casa-taller”.

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A casa-taller was the main style of living in this area during the Medieval Period in Barcelona, and in some ways it is still present today. In them, the workshop and store front would be on the street level. The owners lived in on the first floor, which was significantly larger than the floors above it (it also had the biggest windows, highest ceilings, and a balcony). I noticed this when I saw that there were larger windows on the first floor and much smaller ones above them. There was also a smaller door with a set of steep staircases leading up to the living quarters. The servants would then live on the higher floors. These different floors represented signs of wealth in Barcelona.

3. Observing the buildings of this area of Barcelona, mention some of the main architectural aspects that distinguish the craftsmanwork buildings to the industrial production ones. For example, materials, spaces or structures of the buildings and streets.

After observing the architecture of this area, I found that the craftsman buildings were very different from those from the industrial production buildings because they both followed the idea that “form fits function”, and would thus differentiate according to how the spaces were being utilized. The casa-tallers were built from sone and wood; this was durable because they are still standing today. The owners of these houses were very prideful of them because it is not only where they lived, but also where they worked. The industrial buildings, on the other hand, were made of iron which did not last nearly as long as stone or brick (it was also cheaper to construct)/ An architectural aspect that was different from those of industrial production were the windows. Craftsmanwork buildings had large windows in order to display their talent to the public to admire and purchase their products. Industrial buildings did not have these because they didn’t really need them– their products were produced in mass quantities and sold in other stores.

4. Find the cultural relation of this five places cited bellow to catalan culture. Take on account the different historical periods in each case.

a) Santa María del Mar

This is the church built by the merchants in the 14th century. The new class during the time was the Bougeoisie, meaning middle class, and this church reflected them. The representation stems from the fact that it is a large building without massive windows–> just like the bougeoisie is a large class but not a wealthy one.

b) El Mercat del Born

El Mercat del Born was built in the 19th century, and was a huge center for commerce. Similar to the plaza centers of old, this was a place where people came to trade goods and livestock. It remains today as the largest covered square in all of Europe and it is important not only economically, but the style of the market represents the beginning of modernisme in Barcelona. This is one of the most prominent architectural styles that Barcelona is known for. The tradition of large markets as the main cultural and economic center is essential in Catalan culture.

c) El Fossà de les Moreres

This is the monument dedicated to the last stand of the Barcelona troops in 1714. It was built over a burial site and its purpose is to honor those who passed away fighting the war of Spanish Succession. This plaza is important culturally and is a place of gathering on September 11th, which is the National Day of Catalonia.

d) La ciutadella Park (The Fortress of Philip V by 1714)

La Ciutadella Park was created by Phillip V following the war of Spanish Succession. It would block invaders from conquering Spain, while also ensuring that no citizens could revolt against him. To Phillip V, the fortress signified the strength and longevity of Spain. Today, the park remains as a very cultural space in Barcelona where people gather in the green area to enjoy the nice weather or meet up with friends. Ultimately, the park’s history represents a difficult time for Catalan culture.

5. After September 11^th 1714 the decrees of Nova Planta were proclaimed in Catalonia by Philip V. Mention the main changes in catalan society doing a little research after the Field study.

These decrees were signed by Philip V shortly after the War of Spanish Succession. Spanish citizenship was not a reality. September 11th remains the National Day of Catalunya even today, despite the marks the day that Catalunya fell to Philip B during the siege of Barcelona. The Decrees of Nova Planta suppressed the Catalan charter, institutions, and privileges, effectively forcing them to adhere to the laws laid out by the Spanish crown. This loss of autonomy is still an important issue that remains in Catalan Culture.

6. What is el Consolat de Mar?

The Consolat de Mar was basically Medieval Barcelona’s version of the Stock Market. It was located near the port so when merchants arrived in the city, they had to pass through this building. The traders would discuss prices and taxes, and worked to negotiate an even playing feild while promoting domestic sales of goods.

Having the opportunity to study abroad and immersing myself in an entirely new culture, will not only allow me to grow personally, but academically and professionally as well.

I am currently interning with a company called Talent Garden. Founded in Brescia, Italy, in 2011, Talent Garden is Europe’s leading innovation platform and coworking network for digital innovation. Our network hosts over 3,500 innovators including freelancers, startups, agencies, entrepreneurs, investors, students and companies of all sizes. Through networking projects and activities, we help our members to get to know each other and develop new synergies thereby increasing the chances of meeting potential partners and investors.

Throughout my college career major non-profit management, I have learned so much about international policy, conflict, relations, and law. My curriculum has made me aware that we live in a time of massive institutional failure, collectively creating results that nobody wants. Climate change, hunger, poverty, and violence are some examples of the issues that humankind has created and perpetuated. Traveling across the globe and participating in an internship, will allow me to dive into a totally different culture and experience what I have learned firsthand. I will develop a better perspective on world affairs through this opportunity and understand the depth and breadth of differences that abound in the global community. This time calls for a new consciousness and a new capacity for collective leadership to meet challenges in a more intentional and strategic way. Completing an internship in Barcelona, will not only help to develop a new consciousness and leadership capability, but it will also illuminate the importance of active engagement and experiences in learning. I plan to take full advantage of this internship opportunity and discover newfound passions that will help shape my future career plans going forward.

Because it was my first couple days in Barcelona, I played a typical tourist and visited the famous Park Guell by Antoni Guadi. Here is a little snip-bit of the history of the gorgeous park:

Park Guell was intended to be an estate for well-off families. When Eusebi Guell bought the site located on a hill with little vegetation and few trees called Muntanya Pelada (Bare Mountain) in the 1900s, he wanted to recreate the selective British residential estates and entrusted the development and urban-planning of the entire estate to Antoni Guadi. The location was unbeatable with an amazing view over the sea and plain of Barcelona. In 1914, however, Guell chose to halt construction work on the project because no one was buying. Eusebi Guell’s heirs offered the estate to the Barcelona City Council which decided to acquire it in 1922 and opened it as a public park four years later.

My friends and I purchased our tickets, which were only 8 euros, in advanced (highly recommended) and was allowed to stay there for however long we pleased. Throughout the park, you can see Gaudi’s didactic forms. He wanted to use symbolism to help restore the values of Christianity and Catalanism.

Park Guell was definitely worth the visit and one of the most impressive parks I have ever seen! It is incomprehensible to me that nobody wanted to live there 100 years ago!

This past weekend I found myself with a free Sunday afternoon in Barcelona. I decided that I wanted to go on a hike. After brief research, I discovered Tibidabo–a mountain overlooking Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. At 512 metres (1,680 ft), it is the tallest mountain in the Serra de Collserola. Rising sharply to the north-west, it has views over the city and the surrounding coastline.

To get there, it was not so much a hike, but rather a commute of all different types of public transportation. My friends and I met at the metro station, took a cable car up the mountain, and a bus to the top of Tibidabo. Once I arrived at the peak of the mountain, I was greeted with the most beautiful view overlooking Barcelona, a stunning church (the Sagrat Cor church) and the Tibidabo Amusement Park. It was incredible!

Even though we were sad that the amusement park was closed at the time, my friends and I could not have asked for a better way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Getting to witness world famous architecture and an amazing panoramic view of the whole seaside metropolis (shown above), Tibidabo was quite the experience. I will definitely be returning here in the future!

Blog post 1 – Working on The Field – Museu d’Història de la Ciutat

1.  take 5 pictures of Roman Monumental influence and its engineering capacity in Barcelona: walls, towers, sewer system,public baths,streets. write your comments on comparisons with todays Catalan Buildings

When first arriving at the History of Barcelona Museum, I went through an exhibition about how the Romans lived, including information on the domus, or Roman house. The photos below depict a house, owned by an important city character, and was built during the 4th century, in a prosperous and dynamic time for the small Roman city. 

I next discovered what a laundry and dyeing workshop was like during this time. Something interesting I learned was how urine was used as a bleach and disinfectant by the Romans. Below is a photo of where the civilians would do daily life such as laundry and dying, which does not exist anymore today. Instead, there are laundry mats, dry cleaners ect. 

The photo below is of a sewer, which was reformed in the 4th century, and collected the sewage. Today, some of the tunnels of the 4th century are still in use, however, most are inaccessible to the public. 

2.Find 3 images of Roman Religious artifacts. Religious life: From Polytheism to Monotheism. How can you explain the change and its cultural meaning.

Religion was a huge aspect of Roman history in Catalonia and continues to play a major role in its society, even after the Romans left Barcelona.  Old Roman City of Barcelona began as polytheistic, or belief in or worship of more than one god.  However, over time as the Roman Empire grew and developed, the Roman Empire began to adopt practices of Christianity, a monotheistic religion. 

The photo below shows real Biblioteca del Monasterio de San Lorenzo El Escorial.

3. Take 5 pictures on construction similarities and find some Catalan buildings with roman catalan decorative arts today. Architecture: houses in roman times and today (Domus Romana). Write a paragraph on its similarities. Can we find similarities too with american architecture today? Why?Many of the building that I passed on my way to the Museu d’Historia de la Ciutat seemed to be strongly influenced by Roman architecture. The Pictures below display roman influences influences in the arches and columns on the exterior. Many officials buildings built in the US are very strongly influenced by Roman architecture as well.  One of the most obvious ones being the White House, which displays Roman influences in the arches and columns on the exterior. 

The Cathedral of Barcelona itself seems to be more Gothic, rather than Roman; However, the building to the right seems to take on more of a roman exterior archaeological type.

a. What is the Culina in a typical Roman House or Domus

Wealthy Roman citizens in the towns lived in a domus. They were single-story houses which were built around a courtyard known as an atrium.  The culina or kitchen was usually small, dark, and poorly ventilated, relegated to an obscure corner of the house. 

b. What is the Peristylum?

The peristylium was an open courtyard within the house; the columns surrounding the garden supported a shady roofed portico whose inner walls were often embellished with elaborate wall paintings. 

c. What is the atrium?

As previously mentions, in a domus, the atrium was the open central court with enclosed rooms on all sides (with no roof). 

d. What is the triclinium?

A triclinium is a formal dining room in a Roman building. Middle class and elite Roman houses usually had at least two triclinia; it’s not unusual to find four or more. 

4. Domestic objects: make a list and compare some of ancient roman habits through artifacts found on the museum. Explain your opinion and tell which one surprised you and why. -An ancient Roman habit I found interest was the salting of fish. Vats were build for fish to be skinned, cut, and processed into Garum, an ancient fish sauce that was popular with the Romans. 

-The cloth dyeing process was also interesting to me. The dyeing shop purportedly featured colors such as “Egyptian Blue” and “Pompeii Blue”. These pigments are still noticeable on several of the concrete slabs, which really blew my mind. 

-The pedestrian streets were interesting to me because I thought it was weird sewers were just out in the streets, and often overflowed. 

5. Images and Gods related to Food and Wine in roman times. How did romans left Wine Culture in Catalunya and how is today? Can you imagine how wine was transferred to Christian Religion? Write about Wine Culture today in Catalunya finding at least 2 examples of Wine brands popular today.

Wine holds a very special place in Catalan cultures. The romans influenced wine culture because the Romans produced a lot of wine in Barcelona, which they would sometimes ship to other countries. In religious terms, during this time, wine was a symbol of the blood of Christ. Today, Catalonia still produces a great number of wine. Two popular brands are Conca de Barbera and Alella. 

6. Show a picture of the visigothic influence in Catalunya and take a photo the firs Visigothic Baptism pool you will find at the museum from 4th century a.d. Explain the changes you observe of the arrival of Christianity in Catalonia.

The first news of the presence of Christianity in Catalonia sponds to the early 4th century. Christianity was one of the religions coming from the Middle East which spread across the Mediterranean. It was propagated above all among the popular classes. Toward the end of the Roman Empire, other groups came from the east came to take control of Catalonia; the Visigoths ruled over the region from the 5th-8th centuries. In the fifth century, the shape of the baptismal font of the cathedral of Barcino was changed from square to octagonal,  and a series of structures for liturgical and residential use were built close to the baptistery, consisting of a room attached to the baptistery. 

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton