Barcelona is located on the coast of north-eastern Spain. The city is the capital and largest of Catalonia’s autonomous region and Spain’s second most populous municipality. In the 15th and 18th centuries, Barcelona experienced a period of decline and struggled to remain economically and politically independent. Eventually, the struggle ended in 1714 when Bourbon troops captured the city, and Catalonia’s rights and privileges were suppressed. The development of the textile industry began a period of cultural recovery in the mid-19th century. Catalan regained prominence as a literary language during this period, known as the Renaixença.
Barcelona was incorporated into the First French Empire as part of Montserrat’s department in 1812 and remained there for a few years before Napoleon’s defeat. The Barcelona Universal Exhibition was held in 1888, which significantly expanded the city’s urbanized area from Park de la Ciutadella to Barceloneta. In 1897, the Eixample district was created when the city absorbed six surrounding municipalities.
Toward the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, Barcelona developed as one of the cities that saw the modernist movement grow with more strength and personality. Architects, designers, and painters left an indelible mark on Barcelona that we will never forget.
Here are some stunning historical photos that show Barcelona in the 1870s.
