Plaça de la Universitat, Barcelona
Encyclopedia
Plaça de la Universitat (official Catalan-language name since 1980; Spanish
: Plaza de la Universidad) is one of Barcelona
's central squares, split between the districts
of Eixample
and Ciutat Vella
. It's on the intersection of Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, Carrer d'Aribau and Ronda de Sant Antoni, to the west of Plaça de Catalunya, to which it's linked through Ronda de la Universitat
and Carrer de Pelai
.
It receives its name from the Universitat de Barcelona neo-gothic main campus, which lies on the Gran Via side, and was built between the years 1863-1889 by the architect Elies Rogent
, who devised the square as well in 1874, at the time when the Eixample was being built after the complete demolition of the city walls. Along with Plaça d'Urquinaona, it's arguably one of the most usual gathering points for demonstration
s in the city, as well as offering a pedestrianised area popular with skaters
. There are also a number of shops and restaurants, and a primary school.
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
: Plaza de la Universidad) is one of Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
's central squares, split between the districts
Districts of Barcelona
Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain proper is presently divided into 10 districts. These are administrated by a councillor designated by the main city council, and each of them have some powers relating to issues such as urbanism or infrastructure in their area. The current division of the city into...
of Eixample
Eixample
The Eixample is a district of Barcelona between the old city and what were once surrounding small towns , constructed in the 19th and early 20th centuries....
and Ciutat Vella
Ciutat Vella
Ciutat Vella is a district of Barcelona, numbered District 1. The name means "old city" in Catalan and refers to the oldest neighborhoods in the city of Barcelona, Spain. Ciutat Vella is nestled between the Mediterranean Sea and the neighborhood called l'Eixample...
. It's on the intersection of Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, Carrer d'Aribau and Ronda de Sant Antoni, to the west of Plaça de Catalunya, to which it's linked through Ronda de la Universitat
Ronda de la Universitat, Barcelona
Ronda de la Universitat is a major thoroughfare of central Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in lower side of the Dreta de l'Eixample, in the Eixample district. It links two of the city's three main squares, running from Plaça de Catalunya towards Plaça Universitat. There it meets Gran Via de les Corts...
and Carrer de Pelai
Carrer de Pelai, Barcelona
Carrer de Pelai is a major shopping street in Barcelona, one of the busiest in the city at daytime. It's the border between the central districts of Ciutat Vella and Eixample, and runs from the intersection of Plaça de Catalunya with La Rambla and the El Triangle shopping centre, to Plaça de la...
.
It receives its name from the Universitat de Barcelona neo-gothic main campus, which lies on the Gran Via side, and was built between the years 1863-1889 by the architect Elies Rogent
Elies Rogent
Elies Rogent i Amat , was a Catalan architect of Spanish nationality. He studied at the school of Architecture in Madrid, from which he graduated on 20 February 1851...
, who devised the square as well in 1874, at the time when the Eixample was being built after the complete demolition of the city walls. Along with Plaça d'Urquinaona, it's arguably one of the most usual gathering points for demonstration
Demonstration (people)
A demonstration or street protest is action by a mass group or collection of groups of people in favor of a political or other cause; it normally consists of walking in a mass march formation and either beginning with or meeting at a designated endpoint, or rally, to hear speakers.Actions such as...
s in the city, as well as offering a pedestrianised area popular with skaters
Roller skating
Roller skating is the traveling on smooth surfaces with roller skates. It is a form of recreation as well as a sport, and can also be a form of transportation. Skates generally come in two basic varieties: quad roller skates and inline skates or blades, though some have experimented with a...
. There are also a number of shops and restaurants, and a primary school.
Transport
- Barcelona MetroBarcelona MetroThe Barcelona Metro , part of the public transportation system of Barcelona, Catalonia, is an extensive network of electrified railways that run underground in central Barcelona and above ground into the city's suburbs. Since July 31, 2010, Barcelona Metro system consists of 11 lines with 165...
station UniversitatUniversitat (Barcelona Metro)Universitat is the name of a Barcelona Metro station named after Plaça Universitat, in the central Eixample district, the location of the main campus of Universitat de Barcelona, built in the neo-gothic style...
, on lines L1Barcelona Metro line 1— Line 1, shortened to L1 and known as "Hospital de Bellvitge - Fondo", coloured red and often simply called Línia vermella , is the second oldest metro line in Barcelona, after L3. It is operated by Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona . It appeared as a means to join the rail stations the city...
and L2Barcelona Metro line 2Line 2 is a metro line in Barcelona operated by TMB, coloured purple and sometimes simply called línia lila. It's part of the city's ATM fare-integrated transport network...
.