Barcelona Guide
The Ramblas
Plaça de Catalunya
The huge Plaça de Catalunya square at the top of the Ramblas stands at the heart of Barcelona, with the old town and port below it, and the Eixample district above and beyond. Laid out in its present form in the 1920s, centred on a formal arrangement of statues, circular fountains and trees, it's the focal point for local events and demonstrations – notably a mass gathering on New Year's Eve. The most prominent monument is the towering angular slab and bust dedicated to Francesc Macià, leader of the Republican Left, parliamentary deputy for Barcelona and first president of the Generalitat, who died in office in 1933.
For visitors, an initial orientation point is the white-faced El Corte Inglés department store on the eastern side of the square, whose ninth-floor cafeteria has stupendous views. The main tourist office is just across from here, while on the southwest side, over the road from the top of the Ramblas, ElTriangle shopping centre makes another landmark. Incorporated in its ground floor is the Café Zurich, a traditional Barcelona meeting place, whose ranks of outdoor tables – patrolled by supercilious waiters – are a day-long draw for beggars, buskers and pan-pipe bands.