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As Barcelona brims with a diverse history and a rich cultural heritage, the streets here stand as witness to the various chapters which the city had experienced. Passeig de Grącia is one such historic street which has been a part of the citys life for more than two centuries. Linking Plaēa de Catalunya and the Grącia district, the street is today a major attraction of Barcelona, drawing a large section of the citys tourists to experience the quaint locale as it exists today.
Passeig de Gracia had been a major street of Barcelona, serving as an
important connector in the city. The street had originally been constructed
to link include the village of Grącia in the city of Barcelona. As the street
became the major connecting route, the narrow alley was eventually broadened
and lined with trees along its sides. In the following years, Passeig de Grącia
was further adorned with gas lights and Italian gardens which formed the picturesque
Tivoli. As numerous mansions lined the street, it had been the hub of the bourgeoisie
life in the 19th century. Till the beginning of the 20th century, Passeig de
Grącia had served as the seat of the most elite classes in the Spanish society,
housing them in majestic buildings along the street.
Passeig de Gracia continues to be a fantastic locale as it bears beautiful
constructions along its sides. The buildings in Passeig de Grącia are in fact
an interesting display of changing architectural patterns as they range from
colossal gothic constructions to delicate Victorian designs. The modernist movement
that swept through the continent in the early 19th century has also left its
mark in the constructions on Passeig de Grącia. The Batlló house and the Milą
mansion by Antoni Gaudķ deserve a special mention here as they still marvel
the visitors with their exquisiteness. The pavements too had been designed by
Gaudķ who laid the pavements with beautiful greenish grey relief stones. The
quaint buildings share the street with two considerably recent constructions
a bull, or Meditació and a giraffe, or Coqueta.
The street wears a quaint look though several new constructions fringe the road giving it a distinct smartness. Passeig de Grącia today throbs with numerous cafes, commercial galleries, stylish boutiques and a host of new establishments. A large number of visitors throng the street each day, giving it a lively charm which however, never imposes on the delicate old world charm which the boulevard still wears.
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