Barcelona - (Cities in World History) by Gary McDonogh & Sergi Martinez-Rigol (Paperback)

About the Book

"Barcelona" is the second book in Polity's exciting new "Cities in World History" series, which provides the general reader and traveller with historically informed companions to the world's greatest cities. These new books bridge the gap between guide and history by offering concise and accessible accounts written by some of the world's leading historians. Barcelona has existed as a settlement for two millennia. Greeks, Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Visigoths, Arabs and Franks shaped (and sometimes destroyed) the city before it achieved, in the Middle Ages and Renaissance, global power as a trading metropolis and capital of the Aragonese-Catalan Empire. After a long period of struggle with the unifying Spanish state in the early modern period, the city revived in the 18th and 19th centuries as an industrial and commercial powerhouse. It became a centre of culture, ornamented by modern planning and wondrous works by Gaudi, Picasso, Miro and others. At the same time, Barcelona became known as the rose of fire: home to revolutionaries and anarchists. Creativity and conflict continued to shape Barcelona in the 20th century, as its citizens faced the Spanish Republic, Civil War and Franco's dictatorship before the large-scale revitalisation of the city following the 1992 Olympics. As McDonogh and Martâinez-Rigol link complex social and cultural currents to the rich architectural and experiential heritage of this multi-layered city, modern-day Barcelona reveals depths and surprises to visitors and residents alike"--

Book Synopsis

Barcelona has existed as a settlement for two millennia. Early civilizations shaped the city before it achieved, in the Middle Ages and Renaissance, global power as a trading metropolis and empire capital. After a long struggle with the unifying Spanish state, the city revived, in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, as an industrial and commercial powerhouse. It became a center of culture, ornamented by modern planning and wondrous works by Gaudí and others. Barcelona became known as "The Rose of Fire" home to revolutionaries and anarchists. Creativity and conflict continued to shape Barcelona in the twentieth century, as its citizens faced the Spanish Republic, Civil War and Franco's dictatorship. Linking social and cultural currents to the rich architectural and experiential heritage of this multi-layered city, McDonogh and Martínez-Rigol reveal Barcelona's hidden history to modern-day visitors and residents alike.

Review Quotes

"McDonogh and Martínez-Rigol have mastered the material thoroughly. This comprehensive survey uses the city as a document of its own history and captures Barcelona's elusive character. It will enhance visitors' experiences and be a trusty guide for students and the general reader."
--Felipe Fernandez-Armesto, author of 1492: The Year Our World Began

"A dream journey through Barcelona's history, combining deep knowledge and stories, complementary points of view, architectural and social aspects, and multidisciplinary and multigenerational visions."
--Carles Carreras, University of Barcelona

About the Author

Gary McDonogh is Helen Herrmann Chair and Professor of Growth and Structure of Cities at Bryn Mawr College.

Sergi Martínez-Rigol is Professor of Human Geography at the University of Barcelona.