Medieval Barcelona

1. Five streets dedicated to trades:
-semoleres- grains, cereals
-llana- wool
-candeles- candles
-cobres- cotton
-miralleas- mirrors
The guilds were the craft and trade area of Barcelona. Each guild had its own street with a picture that marks it. Each guild had its own saint as well.

2. The casa-taller was the main type of home in the trade area of Barcelona. The store/workshop was on the first floor and everyone in the home worked there. The first level (principal) was where the owner lived and had the largest balcony. The servant and apprentices lived upstairs with low ceilings and little or no balcony. This was all connected with a very narrow and small stairwell. The corner shops were most privileged because they had a presence on two streets.

3. A theme throughout this area is arches. Both in doorways and in small bridges like the one pictured. Also, shrinking balconies as the building went up was common because of how the workshops were laid out. There were mosaics also present. The style was modernist, but you can still see evidence of the Roman presence in Barcelona with the columns.

The Santa Maria del Mar is quite culturally relevant. It was built by the people of the guilds, for the people of the guilds. In contrast with La Cathedral, it was funded by the people rather than the cathedral which was funded by the hierarchy, Vatican, and nobility. Santa Maria was used by the working class people. The sailors would pray here before they left for sea. The merchants would compete for access to working for the cathedral. The decoration of the building is very Catalan. The outside is very simply decorated whereas the inside is grand and elaborate, with very high ceilings.