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The district of the Ciutat Vella (Barcelona's old part of town), is divided in to four parts:
> The Gothic Quarter, between
Las Ramblas and
Via Laietana, and in the centre
> La Ribera/El Born, between Vía Laietana and Comerce street
> El Raval, between La Rambla and the Paral.lel, to the East
>
La Barceloneta, in the South, fishing village
The square was the old Roman forum, centre of the economic and social activity of the city, in the II a.C.
In the IV Century it was surrounded by an immense mural, that protected the barbaric Romans, the Laya tribes, or Laietanas (from this the
Vía Layetana got its name, an area that did not form part of the Roman city).
La Roman Wall, in where we can see today its delimitations, formed a perimeter oval that included
Avenida de la Catedral, Plaza Nova, and the streets, Banys Nous, Avinyó, Gignàs, Correu Vell and Sostinent Navarro.
In the Medieval era the Roman fórum converted in to the Sant Jaume square, that became the political centre, and where currently residing is the headquarters of the
Generalitat de Catalunya (Autonomic Government) in the top part; y del
Ajuntament de Barcelona (City Council), in the bottom part.
In the
Museo de Historia de la Ciudad, in the
Plaza del Rei (King Square), one can find traces of the populations that where in the areas the longest from centuries gone by: Romans, Visigothics, Arabs, French…
The Gothic, central area, developed as the quarter most important of the city, with commercial centres and the headquarters of the politics. Here you can contemplate the Barcelona Cathedral and the
Plaza Real.
The Ribera, port and marine suburb, also known as The Born, was connected to the Gothic with the walls built in XIII Century. In the XX Century, since the opening of
Via Laietana, it forms part of the centre of the city.
In this area do not miss out on the
Palau de la Música Catalana, la Iglesia
Santa María del Mar (Santa Maria Church), or the
Museo Picasso.
The neighbourhood Raval is newer, and represents another social reality of the city arising from the Industrial Revolution. Adjoining this area is the Boquería Market, and the museums
CCCB y
MACBA.
From the Colombus Lookout, situated in the Port Vella area, one can contemplate a unique view of the city.