PRINCESA, LA CALLE DE LOS BURGUESES. SU HISTORIA

SUBSCRIBE:    / @barcelonamemory   BECOME A MEMBER:    / @barcelonamemory   WEBSITE: http://barcelonamemory.com/ INSTAGRAM:   / barcelonamemory   FACEBOOK:   / barcelonamemory   CONTACT: [email protected] TIPEEE FOR DONATIONS: https://es.tipeee.com/barcelona-memory SYNOPSIS: Princesa Street was opened as part of a city council project (1820-1823) to decongest the city when Barcelona had not yet demolished its walls. The works lasted thirty years. During the reign of Ferdinand VII, Charles d'Espagnac, the military governor of Catalonia, decided to open a road connecting the Rambla, then the city's main thoroughfare, with the Citadel. The aim was to improve sanitation in the area and facilitate the movement of troops, in case of serious disturbances, from the fortress headquarters to the city center. Connecting the Rambla with Plaça de Sant Jaume involved demolishing many houses to open Carrer de Ferdinand VII. The new buildings had to adhere to urban planning criteria of uniformity, height, and rounded corners. The final stage of the project was opening Carrer de la Princesa. This was completed in one year (1852-1853) when Santiago Lluís Dupuy was mayor of the city. It was to run from the current Plaça del Àngel, formerly known as Plaça del Blat, to the Passeig Nou, or Passeig de la Esplanade, opposite the Citadel. The master builders Francisco Daniel Molina and Josep Oriol Mestres were in charge of the project. To finance the works and cover the compensation for the displaced residents (1852), the City Council was authorized by Royal Decree to take out a loan of 3 million reales at 5% interest, payable over 15 years. A labyrinth of medieval alleyways had to be cleared. Ombra, Esgrima, and Volta d’en Tatxer streets disappeared, and Mill, Montcada, Flassaders, and Corretger streets were divided. The new thoroughfare was inaugurated on November 19, 1853. It was the widest in the city, one of the first cobblestone streets! It was named in honor of Infanta Isabel, then Princess of Asturias. In just a few years, it became one of the most elegant streets in the city. For over 50 years, the most luxurious shops were located here, and the residences of bourgeois families gradually shifted to this area. In preparation for the 1888 Universal Exposition, a new section, Carrer de Cádiz, was added, leading to the new Passeig de la Indústria, now Passeig Picasso. Josep Fontseré, who was remodeling the grounds of the old Citadel for the Exposition, designed the arcaded buildings between 1853 and 1870. In 1908, the first section of Via Laietana was opened, perpendicularly cutting across the Princesa-Jaime I axis at Plaça del Àngel. In 1932, its name was changed from Princesa to Carrer de Pablo Iglesias. At half a kilometer long, Carrer de la Princesa is now frequented by millions of tourists visiting the Picasso Museum, and it is also a necessary route for direct access to El Born and Parc de la Ciutadella. THE FULL TEXT IS ON OUR WEBSITE: www.barcelonamemory.com