FEATURES
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The "Man of Noses" arriving at Barcelona's Plaça de Sant Jaume for his reception with city authorities on New Year's Eve. Photo by Vicente Zambrano González courtesy of Ajuntament de Barcelona (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0).
Figures from Catalan Myths and Folklore
The ranks of Catalan mythological creatures are filled with characters both borrowed from international or religious lore, as well as others that are unique to the region.
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Volunteers begin to clean up the cami de Sedaví, November 2, 2024, photo by Pacopac (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Wikimedia Commons.
Valencia Floods, One Year On: What Have We Learned, and How Can We Prevent Similar Tragedies in the Future?
On October 29, 2024, destructive storms hit several areas of the Iberian peninsula, causing the most extreme rainfall recorded in Spain during the 21st century.
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Learn to Make Paella Like a Pro: Cooking Workshops in Barcelona
Not sure what to do with the exotic vegetables on show at the market? Want to know the secret of a good escalivada? Tie your apron on and take a journey through the world of Mediterranean gastronomy with a hands-on cooking workshop.
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A replica of Ictíneo I sits in the courtyard of the Museu Marítim de Barcelona. Photo by Carol (CC-BY-NC-SA-2.0) via Flickr.
Exploring the Depths: The First Fully-Functional Submarine
The world’s first fully-operational submarine was invented by Narcís Monturiol i Estarriol, a Catalan self-taught engineer and radical thinker, who dreamt that his machine could help save humanity.
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The tram traveling around the curve of Mossèn Jacint Verdaguer Square. Photo by Sortkat courtesy of Ajuntament de Barcelona (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0).
Barcelona’s Diagonal Tramway Extension Heads to Crucial October Vote
Plans to stretch Barcelona’s tramway linking Verdaguer and Francesc Macià along Diagonal face an Urban Planning Commission decision on October 21st, edging the city nearer to uniting two pivotal tram lines.
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The city's "gegants" and "nans" in Plaça Sant Jaume ready to celebrate La Mercè. Photo by Cesc Maymó courtesy of Ajuntament de Barcelona (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0).
La Mercè, Barcelona’s Second Patron Saint
Just like every neighborhood has its "festa major," nearly every town in Catalunya has a city-wide festival in honor of its patron saint. Barcelona has two patron saints: Santa Eulàlia and the Mare de Déu de la Mercè—known simply as La Mercè.
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Pau Casals cir. 1915-1920. Photo from the George Grantham Bain Collection, US Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division.
Pau Casals: Musician, Activist, Humanist
Who was Pau Casals? There are auditoriums, festivals, grants, music schools—even a highway—named after him, yet depending on who you ask, they’ll talk to you more about his music or about his politics.
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Joan Manuel Serrat.
Serrat: El noi de Poble-sec
There are only a few names in Spanish music that people all over the world recognize, and Serrat is one of them.
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Placa del Milicia Desconegut. Photo by Adam Jones (CC BY-SA 2.0) via Wikimedia Commons.
Plaça del Milicià Desconegut
A previously hidden sign on the church of Santa Maria del Pi survived the dictatorship unnoticed until 2004.
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Gender Violence: Getting Help in Spain
Estimates published by WHO indicate that about one in three women worldwide have been subjected to either physical and/or sexual violence in their lifetime. Help is out there. Find out who to call if it happens to you or someone you know.
