City Matters
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The correfoc is a major celebration, both in Barcelona and throughout Catalunya. Photo by Calves Klein (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Wikimedia Commons
Correfocs Are Barcelona’s Noisiest Tradition—And "Fire Devil" Performers Sacrifice Their Hearing to Take Part
Fire has long shaped the rhythms of public life in Catalunya. Its presence can be traced back to before the 14th century and appears in one of the earliest written records of Barcelona’s civic rituals.
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View of Barcelona from Doctor Pla i Armengol Gardens in the Guinardó neighborhood. Photo by Xavi Torrent courtesy of Ajuntament de Barcelona (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0).
What Do You Know about Horta-Guinardó?
Located on the northern outskirts of the city, with the wide, green hills of the Collserola at its back, this district is a collection of mostly Catalan neighborhoods, each with a proud history and a personality all its own.
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Badalona's dimoni, 2009. Photo by Carquinyol (CC BY-SA 2.0) via Wikimedia Commons.
Badalona’s Fiery Festival: La Cremada del Dimoni
For the whole month of May, Barcelona's neighbor to the north with be filled with the Festes de Maig celebrations, the highlight of which is the traditional burning of the demon on May 10th.
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Caterina Albert i Paradís.
The Woman Behind the Man: Víctor Català, Caterina Albert i Paradís
Víctor Català is one of the most important writers in the history of the Catalan language, and she forged a path for herself in an era when women were rarely encouraged to pursue a literary career.
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Trobada de Puntaires in 2008, photo by Ajuntament de Vilanova i la Geltrú (CC BY 2.0) via Flickr.
Punta al Coixí: Turning Thread into Gold
More than a craft, lace-making is a way to connect with the past and maintain some perspective in these hectic, changing times
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Dance of the new "gegants" of Sant Roc. Photo by Edu Bayer courtesy of Ajuntament de Barcelona (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0).
Do You Know Catalunya's Gegants?
These giants have played a key role in Catalan street parties for centuries, here's why.
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Plaça del Consell de la Vila in the Sarrià neighbothood, photo by Vicente Zambrano González courtesy of Ajuntament de Barcelona (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
Sarrià-Sant Gervasi District: Barcelona’s “Zona Alta”
Many Barcelona natives and long-time residents are unfamiliar with this part of the city, which tends to be quiet and contains few tourist attractions, yet it's one of the districts with the most green spaces in the city.
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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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La Diada, September 11, 2014. Photo by Vicente Zambrano González courtesy of Ajuntament de Barcelona (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0).
La Diada: Catalunya’s National Day
A guide to Catalunya’s national day on September 11th.
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Image courtesy of Chris Reilly.
Metropolitan Culture Corner: Chris Reilly
This month we go behind the scenes with Chris Reilly, former chair of the Barcelona chapter of Democrats Abroad.
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