III.

Places of Interest

The oldest section of Barcelona, formerly enclosed by walls, was built on the harbour and is crossed by the Rambla, a paved roadway extending from the harbour to the Plaza de Cataluña, the focal point of the city. The streets of the old quarter are narrow and crooked; in the newer sections they are wide and straight, with modern buildings. Dominating Barcelona's skyscape are the fantastic openwork spires of Templo Expiatorio de la Sagrada Familia (Church of the Sacred Family), a huge, unfinished cathedral notable for the elaborate patterns and undulating curves characteristic of its builder, the Catalán architect Antoni Gaudí i Cornet. Several other buildings by Gaudí, including the Casa Milá (1905-1907), were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984. Other local landmarks include the church of San Pablo del Campo (914), the Gothic cathedral of Santa Eulalia, a monument to Christopher Columbus, and the nearby peak Tibidabo (532 m/1,745 ft). Among its many cultural institutions are the University of Barcelona (1450), the Autonomous University of Barcelona (1968), the Royal Archives of Aragón, the Archaeological Museum, the Museum of Ancient Art, and the Museum of Modern Art.