The Arc de Triomf () is a
triumphal arch
A triumphal arch is a free-standing monumental structure in the shape of an archway with one or more arched passageways, often designed to span a road. In its simplest form a triumphal arch consists of two massive piers connected by an arch, crow ...
in the city of
Barcelona
Barcelona ( , , ) is a city on the coast of northeastern Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within ci ...
in
Catalonia
Catalonia (; ca, Catalunya ; Aranese Occitan: ''Catalonha'' ; es, Cataluña ) is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy.
Most of the territory (except the Val d'Aran) lies on the north ...
,
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
. It was built by architect
Josep Vilaseca i Casanovas
Josep Vilaseca i Casanovas (; Barcelona, Spain 1848–1910) was a Spanish architect and artist who formed part of the '' Modernista'' movement.
He studied architecture in Madrid and qualified in 1873. He travelled with Lluís Domènech i Mont ...
as the main access gate for the
1888 Barcelona World Fair. The arch crosses over the wide central promenade of the
Passeig de Lluís Companys, leading to the
Ciutadella Park that now occupies the site of the world fair. It is located at the northern end of the promenade, facing the
Passeig de Sant Joan.
Design
The arch is built in reddish brickwork in the
Neo-Mudéjar
Neo-Mudéjar is a type of Moorish Revival architecture practised in the Iberian Peninsula and to a far lesser extent in Ibero-America. This architectural movement emerged as a revival of Mudéjar style. It was an architectural trend of the late 19 ...
style. The front
frieze
In architecture, the frieze is the wide central section part of an entablature and may be plain in the Ionic or Doric order, or decorated with bas-reliefs. Paterae are also usually used to decorate friezes. Even when neither columns nor ...
contains the stone sculpture ''Barcelona rep les nacions'' (
Catalan
Catalan may refer to:
Catalonia
From, or related to Catalonia:
* Catalan language, a Romance language
* Catalans, an ethnic group formed by the people from, or with origins in, Northern or southern Catalonia
Places
* 13178 Catalan, asteroid #1 ...
for "Barcelona welcomes the nations") by
Josep Reynés. The opposite frieze contains a stone carving entitled ''Recompensa'' ("Recompense"), a work from
Josep Llimona's earliest period, representing the granting of awards to the participants in the World Exposition. The friezes along the sides of the arch include allegories of agriculture and industry by Antoni Vilanova and of trade and art by Torquat Tassó. The two pillars of the arch feature
bats
Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera.''cheir'', "hand" and πτερόν''pteron'', "wing". With their forelimbs adapted as wings, they are the only mammals capable of true and sustained flight. Bats are more agile in flight than most bi ...
carved in stone, which were the emblem of
King Jaume I, who ruled over a period of prosperity in Barcelona.
Other triumphal arches
Similar structures can be found in many other cities, most notably including the
Arc de Triomphe
The Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile (, , ; ) is one of the most famous monuments in Paris, France, standing at the western end of the Champs-Élysées at the centre of Place Charles de Gaulle, formerly named Place de l'Étoile—the ''étoile'' ...
in
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
, the
Wellington Arch
Wellington Arch, also known as Constitution Arch or (originally) as the Green Park Arch, is a Listed building, Grade I-listed triumphal arch by Decimus Burton that forms a centrepiece of Hyde Park Corner in central London, between corners of ...
in
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
, the
Soldiers' and Sailors' Arch
The Soldiers' and Sailors' Arch is a triumphal arch at Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn, New York City, just north of Prospect Park (Brooklyn), Prospect Park. Built from 1889 to 1892, the arch is dedicated "To the Union Army, Defenders of the Union, ...
in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
, and the
Arcul de Triumf
The Arcul de Triumf ( Romanian; "Triumphal Arch") is a triumphal arch located in the northern part of Bucharest, Romania, on the Kiseleff Road.
The first, wooden, triumphal arch was built hurriedly, after Romania gained its independence (187 ...
in
Bucharest
Bucharest ( , ; ro, București ) is the capital and largest city of Romania, as well as its cultural, industrial, and financial centre. It is located in the southeast of the country, on the banks of the Dâmbovița River, less than north of ...
, plus
many from the Roman era. This arch, however, is non-military. It does not celebrate the country's military victories, but rather was built as the gateway to the 1888 World Fair and was thus intended to welcome people.
See also
*
Arc de Triomf metro station
*
Arc de Triomf railway station
Arc de Triomf is a Rodalies de Catalunya and Barcelona Metro interchange complex. It is named after the adjacent triumphal arch of the same name near which it is situated, in the Barcelona district of Eixample in Catalonia, Spain
, image_flag ...
References
External links
Brief description and history of Barcelona's ''Arc de Triomf'' on the official Barcelona Tourism siteThe Arc de Triomf on Google Maps
Buildings and structures in Barcelona
Terminating vistas
Triomf
Gates in Spain
Neo-Mudéjar architecture in Spain
Buildings and structures completed in 1888
World's fair architecture in Barcelona
1888 sculptures
Brick sculptures
Tourist attractions in Barcelona
Modernisme architecture in Barcelona
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