The Barcelona El Born district is known as the medieval quarter. It district is sandwiched between Via Laietana and Barceloneta. El Born used to house some of Barcelona’s wealthiest. Especially on Carrer Montcada, which is now home to the Picasso Museum. Back in the day, el Born was home to the textile guilds of Barcelona. Specific guilds used to characterize neighborhoods and even sometimes name streets. El Born was known for its textiles and is now also home to the Textile Museum.
Also located in el Born is la Basilica de Santa Maria del Mar. This gothic church has a robust appearance, with tall windows, a large circular window at the center top, and a detailed façade around the entrance way that comes to a point. Inside you see tall columns that lead into a typical gothic style ceiling of arches. Next to the Basilica is a mass grave of Catalan soldiers that lost their lives in the War of Spanish Succession. A flame burns through the day and night atop of a tall monument in the fallen soldiers memory. The War of Spanish Succession is an important period of Spanish and Catalan history. The war was fought between the Bourbons and the Hapsburgs to see who would take control of the country. The Bourbon monarch Phillip V eventually won, which had unfortunate results for Barcelona. After one third of the city was destroyed, the new monarch implemented new harsh laws that restricted Catalans political and personal freedoms. To house the people that were left homeless by the city’s destruction, Phillip V built the nearby Barceloneta. Walking through the el Born district, you can feel the weight of history and get a sense of Catalan nationalism. 
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