Diverting Discord in Barcelona

One of my favorite spots in the Barcelona has a rather awful sounding name, despite being a thing of beauty. I'm speaking of La Manzana de la Discordia (The Block of Discord) at Paseo de Gracia numbers 35-45. Here the dramatically clashing styles of the three great architects of Catalan Modernism are on display in buildings that stand practically side by side: Lluís Domènech i Montaner' s Lleó Morera, Josep Puig i Cadafalch's Casa Casa Amatller, and and Antoni Gaudí's Casa Battló. Directly in front of the latter is a tile with km. 0 embedded on it to mark the beginning of the European Route of Modernism, also known as the European Route of Art Nouveau.

The Barcelona Modernism Route is an itinerary that takes you through the Barcelona of Gaudí, Domènech i Montaner and Puig i Cadafalch, the architects who, together with others, made Barcelona the world capital of Modernism. This Route enables you to get to know thoroughly impressive palatial residences, amazing houses, the temple that has become a symbol of the city and a huge hospital, but it also includes humbler and more everyday buildings and items such as chemists’, shops, lampposts and benches - 115 works in all which show that Art Nouveau put down strong roots in Barcelona and today Modernism is still an art that is alive and part of life in the city.*

There is an official Modernism Route Guidebook available at Barcelona tourist offices and in many local bookstores. The book includes discount coupons for sites along the route that charge entry fees. If you aren't interested in getting the book, you can find a list of the 115 sites included on the route here, as well as a briefer list of the thirty most recommended modernist monuments here.

Discord has never been so much fun!

Chao amig@s,

Carloz

*From What is the Modernism Route?

AVE Barcelona, AVE Madrid

A bullet train now connects Barcelona and Madrid! The BCN-Madrid AVE began its first commercial runs day before yesterday -- 12 years after construction was begun and 3 weeks before national elections. The trains were originally supposed to start running before Christmas.

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Traveling at speeds up to 350 ks per hour, the non-stop trip took just over 2 1/2 hours -- two hours and 38 minutes, to be exact. One newspaper reported that the train arrived in Barcelona 5 minutes early and another claimed it was 8 minutes early. The train trip used to take about 6 hours.

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AVE trains will leave Madrid and Barcelona at least every hour between 6am and 9pm. There will be 34 trains weekly: 15 trains will be direct and 19 will make stops in Zaragoza, Lleida and Tarragona. The non-direct runs will take about 3 hours 15 minutes.

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While a few tickets on selected runs are as low as 40 euros each way if bought on-line at least 15 days in advance, most round trip tickets cost between 162 and 192 euros. Airline tickets can be found for as little as 25 euros.

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The construction of the train has been quite controversial, with delays, cost overruns and damage to neighboring buildings. Concerns were heightened when several residential buildings in Barcelona collapsed due to under ground construction on Metro line five. 1,000 people were left home less and 15,000 were affected. (Click here for more details about this incident.) Although this was due to construction on the Metro and not the AVE, it caused concern because the AVE runs underground within the city of Barcelona.

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So, when residents along the AVE line found cracks in their walls and damage to the foundations of buildings, there was understandable concern that a similar tragedy might occur along the AVE line. When a sinkhole appeared on the line, damaging not only buildings but a railway platform, criticism grew. The government recently announced a process whereby property owners along the line can file for financial compensation for damages.

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With the AVE set to be extended to France, the controversy is not over. The remainder of the line is being constructed under Barcelona's Sagrada Famila and there are people who believe that puts the structure at risk. The AVE tunnel will also pass under another Antoni Gaudi jewel, the Mila House, also known as La Pedrera. A Sagrada Familia Preservation Society was formed to challenge the construction.

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AVE stands for Alta Velocidad Española (Spanish High Speed). AVEs already run between Madrid and Sevilla, Madrid and Malaga, Madrid and Huesca, and Madrid and Vallodolid. (It almost sounds like all trains in Spain lead to Madrid, doesn't it?) More high speed rail lines are planned throughout the country, with the aim being that by 2010 all provincial capitals will be at most only 4 hours from Madrid. There's even talk of a Madrid - Lisbon line.

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Chao amig@s,

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Carloz