Barcelona, Spain • 360° Aerial Panorama[]
Barcelona is one of the most famous ancient cities in the world. According to one of the legends, the city was founded by the Hercules, the legendary hero of Greek mythology, 400 years before Rome. The second legend attributes the foundation of Barcelona to Carthaginian Hamilcar Barca, father of the commander Hannibal.
Due to its ideal location on the Mediterranean coast, Barcelona was a thriving city that was repeatedly besieged and conquered by many nations, including the Romans, Visigoths, Moors, Franks, British, and other nations. Despite that, the city was able to preserve its heritage up to this day. Various Barcelona landmarks, from the ancient fortresses to ultramodern skyscrapers, encompass almost all periods of its history.
The center of the old city is the Gothic Quarter. It still has many structures that were built during the Middle Ages, and even some buildings that were built around the time of the first Roman settlements. Right next to the Gothic Quarter is La Rambla, a lively street that is a must-see for everyone planning a trip to Barcelona. Besides fine shops and restaurants, almost every building here is an architectural monument. Particularly interesting is the old Boqueria market which is constructed from glass and decorated with mosaics, as well as the 60-meter tall monument to Columbus. The monument stands exactly where the famous explorer landed from his first voyage to America.
The city itself consists of many hills that have different height. The highest point (500 meters above sea level) is Mount Tibidabo that offers picturesque views of Barcelona. The name of the mountain comes from the Latin «Tibi Dabo» («I give you»), the words of devil whispered to the God in order to tempt him while showing the beauty of the world from the top.
The second highest point (173 meters) is Montjuic mountain, where Barcelona hosted the World's Fair in 1929 and the Summer Olympic Games in 1992. Local places of interest include futuristic Magic Fountain in the form of ellipse with lighting, music, and sometimes fireworks. A little further to the top of the mountain, we can find Montjuïc Park and Olympic area, as well as Montjuic castle, one of the most famous historic buildings in Barcelona. It was built in the 17-18th centuries to defend the city. During the course of the history the castle was seized several times: by the British led by Count Peterborough and also by Napoleon's troops. Nowadays it houses a military museum.