Trifter

History

Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain and is located at the mouth of the Llobregat and Besos rivers.  Legend has it that Hercules was the original founder of Barcelona some 400 years before the rise of the Roman Empire.  Around 15 B.C. the Romans turned the city into a military camp due to the city’s harbor, which was vital for trading and transportation.  The city was captured by Charlemagne and controlled by his son Louis until it was sacked by Al-Mansur in 985.

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City of Counts

A count was a nobleman in  European countries during the seventh and eighth centuries.  The city was nicknamed city of counts because throughout the eighth century it was under the control of the kingdom of Argon which was ruled by many Counts.

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Economy

With a population of over 5 and a half million people Barcelona has a major economic impact all across Spain.  Barcelona’s main export in the 1780’s was textiles.  Today however Barcelona’s economic impact comes primarily from its service sector but it still exports textiles, pharmaceuticals, and electronics.  In the summer of 2006 Barcelona was the host city for the Bread and Butter urban fashion show which pumped millions of dollars into the city in just a just a few weeks. 

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Climate

Since Barcelona is located on the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula the humidity is extremely low which is why the city is one of the driest in Spain.  Barcelona usually has mild winters which are followed by warm summers.  During the winter temperatures range from 5 to 13 degrees Celsius (45 F) and during the summer they range from 20 to 28 degrees Celsius (75 F).  Due to its proximity to the Mediterranean Sea temperatures can fluctuate rapidly from day to day and month to month.

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Culture

Barcelona is home to many venues for live music and theater including the world renowned Gran Theater del Liceu.  Barcelona is also home to the sonar music festival which takes place every year around June which attracts many musicians such as the Pinker Tones which have received international attention.  Barcelona has also hosted the 1992 Summer Games and several matches of the 1982 FIFA World Cup.

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La Rambla Street

La Rambla is a street that runs through the center of Barcelona that is popular among tourist.  It is 1.2 Kilometers long and features many different shops as well as the Gran Teatre del Luchi which is Barcelona’s world renown opera house.  Other notable landmarks located on La Rambla Street include Centre d’Art Santa Monica (a public Museum) and Font de Canaletes (a public square)

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