The Roman Wall of Barcelona

Parliament Visit On June 16th, we took a visit to the Parliament. This excursion was fun because we got to go inside specific rooms and learn about what goes on in each room. It was also cool just to see the building itself as it had a look of interesting details. For example, I really like the ceiling and how it was all pretty much glass. Along with all the architectural beauty, our tour guide also shared some interesting information their government.  Connection to POL 150 Visiting  Barcelona’s Parliament (Parlament de Catalunya)  offers a rich opportunity to explore the concept of  citizenship,  not just as a legal status, but as a dynamic, participatory relationship between individuals and the state. For example, witnessing citizenship in action. By visiting the Parliament, I saw how  representative democracy functions  at a regional level. Catalan citizens elect their own government, which debates laws, sets policies, and manages regional affairs....

The Unquestioned Transition   On June 17th, we went to the National Assembly to hear from Tony and learn about what their program all does and their viewpoint on Catalonian's. This presenter was very interesting because he had personal stories from not only himself but also his family. I really enjoyed this visit because it was more of a direct conversation about Catalonians with no information "hidden".  POL 150 Connection Spain’s transition to democracy (known as  La Transición , 1975–1982) is often described as “unquestioned” in the sense that it was widely accepted as necessary and was marked by a national desire to avoid another civil war. However, that very consensus also shaped how issues of  equality,  especially political, social, and historical, were handled, often by avoiding them. For example the pact of forgetting. The political elites agreed not to address the crimes committed during Franco's dictatorship (1939–1975) in order to maintain peace and ...

On Wednesday, June 18th, we all took a trip up to Montserrat which was an all day trip. This trip involved lots of different transportation which was a cool and new way to get around. We got to not only walk around at Montserrat, but we also got to go into the church and see the Black Madonna and listen to a kids choir. This trip was also special to me because my mom and sister go to join us! Montserrat Montserrat has a lot of geographical and natural significance. Montserrat means "serrated mountain" in Catalan, named for its jagged, saw like peaks. It's a striking and sacred natural landmark, rising dramatically from the surrounding landscape. The mountain is also a part of a protected natural park. Montserrat also holds spiritual and religious importance. It is home to the  Santa Maria de Montserrat Abbey , a  Benedictine monastery  founded in the 11th century. The monastery houses  La Moreneta  (The Black Madonna), a revered statue of the Virgin Mary that’s ...

 The Castle Dungeons       On Thursday June 19th, my mom, sister, and I took a trip up to Montjuic. The experience getting up there was something different and fun! We got to take a metro that just went straight up and then a cable car all the way to the top. The exterior of the castle was beautiful as we walked around and took pictures. We then bought tickets to go inside and learn more about the castle itself. There wasn't much inside besides the museum and a restaurant. The fun part was being able to go to the top and look through the look outs, along with reading about the history of the castle.  Montjuic       Montjuïc  (meaning “Jewish Mountain” in medieval Catalan) is a broad, flat-topped hill rising about  173 meters (568 feet)  above sea level. It has served  defensive ,  ceremonial ,  recreational , and  cultural  purposes throughout history. The historical importance of this site is to h...

The Fall of Barcelona     On Tuesday June 10th, I spent a lot of time in the Born District with a couple of my classmates. We started our day by visiting the chocolate museum, then the Picasso museum, did quite a bit of shopping, and finally ended our day at the Museum of Catalonian History. I learned a lot at this museum and thought of a bunch of different blog posts I could create using this knowledge. Typically I am not one to go to a history museum but I am glad I did because not only was it interactive, but also easy to understand with lots of visuals and clear descriptions of what was going on at the time. I was interested in learning more about their 9/11 after one of our tour guides brought it up. Therefore, I am writing this blog post about Spains' September 11th.  September 11th, 1714      The date September 11th, 1714, marks the fall of Barcelona during the War of the Spanish Succession. A turning point that is highly significant in Spanish ...

Under the Law of the Koran: A Journey Through Spain's Islamic Heritage      On Tuesday June 10th, a couple of us went to the Museum of Catalonian History. This museum was very fun to visit because it was interactive. Therefore, it wasn't just reading about the history, but you could act things out, try things on, and other fun interactive activities. The staff was also very nice because with the Barcelona card, we would still technically have to pay a certain amount but because we are students, we got in for free. I learned a lot at this museum as there were three floors worth of history. I was interested in how they figured out what resources they had and what they did with it and how it then evolved. It was also cool the layout of all this information. For instance, how they started from the very beginning and then had different parts to each specific generation. The layout of the museum itself was easy to navigate to make sure you are going in the right direction ...

 The Catalonians Basiclia On our tour of the Catalonian square, we stopped by the Basilica de Santa Maria Del Mar. This basilica is the most special to the Catalonians because they built it themselves piece by piece after getting denied to build the bigger basilica down the street. So they took it upon themselves to prove to everyone they are capable of building something just as great.  The Basilica isn't just an architectural or religious landmark, but it also connects to political theory through topics like community, power, and identity. Since the Santa Maria Del Mar was built by the city's common people like merchants and artisans, not by kings or clergy, it makes it a powerful symbol of popular sovereignty and civic participation. The church's construction reflects how ordinary citizens can shape public life and spaces. This also connects to the social contract and civic engagement topic because citizens voluntarily contributed labor and resources, embodying id...

 Protests By The Locals Sarah and I were just walking around the Catalonia Square area after the tour was done and saw a bunch of people crowded on the street blocked off by police. We weren't sure what they were protesting against because we obviously did not understand them. So, we took pictures of their signs and Nadim said it has something to do with protesting against different types of torture.  Protests in Barcelona can relate back to my POL 130 class because it rains questions about the state and their laws they have in place. Since POL 130 analyzes how ethnic or regional identities influence protest causes and state reactions, I figured this would be a good example. After further research, the Catalonian protests against violence, especially those involving police brutality or state repression, are rooted in a complex mix of historical, political, and social factors. The most visible trigger I found through research that happened in October of 2017, was the excessive ...

 The Roman Wall of Barcelona We were touring the Gothic Quarter for the day and one of the first few things our tour guide (Nadim) talked about was this wall. Back in the day there was a wall that surrounded certain parts or Barcelona. Some parts are still up/reserved; for example,  Plaça Nova , to the right of the Cathedral, is good point to start to see the remains of the wall. After some research, I found that f our towers  have been preserved, two in the Casa de l’Ardiaca, the archdeacon’s house, and two more either side of Carrer del Bisbe, which flanked one of the four entrances into the old  Roman town . After doing further research, this wall holds a lot of historical identity and regionalism which connects to my POL 130 class. For instance, the wall represents a time when Barcelona had a distinct urban and administrative identity, which Catalan nationalists sometimes invoke to assert  historical legitimacy  for greater independence from Spain....