The old Born Market

From the Parc de la Ciutadella, walk into the old city centre along Carrer Fusina or Carrer de la Ribera, which will take you to the Mercat de Born (Plaça Comercial, 12), until the 1970s the main wholesale market of the city. This structure of iron, wood and glass designed by Josep Fontserè and built in 1876 is an excellent example of the architectural forerunners of Modernisme, which excelled in the design of new structures made possible by using new industrial materials, and in the importance given to natural light.

The old market is a building of extraordinary lightness and transparency due to its slender metal columns and the light that filters through the slatted shutters around the sides. The market, with its six aisles – two in the centre and four smaller ones at the side – and spacious interior, have earned it the name of the cathedral of iron and glass. This fine example of wrought-iron architecture reminds us of two distinct periods in history: the medieval city and the city that was reborn during the second half of the 19th century

In 2001, during the first renovation, they found remains of the neighborhood Felip V’s armies had demolished to make way for the military Citadel in 1715. and they had to stop everything. The discovery caused a huge debate that was finally resolved assigning the space to museum space.

The characteristic glass that covered the facade has been replaced or restored, the stairs and the whole roof have been reformed and now they are starting to work on the interior distribution of the different rooms.

The building will be 6.700 squared meters and divided into two different levels. The first one will be underground where you will be able to walk through the 1714’s ruins, equipped with panels with relevant explanations about the route and with glass cabinets with more than 3.000 objects that show how Barcelona’s citizens lived at those times. The second one, at street level ,will have the polyvalent rooms.

They expect to inaugurate the new market in autumn during 2013, coinciding with several major festivities of the Barcelona calendar (La Mercè, 11^th September…)

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Sources : GoSpain   Routa del Modernisme  RentTopApartments   Mediaforis  Barcelonaturisme