In this reduced and prosperous as active enclave during the century XIII, in which use to live up to four thousand inhabitants we found the history of the Jewish community in Barcelona.
As a curiosity, the Jewish districts that for the rest of the Iberian Peninsula were denominated “aljamas”, in Catalonia were called "Calls".
Nowadays the district is a mystery of narrow and shady side streets around the cathedral. In order to be situated one of the two gates of Jewish borough it is located between the Sant Jaume square and the Sant Doménech Street.
The Barcelona "Call" occupied part of the land in which it is nowadays the Generalitat Palace, bordering, to the north, until Santa Eulalia Street. It limited the west with the street Banys Nous and the south with the Castell Nou (where the Jews took refuge at moments of danger).
But if we do a little of history, the life of the Jewish community in Barcelona suffered a radical change in 1391, after the initiated anti-Jewish campaign in Valencia, part of the Barcelona people, helped by environs farmers, commenced an offensive to the district, being destroyed, and in which 200 Jews were assassinated and the rest expelled.
This year supposes the beginning of the progressive disappearance of the Catalan Jewish Quarters. Finally, the Jews expulsion decree by the crown of Castile and Aragón in the year 1492 comes to close a vast and fruitful chapter of Jewish history.
Also in the following stop, we will visit the most important building, the Synagogue, constructed in the century III and rediscovered 20 years ago, recovered and consecrated again in January of 2006.
After visiting the Synagogue, we will cross the Sant Jaume Square, Catalonia political centre, where are the Generalitat Palace, in one side, and the City Council building, to the other.
Before arriving at the King Square is the Lloctinent Palace of the century XV, in spite of not being a key place at that time, its interest is that many of the stones form their facade were extracted from the old Jewish Montjuïch cemetery.
We will follow until the monumental set of the King Square, set formed by the Condal Palace of century XI, were the, kings of Catalonia and Aragón used to live.
Keep going with the tour we will cross the Layetana Street and we will go until the District of the borough Rivera, where we find the Basilica of Santa Maria del Mar, the great gothic jewel of the city and one of the most loved churches by the Barcelona people.
In the place where it is raised this church existed already a well-known church from century X. Santa Maria de la arena and where according to the legend the rest of Santa Eulalia is buried. The new church was constructed in a record time for that time, 55 years,
From that time of splendour, close to Santa Maria del mar, are the great palaces of Montcada Street, main street of the medieval Barcelona bourgeois, the Finestres Palace where at the moment lodges the Picasso Museum and of Marques de Llio, Palace present Textile Museum.
From here, we will return to the Port or Hotel.