A square instead of a convent
Church properties across Spain were seized and sold in the 1830s. The Capuchin convent that stood here was demolished, and the city built an elegant square for the new middle class.
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Plaça Reial: Gaudí's first lampposts
Just off La Rambla, Plaça Reial is an arcaded 19th-century square built on the site of a demolished Capuchin convent. Its two lampposts are one of Antoni Gaudí's first public works.
Builtmid-19th century
ArchitectFrancesc Daniel Molina
Replaceda Capuchin convent
LamppostsAntoni Gaudí
Hear the Plaça Reial story, in the app's voice
A short preview. The full story plays on its own when you walk up to it with Urban Tales.
Three stories most visitors miss
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Gaudí before he was Gaudí
The two ornate lampposts by the fountain were designed by a young Antoni Gaudí, just out of architecture school. They're among his first public commissions.
3
Arcades and palms
The uniform neoclassical façades and ground-floor arcades were inspired by French squares. Today they're full of cafés, restaurants and music venues.
TipHave a coffee under the arcades in the morning, when it's quiet, and look closely at the helmets topping Gaudí's lampposts. At night the square gets busy and loud. With Urban Tales running, its story plays as you step in from La Rambla.
Nearby landmarks
Plaça Reial: common questions
Did Gaudí design the lampposts in Plaça Reial?
Yes. They're among Antoni Gaudí's first public commissions, made shortly after he qualified as an architect.
What was in Plaça Reial before the square?
A Capuchin convent, demolished after the seizure of church properties in the 1830s.
Where is Plaça Reial?
In the Gothic Quarter, just off La Rambla, through a short passage on its east side.