Roman Wall
The Ancient City Gate, a Symbol of the Gothic Quarter
Barcelona preserves towers, gates, and fragments of the walls that the Romans built in the 3rd century AD to defend the city. In the Gothic Quarter, you can see the entrance to the Roman Decumanus and two impressive defensive towers, as well as a section of Roman wall upon which Gothic-style vaults were added during the medieval period.
One of the best places to view the wall gates—flanked by towers spaced up to 10 meters apart—is Plaça Nova, next to the Barcelona Cathedral. Here stands the Porta Praetoria, known in the Middle Ages as the Bishop’s Gate, which provided access to the colony "Iulia Augusta Faventia Paterna Barcino" via the Decumanus. Flanking the gate are two cylindrical towers from the original Roman wall, although their height was increased in the 12th century.
For a unique view of the second Roman wall, head to Plaça Ramon Berenguer el Gran, where Gothic, medieval, and Roman Barcelona converge. Here, a section of wall dating from the early 4th century AD is preserved. This fragment is particularly interesting because you can see the medieval vaults superimposed on the Roman wall. In this square, you’ll also find an equestrian statue of Ramon Berenguer, Count of Barcelona from 1096 to 1131, created by Josep Llimona. During the reign of Peter III the Ceremonious in the 14th century, the royal chapel of Santa Àgata was built in Gothic style, with its foundations resting on the Roman wall.
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The Fortification of Barcino
From the late 3rd to early 4th century, Barcelona built a double wall up to 8 meters thick in some sections, with 70 to 80 two-story towers about 18 meters high. Most had rectangular bases, while 10 had semicircular bases and were located at the gates. These gates had three openings: a wider central one for vehicles and two smaller side ones for pedestrians. The upper floors of the towers had semicircular windows designed to protect the city from outside threats. The large number of towers within a relatively small perimeter—between 1,220 and 1,350 meters—earned Barcelona the nickname “the crowned city.”
The new or second wall of "Barcino," whose remains can still be seen today, was built on the foundations of the first wall, erected in the 1st century BC. The first incursions by the Franks and Alemanni around the year 250 prompted the need to reinforce the walls, and under the imperial rule of Claudius II, Barcino began fortification improvements.
How to Get to the Roman Wall
From the Gothic Quarter stop on the Red Route of the Barcelona Bus Turístic, you can reach Plaça Ramon Berenguer el Gran via Via Laietana.
For the curious
- You can trace the path of the Roman wall—sometimes in plain sight, other times hidden—by following this route: Plaça Nova, Av. Catedral, Tapineria, Pl. de l’Àngel, Sots-Tinent Navarro.
- To discover the lesser-known wall fragments, visit the City History Archive on Carrer de Santa Llúcia. Crossing the courtyard, you’ll encounter the inner side of the wall. Also, in the courtyard of the Casal de Gent Gran Pati Llimona on Carrer Correu Vell 5, you’ll see an impressive stretch of wall. Inside the Ruins Hall of the Pati Llimona Civic Center, you can view up to 17 meters of wall, including one of the side pedestrian gates known as the Porta del Regomir.
