Centennial markets in Barcelona that have survived to the present day

Barcelona has been shaped by its markets. Or at least its commercial character. One only needs to look at the current relevance of century-old markets in Barcelona to understand that the people of Barcelona have found in them a melting pot of opportunities in which to develop an entrepreneurial idiosyncrasy that has been perpetuated from generation to generation, becoming part of the DNA of the ancient Barcino. That's why today we suggest a review of some of the oldest centers in the Catalan capital.

Encants Market

One of the oldest active markets in Europe, with almost eight centuries of history. The history of Barcelona and its commercial dynamism cannot be explained without mentioning the Encants market, which has become one of the most emblematic sites of our city. Over the centuries, it has had an itinerant character, as it has been located in different areas of Barcelona. The first traces of this traditional market can be found from 1200 in the Sant Jaume square, where public auctions and sales to the 'Encante', that is, praising the virtues of the product in question, were held.

After Sant Jaume square, the market moved to Plaça Nova, then to Volta dels Fusters, and in the 19th century, it was relocated outside the city walls, at the intersection of what today would be Ronda Sant Pere with Paseo Sant Joan. Its journey continued through various locations in Barcelona until in 1928, it was moved to what has become the flea market we have come to know: the Glòries square, where it remained until 2014, when it was transferred to a new covered space at the corner of Meridiana Avenue with Glòries. Although the market has been covered, it has been equipped with a spectacular roof and a large number of mirrors to create the sensation that it is still an open-air flea market.

And what can we find inside? Well, the answer would be everything. According to the 500 merchants and professionals, if you can't find what you're looking for there, it probably doesn't exist: unusual or hard-to-find products, as well as all kinds of old and new items, handmade and technological. There's also an abundance of antique furniture, old records, and second-hand appliances. Over time, the market has managed to renew itself and now also offers parking, fitting rooms, and food services.

Of course, the traditional auctions are still held three times a week, under the watchful eyes of the many visitors (up to 100,000 weekly) it receives, including regulars, tourists, and those curious to land a real bargain.

Galvany Market

Undoubtedly, one of the most beautiful municipal markets in Barcelona. Each of its eight sides features modernist stained glass windows that have earned it the status of an artistic monument in the city. Its construction began in 1868 thanks to the donation of land by the Count of Galvany to build a covered market on the site of the former open-air market of farmers and fishmongers. The delay in completion (it was not finished until 1927) meant that the construction ended up embracing the prevailing architectural trend of the time: Modernism.

This fact explains why, despite its ancient history, it is not built on iron like other municipal markets, but on a structure of exposed brickwork. Its central hall is arranged in the shape of a Greek cross with a large octagonal dome, supported by four archways. Each of its eight sides is decorated with modernist stained glass windows. Inside, 28 iron columns help support the roof, which is made up of a metal structure and a layer of wooden sheets.

At each end of the building, there are facades that provide natural lighting to the interior through nine arches, which are in turn decorated with modernist stained glass and 'trencadís' mosaics that form the ancient coat of arms of Barcelona. And right in the center of the market is the crown jewel, a modernist streetlamp with a period clock at the top that has been there since the 19th century.

La Concepción Market

Symbol of Barcelona's expansion beyond its medieval walls, the Concepció Market was born in the 19th century to serve the people of a new neighborhood built on the plain of Barcelona: the Eixample. Since then, the market has become a true nerve center of the right side of the Eixample district. Like a Greek agora, it was a place where the life of the neighborhood could be felt, and between purchases, the various socio-political changes experienced over 130 years of history were discussed and debated.

Architecturally, the building leaves no one indifferent. A child of the era in which it was conceived, the market was constructed of iron, a dominant material at that historical moment, present in other European constructions like London's Crystal Palace or the well-known Eiffel Tower. In addition to the metallic structure, the building has three covered aisles and a facade of exposed brickwork, with glazed ceramic pieces, giving it a unique appearance from the outside. Its two main facades (Aragó Street and València Street) are identical, endowing the building with a symmetry that, along with the wrought iron, makes the complex truly beautiful.

Liberty Market

Having just turned 130 years old, the Mercado de la Llibertat is one of the oldest markets in our city. It was built in 1888, when Gràcia was still an independent town from Barcelona. However, the Universal Exposition that was to be inaugurated that year caused huge migratory flows from the rest of Spain, both to Barcelona and its neighboring municipalities, in search of opportunities.

This fact prompted architect Miquel Pasqual Tintoré to design a market that was already influenced by the style of the era, modernism, which is present just a few meters from the market in the Casa Gaudí. In the central part of its facade, one can appreciate a modernist shield with impossible shapes. Meanwhile, the roof was finished with black and reddish glazed ceramic, in addition to having iron borders.

For its part, the roof was made of iron with a perimeter closure of exposed brickwork and panels with openings that allowed the market to be ventilated. All these details were driven by the ceramist and master builder Francesc Berenguer, a personal friend of Gaudí, who interpreted the prevailing architectural trend of the time in his own way. This fact undoubtedly earned the market recognition as a Cultural Asset of Local Interest, and a place to escape to after a stroll through the Gràcia neighborhood or after visiting Casa Vicens.