Old Gràcia, New Gràcia

Gràcia is both one and many at the same time. Yes: it is—still is—the village, the former independent municipality of Barcelona annexed in 1897 by royal decree along with five other nuclei of the Barcelona plain (Sants, les Corts, Sant Gervasi de Cassoles, Sant Andreu de Palomar, and Sant Martí de Provençals). It is also one of the ten districts of the current Barcelona, a wedge stuck between Sarrià – Sant Gervasi and Horta-Guinardó; the three of them, after the Eixample.

The Gràcia district contains, in turn, five neighborhoods: in the northern area, which once belonged largely to the also absorbed municipality of Horta, we find three: Vallcarca i els Penitents, el Coll, and la Salut, and, on the southern side of the Ronda del Mig —here, Travessera de Dalt—, two more; both with “Gràcia” in their name: one is, obviously, the current neighborhood of Vila de Gràcia, the bohemian heart of the district, the center of all attention, but let's shift the focus to the other, another Gràcia (the second, the fourth, what does it matter?): Gràcia Nova.

Map of the Gracia neighborhood (by Vilarrubla)

The enclave actually belongs to an official neighborhood that also includes Camp d’en Grassot, named after the main landowner at the time of its urbanization in the mid-19th century. Formerly a rural no man's land between independent Gràcia and the walled Barcelona, this southeastern appendage of the current Gràcia district boldly extends into the Dreta de l’Eixample and the Sagrada Família, adhering to Cerdà's grid in 19 blocks where the Passeig de Sant Joan comes to an end. But let's focus on the northern part of this neighborhood, known as Gràcia Nova, a narrow strip structured around the parallel streets of Ca l’Alegre de Dalt and Secretari Coloma, which mercilessly cuts through the Pi i Margall diagonal, the southern border of this other Gràcia.

The modern name “Gràcia Nova” originally referred to its commercial area, and is therefore not a historical name nor, according to some, very appropriate. In fact, it is the upper part of the so-called Camp d’en Grassot, whose traditional name is the hamlet (neighborhood) of Ca l’Alegre de Dalt. It is a relatively autonomous area of the town; it is characterized by a distinct urbanization, with newer buildings and a higher concentration of commercial activity.

One of the iconic buildings of Gràcia Nova is, at the northern end of the area, the modernist Casa Josep Barnolas (Camèlies, 40), a single-family tower from 1905 whose beautiful curvilinear facade remains intact. Very close by, there are two fundamental facilities: the Nostra Senyora del Remei clinic —there is also another one for the elderly only: Hestia Gràcia, formerly Secretari Coloma—, and the Sardenya Municipal Sports Center, which includes the municipal football field Nou Sardenya, home of the emblematic Club Esportiu Europa, founded in 1907 and currently playing in the third division.

Josep Barnolas House (photo by Rosanna).

Europa Sports Club Football Field (photo by Amadalvarez)

At the lower part of the small neighborhood, near Pi i Margall, we find the modern parish of Sant Carles Borromeu, very close to the Joanic stop of the L4 metro line (the yellow one), and the Mercat de l’Estrella. But that's not all: we also find the public school Pau Casals – Gràcia and, in the center of the neighborhood, a theatrical institution: the Sala Beckett.

Church of Saint Charles Borromeo (photo by Jordi Ferrer)

Sala Beckett (photo by Jordi Ferrer)

This is the interesting environment of the Núñez i Navarro offices at Ca l’Alegre de Dalt, 55-57, corner of Providència, available for rent. The Providència building and the premises of Ca l’Alegre de Dalt add up to a total of 1,425 square meters, and, at number 66 of the same street, Núñez i Navarro also rents two premises of about 50 and 80 square meters respectively. Both are part of the ground floor of a development of 28 homes, already for sale off-plan with spectacular views of the sea and mountains (NN ALEGRE DE DALT).