In the upper part of la Rambla, the promenade has the name of “Rambla de Canaletes” until Catalonia Square which separates the neighbourhoods Ciutat Vella and Eixamle. This part is one of the most popular of the city because of the Canaletes fountain.
In the upper part of la Rambla, the promenade has the name of “Rambla de Canaletes” until Catalonia Square which separates the neighbourhoods Ciutat Vella and Eixamle. This part is one of the most popular of the city because of the Canaletes fountain.
The name is comes from the towers of the Medieval wall that surrounded Barcelona placed in the top of La Rambla called Canaletes. In this part crossed the water ditches which gave water to the city.
The water of the fountain came from a source that still exists in Montcada i Reixac and was so healthy that a legend said that whoever drinks water from Canaletes always come back to Barcelona. Even the queen María Cristina came back after drinking it from jar.
Nowadays, the Rec Comptal from which the water came has almost disappeared and now the source that brings water to Canaletes is a mystery. The only thing we can assure is that it is potable even if the taste is not the best one.
This part is also famous thanks to the celebrations of the Barça football club. In the thirties when the football lovers came to the editorial office of the magazine La Rambla to see in a blackboard the results of the matches. After the game they celebrated the victories in the same place. Now, when the Barça wins everyone gathers in this fountain.
When there aren’t celebrations people also come there to talk about sports and discuss.
Thefootball fans are just a tiny part of all the group of people who make up this path; a lot of people frequent the hotels as the Continental and the Lloret, the radio offices, cafés, shops, travel agencies, theatres as the Capitol that before was a cinema called “Can Pistoles” because it showed cowboys films.
If we add the commercial row in Catalonia square with the banks and department stores we can see the magnitude of Rambla de Canaletes.
Its privileged location, near the metro that is always expelling human beings and the human statues and street performances made this rambla an intersection of stories.
If you are also interested in booking tours in and around Barcelona, we recommend Barcelona Day Tours. They offer pickup from your hotel or the port and touring in a small group