There are many curiosities to be found in Barcelona, some of the curiosities of the city are ghost stations of the railway network, the Magic Square this in one of the facade of the Sagrada Familia, or the large number of Movies that have been filmed in the city. Soon you will find here more curious that this city offers visitors.

| 06.12.2011 |

One of the things that has attracted attention is the Magic Square found in the Passion Facade of the Sagrada Familia. Magic squares are a peculiarity of numbers arranged in a square array, add the same amount in both columns, rows or diagonals. They are known as chronic since the third century BC in China. In particular the magic square of the Sagrada Familia, sum 33, a special because 33 is the highest degree in the Masonic lodges, and is also the age at which Jesus dies on the Cross.

Magic Square inside of Sagrada Familia


Other Magic Square in one of the doors of Sagrada Familia

| 06.12.2011 |

Many famous music videos of artists worldwide have used Barcelona as recording sets. Also, many movies have been filmed here, to name a few: the horror movie REC (2007) filmed in a building on the Catalunya Rambla, The Nameless (1999), was filmed in differents locations like Barceloneta Square, its market, and the Marina Port Vell. According to the world movie database IMDB the number of films including documentaries and movies, filmed in Barcelona are 2320. Here we review a short list of some of them, with a brief account, indicating the locations of the city where it was filmed, a small link to the trailer, and the billboard.

The Passenger - Professione: Reporter (El Reportero)

Director : Michelangelo Antonioni (1975)
Famous actors : Jack Nicholson, Maria Schneider.
Review : History shows a dangerous investigation by a reporter, about the world international intrigues of politics, linked to dictatorships in African countries.
Locations : Streetcar at the time of the 70's, Pedrera of Gaudi terrace, with its fireplaces and sculptures.
Trailer :

Todo Sobre Mi Madre (All About My Mother)

Director : Pedro Almodóvar (1999).
Famous actors : Cecilia Roth, Penélope Cruz.
Review : A mother travels to Barcelona to meet with the father of her son, who died on his birthday by dies to keep up with your favorite actress for an autograph.
Locations : It shows the city of Barcelona in all its essence and spontaneity.
Trailer :

Uncovered (La Tabla de Flandes)

Director : Jim McBride (1994). Escritor novela : Arturo Pérez-Reverte.
Famous actors : Kate Beckinsale.
Review : A restorer finds a hidden inscription working with 'Table of Flanders' painting, a famous fifteenth-century work.
Locations : Beautiful example of the architecture of Barcelona, and especially the architecture of Gaudí.
Trailer :

L'Auberge Espagnole (Una casa de locos)

Director : Cédric Klapisch (2002).
Famous actors : Romain Duris, Judith Godrèche, Kelly Reilly.
Review : Shows as sees and lives the life a young French student of Erasmus.
Locations : The Ramblas, Park Güell, Sagrada Família, Barcelona beaches, Gothic Quarter, Raval.
Trailer :

The Machinist (El Maquinista)

Director : Brad Anderson (2004).
Famous actors : Christian Bale, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Aitana Sánchez Gijón.
Review : Thriller that shows the life of Trevor Reznik, a factory employee who suffers insomnia, and that over time gets worse and ends up suffering severe hallucinations that make it very difficult to share with their job colleagues.
Locations : Barcelona Port, Tibidabo amusement park, Terrassa Torax Hospital.
Trailer :

Frágiles (Fragile)

Director : Jaume Balagueró (2005).
Famous actors : Calista Flockhart, Richard Roxburgh, Elena Anaya.
Review : Horror story set in Mercy Falls Children's Hospital, where strange and shocking events occur.
Locations : Terrassa Torax Hospital.
Trailer :

El Perfume: Historia de un asesino (Das Perfume: Die geschichte eines mörders).

Director : Tom Tykwer (2006). Novel Writer : Patrick Süskind.
Famous actors : Ben Whishaw, Dustin Hoffman, Alan Rickman.
Review : Set in the eighteenth century, its complex scenes with the participation of the Fura dels Baus.
Locations : Gothic Quarter, Major Square into the Poble Espanyol (Montjuïc), Horta Labyrinth Park.
Trailer :

Manuale d’amore 2.

Director : Giovanni Veronesi (2007).
Famous actors : Monica Bellucci, Elsa Pataky.
Review : Comedy. There are four stories about love.
Locations : Sagrada Família, Gothic Quarter, Vila y Port Olímpic, Barcelona beaches.
Trailer :

Salvador

Director : Manuel Huerga (2006).
Famous actors : Daniel Brühl, Tristán Ulloa, Ingrid Rubio.
Review : Story is based on the life of anarchist Salvador Puig Antich, who fought for freedom no matter the media in a turbulent time in Spanish history.
Locations : Gothic Quarter, Universitat, Modelo Jail, Montjuïc Cemetery.
Trailer :

Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Director : Woody Allen (2007).
Famous actors : Scarlett Johansson, Penélope Cruz, Javier Bardem.
Review : Romance comedy in which two American girls who travel to Barcelona, will be involved in a unconventional relationship with a painter.
Locations : Colom Monument, Maremagnum shopping center, Maritim Club, Barceloneta, Pla de Palau, around of Barcelona Old Town, Santa María del Mar Church, Montcada street, Picasso Museum, Sagrada Família, The Ramblas.
Trailer :

Map of The Sounds of Tokyo

Director : Isabel Coixet (2009).
Famous actors : Rinko Kikuchi, Setgi López, Min Tanaka.
Review : A hired assassin in Tokyo leading a double life and hide his murderous profession of a market employee.
Locations : Plaça Rius i Taulet in Gràcia Quarter, La Llibertat market.
Trailer :

Biutiful

Director : Alejandro González Iñárritu (2010).
Famous actors : Javier Bardem, Maricel Álvarez.
Review : History of the protagonist's struggle to maintain their children's lives in Barcelona, while his wife is sick just before she dies of cancer.
Locations : Badalona, Raval Quarter, Santa Coloma de Gramanet, Barcelona.
Trailer :

Barcelona

Director : Whit Stillman (1994).
Famous actors : Taylor Nichols, Chris Eigeman, Tushka Bergen.
Review : An Illinois man working in an office of a U.S. company in Barcelona. He soon receives a visit from his cousin who is an officer of the United States Navy, and his life begins to change gradually to become a drama.
Locations : Many places of Barcelona, Colom Monument, Drassanes, Plaça Espanya.
Trailer :

| 06.12.2011 |

Barcelona has 12 ghosts stations on its rail network (Metro, FGC and Rodalies), some of them have been closed to use for various reasons, such as new routes or extensions of rail lines, others have given way to other uses tunnel ventilation area, and some of them have disappeared with the onslaught of new works such as the AVE high speed train.
Currently of the 12 ghosts stations, only holds the remains of 11 of them. The list of these stations is as follows :

LINE 1 Bordeta Metro station : It was located between the stations of Santa Eulalia and Mercat Nou. Was opened on June 10, 1926 and closed on December 23, 1983 due to its proximity to the station of Santa Eulalia. Now demolished for the construction of one of the walls that run through the extension of the AVE high speed train.

Bordeta station

LINE 1 Catalunya Metro station : Was opened on June 10, 1926, but was changed to allow the construction of the tunnel RENFE between Plaça Catalunya and Estació del Nord, reopened 1928. Finally he turned to transform to a higher level again, and parted ways RENFE and Metro.

LINE 1 Espanya Metro station : It was opened in 1929 and amended in 1975. There was a third way that was used for the Universal Exhibition of 1929, and subsequently used as a parking lot of trains. Since 1975 was amended converting this third way in fits and stores the current Espanya station is shared with the Metro Line 3.

LINE 1 Santa Eulalia Metro station : Was opened on July 1, 1932 and closed on July 5, 1980 due to construction of the new season of Santa Eulalia. Today is missing.

LINE 1 Universitat Metro station : Was opened on June 10, 1926 and closed on July 27, 1971, because this original station was transformed for the construction of the tunnel RENFE between Plaça Catalunya and Sants. The current station was opened Universitat December 23, 1972.

LINE 3 Ferran Metro station : It ranks among the stations Liceu and Drassanes. Was opened on April 15, 1946 and closed on March 1, 1968 by being very close to Liceu station, and allow the extent to Drassanes.

Ferran station

LINE 3 Travessera Metro station : It ranks among the stations Fontana and Diagonal, at the height of Travessera de Gràcia, built but never used.

LINE 4 Banc Metro station : Located under the seat of Caixa Catalunya (former headquarters of the Bank of Spain), in the Plaça Antoni Maura. The urban legend says that in this season is up in the subway closing time, the money the Bank of Spain and collected from the various bank branches in the area, and walk the steps of connecting directly to the bank vault. Was built using the underpasses in 1913 that ran under the current Via Laietana.

Banc station

LINE 4 Correus Metro station : It opened on February 20, 1934 as temporary station until the Metro extended until França Station. On March 20, 1972 was closed due to its proximity to the Barceloneta Metro station, but was used until 1977 as a heat exchanger. Was built using the underpasses in 1913 that ran under the current Via Laietana. You can see in front of the main facade of the Post Office building, right on the sidewalk, and under a metal ventilation grate old stairs to the station. Can be achieved abandoned platforms, including stop Jaume I and Barceloneta, direction La Pau.

Correus Station

LINE 5 Gaudi Metro station : It ranks among the stations Sagrada Familia and Hospital de Sant Pau. Was built, but it was never used. It can be seen through the window just outside the metro station towards Sagrada Familia in direction to Hospital de Sant Pau station. Sometimes it is illuminated for Christmas advertising, and is well visible.

Gaudi station in Christmas time


Another view of Gaudi station

FGC Avinguda de la Llum station : It is situated next to Plaça Catalunya, Las Ramblas. Never been used. History tells us that Avinguda de la Llum was once a major project for underground city, 175 meters long and 10 meters wide, the first in Europe, was never built, in 1929, a total of 68 stores of various kinds, including a cinema, a recreation room, and even showers, as it has verified an Internet user (Joan Macià) who brings up pictures of this city under the ground to check.

Access of those times to Avinguda de la Llum station


Avinguda de la Llum underground today

RODALIES Bifurcació-Vilanova or Marina station : It is situated between Sant Andreu Arenal and Arc de Triomf. Was built but never used, destroyed one of its platforms, but the other can be seen yet, though RENFE does not permit. On the street there are ventilation grilles in place would be the stairs to the platforms.

Bifurcacio station

| 06.12.2010 |