El Born District and the Guilds

El Born District and the Guilds

Another one of our class field trips was to the Born District in Barcelona.  Below is the map of where it is:

Born is surrounded by the Gothic quarter, Eixample, and Barcelonetta.  It was the part of the city's main working areas and home to many of the guilds.  The guild played a huge part in the economy of Barcelona.  They made all kinds of textiles like leather and wool, clothing and shoes and all types of different crafted items.  The guilds typically had a master and 2 apprentices who would get trained by the master and make most of the goods.  Different shops that needed each others' goods or work would be located close to each other for convenience.  Each guild had its own narrow street in El Born that still exist today, such as Placa del Llana (Plaza of Wool) and Career de Cottoners (Cotton Maker's street).  Outside of each of the workshops would be a plaque telling what guild that workshop belonged too.  There would also typically be apartments above the workshops, which is one of the reasons the floor above ground level is called Primero here.  

Guilds were also responsible for the construction of Santa Maria del Mar Church, since they contributed a lot of money to the building of the church in turn for connections to the church and the ability to have private tombs below the church.  This church was known as the workers' church.

Santa Maria Del Mar

The Facade of the Church


Several Streets and Plazas in the Born area are dedicated to the craftsmen, here are a few examples:

Carrer de les Candeles

Placa de la Llana

Carrer Dels Cotoners

Passeig Del Born, the main street behind the Church and also the location of my favorite pizza restaurant- Pizza Del Born. I had to include a picture (get the pesto flavor)