Thursday, April 18, 2024
BCN locations
EL PUTGET I FARRO: an old district of Sant Gervasi
In 1879, the municipality of Sant Gervasi was divided into three distinct neighborhoods: La Bonanova, El Putget, and Lledó. There are reports that speak of the existence of a chapel at some point in the 17th century, but in any case, the urbanization of this area began around 1870 when the bourgeoisie built a series of towers (Catalan mansions) and moved from the center of Barcelona due to poor living conditions in the old town.
By the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century, the urban development of El Putget was no different from the rest of Sant Gervasi as it was characterized by the division between rural properties, the construction of towers and summer mansions, and later, after the arrival of the train to Sarrià in 1863 and the metro to Lesseps in 1924, by its transformation into permanent residences.
Few of these houses have managed to survive as most were replaced by apartment blocks during the second half of the 20th century.
The opening of the Ronda del Mig, one of Barcelona's urban highways, created an almost impermeable urban barrier - for those on foot or by car - between the high and low areas of the neighborhood. Current urban renewal and transportation projects between Grotto and Lesseps will help make these areas more accessible.
Points of Interest & References:
- Jardins del Turó del Putget: Park built in 1970 on the lands of Rafael Morato's estate, who was a businessman involved in the production and marketing of sugar cane and beetroot. The park is one of the neighborhood's most important urban elements. (C/ de Manacor 9)
- Plaça Lesseps: A public square and main intersection at the border between the districts of Sarrià-Sant Gervasi and Gràcia. Renovated in 2005, after Albert Vilaplana won the architecture competition, to transform this urban space into a contemporary square and thus control and organize traffic, while creating more pedestrian area.