{"id":74907,"date":"2016-10-13T16:22:56","date_gmt":"2016-10-13T14:22:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/?p=74907"},"modified":"2021-05-18T17:48:48","modified_gmt":"2021-05-18T15:48:48","slug":"orwell-barcelona","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/orwell-barcelona\/","title":{"rendered":"George Orwell\u2019s Barcelona"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Eric Arthur Blair, better known in popular culture by his pen name\u00a0<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/George_Orwell\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">George Orwell<\/a>,<\/strong> was a British novelist, essayist, journalist and socialist. Best known for his prophetic novel 1984 (written in 1949) or the acid satire of <em>Animal Farm<\/em> (1945), Orwell&#8217;s precious bibliography also notably includes &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bookdepository.com\/Homage-Catalonia-George-Orwell\/9780141183053\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Homage to Catalonia<\/a>&#8220;.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Related article: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/the-best-bookstores-in-barcelona\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The best bookstores in Barcelona<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_17 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-grey\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class=\"ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1\"><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/orwell-barcelona\/#Adventures_in_Barcelona\" title=\" Adventures in Barcelona\"> Adventures in Barcelona<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/orwell-barcelona\/#The_places\" title=\"The places\">The places<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/orwell-barcelona\/#Legacy_in_Barcelona\" title=\"Legacy in Barcelona\">Legacy in Barcelona<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Adventures_in_Barcelona\"><\/span><strong> Adventures in Barcelona<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_74911\" style=\"width: 203px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-74911\" class=\" wp-image-74911\" src=\"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/George-Orwell-Barcelona-216x300.png\" alt=\"Photo via Pixabay\" width=\"193\" height=\"268\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-74911\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo via Pixabay<\/p><\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">First published in 1938, Orwell\u2019s tribute to the region recounts his real-life experiences living in <strong>Barcelona<\/strong> during the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Spanish_Civil_War\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Spanish Civil War<\/a>, from his arrival on the Christmas of 1936 to his escape in the summer of 1937, as he was a target of the Stalinist secret police.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Initially intending to document the conflict as a journalist, <strong>Orwell<\/strong> was soon caught up in the heat of the revolutionary movement, deciding to join the British Independent Labour Party in the <strong>fight against fascism<\/strong> in Spain.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u201cHomage to Catalonia\u201d is thus a <strong>memoir<\/strong> of a troubled time in the history of Spain and the region, seen through the eyes of one of the most important writers of the last century.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Related article: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/books\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">4 books to read that are set in Barcelona<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_places\"><\/span><strong>The places<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.hotelcontinental.com\/hotel-continental-barcelona\/es\/inicio.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Hotel Continental<\/a> \u2013<\/strong> Until this day, many foreigners stay at this\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/las-ramblas-a-tourist-epicenter-in-barcelona\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Las Ramblas<\/strong><\/a> hotel due to its mentions in Orwell\u2019s book; this is where he lived with his wife during his stay in <strong>Barcelona<\/strong>. After things went awry between the several leftist factions, the Stalinist agents actually went to the hotel while he was absent, intimidated his wife, searched his room and stole his diary. Located in the centre of <strong>Barcelona<\/strong> and still retaining most of its traditional charm, <strong>Hotel Continental<\/strong> is a piece of the city\u2019s history by itself.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Address:<\/strong>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.pt\/maps?q=hotel+continental+barcelona&amp;ion=1&amp;espv=2&amp;bav=on.2,or.&amp;bvm=bv.131783435,d.d24&amp;biw=1366&amp;bih=648&amp;dpr=1&amp;um=1&amp;ie=UTF-8&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=0ahUKEwj09472p4LPAhXEtRQKHdSPDiwQ_AUIBygC\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">La Rambla, 138, 08002 Barcelona<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.teatrepoliorama.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Teatro Poliorama<\/a> \u2013<\/strong> During shootings between factions in <strong>Las Ramblas<\/strong>, <strong>Orwell<\/strong> stayed in this legendary <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/6-theatres-in-barcelona\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">theatre <\/a>for three\u00a0days and nights in order to observe\u00a0the action from the roof. From this area of <strong>Las Ramblas<\/strong> it is still possible to identify many of the architectonic features that the British writer described in his book.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Address:<\/strong>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.pt\/maps\/place\/Teatre+Poliorama\/@41.384137,2.1685493,17z\/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x12a4a2f6933df8dd:0x626eb7cf536ea6e5!8m2!3d41.384137!4d2.170738\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Carrer la Rambla, 115, 08002 Barcelona<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.pt\/maps\/place\/Liceu\/@41.381445,2.1708413,17z\/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x12a4a2f7c341009d:0x70018ebb092a485c!8m2!3d41.381445!4d2.17303\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Liceu metro station<\/a> (L3\/Green Line) \u2013<\/strong> Down from <strong>Las Ramblas<\/strong> is the<strong> Liceu metro <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/train-stations-barcelona\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">station<\/a><\/strong>, which\u00a0<strong>Orwell<\/strong>\u00a0saw harbour the crowds during a major street shooting.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.pt\/maps\/place\/Pla%C3%A7a+de+Sant+Felip+Neri,+08002+Barcelona,+Spain\/@41.3834509,2.1728298,17z\/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x12a4a2f9d27b7eb9:0xd7bd6b684aedb3fa!8m2!3d41.3834509!4d2.1750185\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Felip Neri Square<\/a> \u2013<\/strong> One of the most painful memories described by <strong>Orwell<\/strong> in his book is the bombing of this square and its church by Mussolini\u2019s air force in 1983, killing several people. Now a peaceful place in a corner of the Gothic Quarter, the square still bears its war wounds with a pride and dignity that only adds to its discreet beauty.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Legacy_in_Barcelona\"><\/span><strong>Legacy in Barcelona<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_74913\" style=\"width: 178px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-74913\" class=\" wp-image-74913\" src=\"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/George-Orwell-Homage-to-Catalonia-198x300.jpg\" alt=\"Photo by cdrummbks via Visual Hunt \/ CC BY\" width=\"168\" height=\"254\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-74913\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo by cdrummbks via Visual Hunt<\/p><\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.pt\/maps\/place\/Pla%C3%A7a+de+George+Orwell,+08002+Barcelona,+Spain\/@41.3807156,2.1749684,17z\/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x12a4a25628f9b60f:0xdac43f8956f45ae7!8m2!3d41.3807156!4d2.1771571\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\"><strong>Pla\u00e7a de George Orwell<\/strong><\/a> is the only tangible reference to the writer in the capital of Catalonia. Located behind Barcelona\u2019s city hall, it features several bars and shops, attracting plenty of young people. Ironically, the area named after the author of \u201c1984\u201d is signalled as being <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/books\/booksblog\/2008\/jun\/16\/bigbrotheriswatchingyouge\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">under surveillance<\/a>, and if you look around you can actually see a few cameras. This is probably due to the fact that it had become a preferred place for young people to consume illegal substances.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There you go. Although this subject touches on a hurtful part of history that people often prefer to forget, if you\u2019re interested in the history of Spain, as well as that of <strong>Barcelona<\/strong>, we highly recommend that you read the book and take a tour through the places mentioned, as it will only add to the cultural richness that pervades the city nowadays. Luckily, you get to see a much more beautiful and pleasant <strong>Barcelona<\/strong> than <strong>George Orwell<\/strong> did. Enjoy all the wonderful things the city\u00a0has to give you and have fun! As always, feel free to speak your mind using the comment box below.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><i>Looking for a flat in Barcelona? Let\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/flats-for-sale\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><b>ShBarcelona<\/b><\/a>\u00a0help you find one.<\/i><\/p>\n<div style=\"display: none;\"\n    class=\"kk-star-ratings kksr-valign-bottom kksr-align-left \"\n    data-id=\"74907\"\n    data-slug=\"\">\n    <div class=\"kksr-stars\">\n    <div class=\"kksr-stars-inactive\">\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\" data-star=\"1\">\n            <div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 25px; height: 25px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\" data-star=\"2\">\n            <div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 25px; height: 25px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\" data-star=\"3\">\n            <div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 25px; height: 25px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\" data-star=\"4\">\n            <div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 25px; height: 25px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\" data-star=\"5\">\n            <div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 25px; height: 25px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"kksr-stars-active\" style=\"width: 107.5px;\">\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\">\n            <div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 25px; height: 25px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\">\n            <div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 25px; height: 25px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\">\n            <div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 25px; height: 25px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\">\n            <div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 25px; height: 25px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\">\n            <div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 25px; height: 25px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n    <div class=\"kksr-legend\">\n            <strong class=\"kksr-score\">3.7<\/strong>\n        <span class=\"kksr-muted\">\/<\/span>\n        <strong>5<\/strong>\n        <span class=\"kksr-muted\">(<\/span>\n        <strong class=\"kksr-count\">4<\/strong>\n        <span class=\"kksr-muted\">\n            votes        <\/span>\n        <span class=\"kksr-muted\">)<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Eric Arthur Blair, better known in popular culture by his pen name\u00a0George Orwell, was a British novelist, essayist, journalist and socialist. Best known for his prophetic novel 1984 (written in 1949) or the acid satire of Animal Farm (1945), Orwell&#8217;s precious bibliography also notably includes &#8220;Homage to Catalonia&#8220;. Related article: The best bookstores in Barcelona [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":74910,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[4346],"tags":[5350,5349,5351],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74907"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/84"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=74907"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74907\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":106036,"href":"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74907\/revisions\/106036"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/74910"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=74907"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=74907"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=74907"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}