Barcelona enigmas: a skull pierced by a dagger...
Published : January 16, 2016
Our guides blog: Barcelona enigmas: a skull pierced by a dagger…
The bridge, one of the most photographed places in the Gothic Quarter, links the Generalitat Palace, the Catalan autonomous government headquarters and the building opposite, the Canonges house.
This bridge, although very decorative, does not have a lot of history. It´s Neogothic, that is, imitating the Gothic style, dates from 1928 and is part of one of the many projects of the time to "improve" the city by adding Gothic details. It is also at this time that the old city came to be referred to as "Gothic Quarter".
Many legends circulate about this monument to explain that at the bottom of the bridge you can see a sculpture of a skull pierced by a dagger.
Some say that if someone comes to remove the dagger, Barcelona trembles on its foundations and collapses.
Others say that if you walk backwards on the bridge while looking at the dagger you can make a wish and it will come true. Admittedly crossing the bridge walking backwards is a feat seeing the number of tourists that cross and the risk of ending up hit by a selfie stick...
The most realistic scenario is that the architect Joan Rubió, a disciple of Gaudí, wanted to show his resentment over the fact that his plan to transform the neighbourhood had been strongly criticized and rejected by the council.
He had proposed a project that was to tear down the buildings in the area that were not Gothic and replace them with new neo-Gothic buildings creating a sort of Gothic amusement park.
-> Discover this detail and much more during the tour "The Gothic quarter".
This bridge, although very decorative, does not have a lot of history. It´s Neogothic, that is, imitating the Gothic style, dates from 1928 and is part of one of the many projects of the time to "improve" the city by adding Gothic details. It is also at this time that the old city came to be referred to as "Gothic Quarter".
Many legends circulate about this monument to explain that at the bottom of the bridge you can see a sculpture of a skull pierced by a dagger.
Some say that if someone comes to remove the dagger, Barcelona trembles on its foundations and collapses.
Others say that if you walk backwards on the bridge while looking at the dagger you can make a wish and it will come true. Admittedly crossing the bridge walking backwards is a feat seeing the number of tourists that cross and the risk of ending up hit by a selfie stick...
The most realistic scenario is that the architect Joan Rubió, a disciple of Gaudí, wanted to show his resentment over the fact that his plan to transform the neighbourhood had been strongly criticized and rejected by the council.
He had proposed a project that was to tear down the buildings in the area that were not Gothic and replace them with new neo-Gothic buildings creating a sort of Gothic amusement park.
-> Discover this detail and much more during the tour "The Gothic quarter".
