03/04/2026
This is Barcelona from above.
And what you’re seeing is not random.
It’s the famous grid of the Eixample, designed in the 19th century by Ildefons Cerdà.
At the time, Barcelona was overcrowded and surrounded by medieval walls.
So Cerdà imagined something completely different.
A modern city.
Built with logic. Built for people. That’s why every block looks the same.
• octagonal shapes with cut corners
• wide streets for light and airflow
• interior courtyards inside each block
Those cut corners are not just aesthetic.
They were designed to improve visibility at intersections… and even allow horse carriages (and later cars) to turn more easily.
And in the middle of it all?
The Sagrada Família.
Almost like a focal point inside this perfectly organized system.
What you’re looking at is one of the earliest examples of modern urban planning.
A city designed before it was built.
And still shaping how Barcelona feels today.
