The educational institutions of Barcelona have from an early period been numerous and important. The university (Universidad Literaria·) was originally founded in 1430 by the magistracy of the city, and received a bull of confirma tion from Pope Nicholas V. in 1450, possessing at that time four faculties and thirty-one chairs, all endowed by the corporation (vide Capmany ’ s Memorias). It was suppressed in 1714, but restored in 1841, and now occupies an extensive building in the new town. There are, besides, an academy of natural sciences, a college of medicine and surgery,—confirmed by a bull of Benedict XIII. in 1400,— an academy of fine arts, a normal school, a theological seminary, an upper industrial school, an institution for the education of deaf-mutes, a school of navigation, and many minor establishments. Gratuitous instruction of a very high order is afforded by the Board of Trade to upwards of two thousand pupils. The principal charitable foundations are the Casa de Caridad, or House of Industry, the Hospital General, dating from 1401, and the Foundling Hospital. The Montes de Piedad are, in fact, mutual benefit societies; and that of Nostra Senora de la Esperanza has this peculiarity, that loans on deposits are made without interest to necessitous persons, thousands of whom yearly avail themselves of its advantages. The principal civic and commercial buildings are the Casa Consistorial, a fine Gothic hall, theLωy⅛, or Exchange, dating from 1383, and the Aduana, or Custom-house, built in 1792. At the seaward end of the Rambla is a large ancient structure, the Atarazanas, or Arsenals, which was finished about 1243. A portion of it was recently taken down to give a better view to the promenade. Remains of the former royal state of Barcelona are found in the Palacio Real of the kings of Aragon, and the Palacio de la Reina. At the highest part of the city, in the Calle del Paradis, are some magnificent columns, and other Roman remains, which, however, are hidden by the surrounding buildings.

The inhabitants of Barcelona are not only an intelligent and industrious, but a gay and pleasure-loving people. Means of public recreation are abundantly supplied. There are no fewer than fourteen theatres of more or less pretension, the two most important being the Teatro Principal and the Teatro del Liceo. The latter is a very fine building, originally erected in 1845 on the site of a convent of Trinitarian monks, and capable of containing 4000 spectators. A striking feature in Barcelona society is the development of social life; and the number of restaurants and similar places of evening resort is very great. A pleasant promenade is furnished not only by the Rambla but by the Muralia del Mar, or sea-wall, which was largely due to the marquis de la Mina, and is now undergoing extensive alteration by the reclaiming of a strip of land from the port.

Barcelona has long been the industrial and commercial centre of Eastern Spain—a pre-eminence which dates from the 12th and 13th centuries. It was the rival of Genoa and Venice, and in renown its hardy mariners were second to none. The origin of the famous code of maritime laws known as the Consolado del mar is usually, though not with absolute certainty, ascribed to its merchants; and it is pretty well established that they were the first to employ the method of marine insurance. We find them at an early period trading, not only with the ports of the Mediterranean, but with the Low Countries and England, on the one hand, and with Constantinople and Damascus, Egypt and Armenia, on the other,—entering into treaties with kings and magistracies, and establishing in all important places consuls to look after their interests. The prosperity so deeply rooted continued through numerous vicissitudes till the emancipation of the Spanish American colonies, when a comparative decline set in. This, however, proved only temporary, and, in spite of the disastrous consequences of the French invasion, and the various revolutions of the country since then. Barcelona has no need to look back with regret to the past. A great variety of industries are now carried on—the most important being the spinning and weaving of wool, cotton, and silk. Of the numerous guilds that were anciently formed in the city an interesting list is to be found in Cap many. It carries on a large shipping trade. In 1872 between 700 and 800 foreign vessels, with a tonnage of 360,000 tons, discharged their cargoes in the port. Of these 160 were British. The imports from the colonies are sugar, cotton, tobacco, rum, wax, dye-wood, &c.; machinery, coals, coke, cotton, wool, thread, and other stuffs, are brought from England; articles of silk, chemical preparations, pastes and flours of all sorts, objects of fashion, wines and liquors, from France; petroleum, cotton, and staves from North America; cotton from the Brazils and Smyrna; hides from the River Plate; salt-fish from the North Sea. The export trade is not so extensive, consisting largely of fruits and vegetables, oil, silk, wines, salt, Ac. The so-called port of Barcelona was at first only an open beach, slightly sheltered by the neighbouring hills, but at an early period the advantage of some artificial protection was felt. In 1438 we find Don Alphonso V. granting the magistracy a licence to build a mole; and in 1474 the Moll de Santa Creu was officially commenced. Long after this, however, travellers speak of Barcelona as destitute of a harbour; and it is only in the 17th century that satisfactory works were undertaken. Down to a very recent period all the included area was shut off from the open sea by a sandbank, which rendered the entrance of large vessels impossible. An extension of the former mole, and the construction of another from the foot of Montjuich, have embraced a portion of the sea outside of the bank, and a convenient shelter is thus afforded for the heaviest men of war. The depth in this part is about 40 feet, while within the sandbank it is from 18 to 20. Barcelona is well supplied with inland communication by rail, and the traffic of its own streets is largely facilitated by tramway lines running from the port as far as Garcia.

According to traditions preserved by the Roman writers, Barcelona owed its origin, or at least its first importance, to the Carthaginians under Hamilcar Barca, after whom it was called Barcino. It received a Roman colony, and was known by the name of Faventia. After having shared in the various vicissitudes of the barbaric invasions, it became the capital of a dukedom under Louis the Pious, and not long after began to give the title of count to a family that soon made itself independent. In 985 the city was ^captured by the Moors, but not long after it was recovered by Count Borell. In 1151 Raymund Berenguer married the daughter of Ramiro II. of Aragon, and thus the countship of Barcelona was united to that kingdom by his son. From the successive princes of the line the city received many privileges. In 1640 Barcelona was the centre of the Catalonian rebellion against Philip IV., and threw itself under French protection. In 1652 it returned to its allegiance, but was captured by the duke of Vendôme in 1697. At the peace of Ryswick, in the same year, it was restored to the Spanish monarchy. During the War of the Succession Barcelona adhered to the house of Austria. The seizure of Montjuich in 1705 and the subsequent capture of the city by the earl of Peterborough formed one of his most brilliant achievements. In 1714 it was taken after an obstinate resistance by the duke of Berwick in the interests of Louis XIV., and at the close of the war was reluctantly reconciled to the Bourbon dynasty. At the commencement of Bonaparte’s attempt on the liberty of Spain, the French troops obtained possession of the fortress, and kept the city in subjection. Since then it has shared in most of the revolutionary movements that have swept over Spain, and has frequently been distinguished by the violence of its civic commotions. By the census of 1857 the population of the city amounted to 180,014, and by an enumeration in 1864 the city and suburbs were found to contain 252,000 persons. (See Manifestation de muichos relevantes servicios de Barcelona, Barcelona, 1697; Capmany, Memorias historicas sobre Barcelona, 1779-92; Chantreau, Lettres de Barcelonne, 1793; Hare, Wanderings in Spain.}