The breakwater. Barcelona recovers a classic
A place for fishing, meditation, secret romantic encounters, family servings of mussels a la marinera at the Porta Coeli restaurant... There was a time not so long ago when the old breakwater of Barcelona's seawall became a classic excursion spot for the people of Barcelona. Located at the end of Barceloneta, this promenade was built in 1904 to protect the harbor from sea storms. Over the years, the boulevard gained followers and became a part of the life of several generations of citizens.
Taking advantage of that momentum, in the mid-1920s a restaurant opened at the end of the promenade, in the lower part of the lighthouse that marked the entrance to the pier. That restaurant, renamed as Puerta Coeli, eventually became one of the most famous in Barcelona, frequented by fishermen, couples, and the few tourists who visited the city at the time. And on weekends, entire families would fill its tables to try their famous sailor-style mussels, grilled sardines, or patatas bravas while enjoying the view over the open sea. Successive renovations allowed vehicle traffic to the end of the promenade, which increased its popularity. There were few places in an industrialized city like Barcelona in the mid-20th century to enjoy moments of peace and tranquility by the Mediterranean. It was so emblematic that even Loquillo was inspired by it to compose the song Rompeolas.
Paradoxically, the global emergence of the city with the Barcelona '92 Olympic Games marked the decline of the place. The refurbishment of the seafront, the creation of the Olympic Port and the Maremagnum shifted the focus of leisure towards the north side of the Port Vell, relegating the breakwater to the background, fading a little more each year until 2000, when the Porta Coeli closed its doors, the building was demolished, and the jetty disappeared to make way for the construction of the Europe bridge that was supposed to facilitate the access of boats to the docks.
18 years later, Barcelona has inaugurated a 400-meter-long breakwater as the first phase of a new project to extend the city towards the sea. The project will be completed with a second phase in which buildings for nautical teaching will be constructed, a franchise of the Hermitage museum that will bear the signature of the Japanese architect Toyo Ito, and a dining area that will allow people to reminisce about the sweeter times of the old breakwater, which has always remained in the collective memory of the people of Barcelona.
For this reason, it was only a matter of time before an option emerged that would revitalize the area for public leisure and enjoyment. The new breakwater has been designed as an extension of the seafront promenade from an expansion of the Rosa dels Vents square, which now offers a 360-degree panoramic view of the sea and the city. In total, we are talking about 36,000 m2of public and civic use space that will extend and connect the port area with the promenade. With this reform, the new promenade ends in a viewpoint with terraced seating offering unique views of the Mediterranean and the area surrounding Montjuïc mountain.
Even so, we don't want anyone to be misled. The new space has little in common with the legendary breakwater. Currently, the only thing you can do there is walk. Cars will not have access. Visually, it is also very different from that old pier where a treacherous wave could catch you off guard while you were walking. Now, high railings have been installed that limit the relaxing view of the waves breaking on the rocks. However, the visit is now safer, thanks also to a rough, non-slip concrete pavement that prevents falls.
And yet, the experience couldn't be more positive. Since its opening at the end of 2018, thousands of visitors have walked or cycled the 400 meters to the unexpected 360-degree panoramic view of Barcelona's new viewpoint. And most interestingly, this success has come in the easiest way possible. Without advertising, without marketing... the much-feared and much-desired word-of-mouth has turned this spot into one of the best experiences to rediscover Barcelona. And like the classic pier, this one is also here to stay. Whether it's the nostalgia for the old one, its incredible viewpoint, the peace that is felt, or because as Loquillo sang, at the breakwater you can still smell the sun.
