Lampadaire de la place Royale, Modernist streetlight in Gothic Quarter, Spain
The lampadaire de la place Royale is a six-armed streetlight made of cast and wrought iron in central Barcelona's old quarter. The light fixture features ornamental details along its central post, including intertwined snakes and symbolic elements inspired by classical mythology.
This work was created in the 1870s as one of the early projects by a rising designer in Barcelona. It comes from a time when the city was modernizing and transforming its public spaces with new ideas.
The streetlight shows how modernist artists in late 19th-century Barcelona turned everyday urban objects into artistic works. It stands as a visible sign that functional items were designed to be beautiful in this era.
The streetlight is located on Place Royale and is easy to reach, as it is surrounded by restaurants and shops in the quarter. Visitors can reach it on foot while exploring the narrow historic streets of the Gothic Quarter.
The snakes wrapped around the central post come from Mercury's staff, a figure from ancient mythology. This motif is subtle enough that many passersby overlook it, even though it is central to the design.
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