Barcino, Visual poem sculpture in Plaça Nova, Barcelona, Spain.
Barcino is an art installation made of large metal letters spelling the ancient Roman name of Barcelona, positioned in front of the medieval city wall in Plaça Nova. The letters are made from different materials and create a striking visual sign at one of the city's oldest locations.
The installation was created in 1994 by Joan Brossa and displays the name used in the first century when the city was a Roman colony. It marks the city's transformation from an ancient settlement to the modern metropolis it became over nearly two thousand years.
The name references Barcelona's Roman past and serves as a visual connection between the city's ancient roots and its modern identity today. Visitors walking through the Gothic Quarter encounter this reminder of how deeply the city's identity is tied to its classical heritage.
The installation is located in Plaça Nova in the Gothic Quarter and is easy to reach on foot while exploring the medieval streets. The best time to visit is early morning or late afternoon when fewer tourists crowd the plaza.
Joan Brossa intentionally combined different metal materials for this work, with one letter made from aluminum while the others are bronze. These material differences give each letter its own artistic quality while together they form a unified message about the city's past.
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