El Raval

Evolved from medieval agricultural lands ('rabad' in Arabic) into an enclosed 14th-century neighborhood of monastic convents, hospitals, and 19th-century textile mills.

Architectural crossroads featuring the 10th-century Romanesque Monastery of Sant Pau del Camp, the 15th-century Old Hospital de la Santa Creu, and Richard Meier's white MACBA museum.

Fernando Botero's 2-ton bronze 'El Gat' sculpture on Rambla del Raval has a polished nose rubbed by travelers for good luck and safe journeys.