The Mercat de Sant Josep de la Boqueria (; ), usually simply referred to as La Boqueria, is a large
public market
A marketplace, market place, or just market, is a location where people regularly gather for the purchase and sale of provisions, livestock, and other goods. In different parts of the world, a marketplace may be described as a '' souk'' (from ...
in the
Ciutat Vella
Ciutat Vella (, meaning in English "Old City") is a district of Barcelona, numbered District 1. The name means "old city" in Catalan and refers to the oldest neighborhoods in the city of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. ''Ciutat Vella'' is nest ...
district of
Barcelona
Barcelona ( ; ; ) is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within c ...
,
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationalities and regions of Spain, nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia of 2006, Statute of Autonomy. Most of its territory (except the Val d'Aran) is situate ...
,
Spain
Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
, and one of the city's foremost tourist landmarks, with an entrance from
La Rambla, not far from the
Liceu
The Gran Teatre del Liceu (; ; ), or simply Liceu, is a theater in Barcelona, Spain. Situated on La Rambla, it is the city's oldest theater building still in use for its original purpose.
Founded in 1837 at another location, the Liceu ope ...
, Barcelona's
opera
Opera is a form of History of theatre#European theatre, Western theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by Singing, singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically ...
house. The market has a very diverse selection of goods.
History
The first mention of the Boqueria market in Barcelona dates from 1217, when tables were installed near the old city gate to sell meat. From December 1470 onwards, a pig market was held at this site; at this time it was known as Mercadi Bornet. Later, until 1794, it was known simply as Mercat de la Palla, or straw market. In the beginning, the market was not enclosed and had no official status, being regarded simply as an extension of the
Plaça Nova market, which extended to the
Plaça del Pi
Plaça del Pi or Plaza del Pino (in Spanish) is located in the Pi neighborhood within the Ciutat Vella district of Barcelona, Spain, directly in front of the main entrance of the basilica of Santa María del Pi. It occupies a flat area situated ...
. The current name is believed to derive from the
Catalan , meaning "goat", therefore a ''boqueria'' would be a place where
goat meat
Goat meat is the meat of the domestic goat (''Capra hircus''). The term 'goat meat' denotes meat of older animals, while meat from young goats is called 'kid meat'. In South Asian cuisine, goat meat is called mutton, along with sheep meat.''O ...
is sold;
compare also French , whence ''
Vuccirìa'', the name of a market in
Palermo
Palermo ( ; ; , locally also or ) is a city in southern Italy, the capital (political), capital of both the autonomous area, autonomous region of Sicily and the Metropolitan City of Palermo, the city's surrounding metropolitan province. The ...
, Italy.
Later, the authorities decided to construct a separate market on
La Rambla, housing mainly
fishmonger
A fishmonger (historically fishwife for female practitioners) is someone who sells raw fish and seafood. Fishmongers can be wholesalers or retailers and are trained at selecting and purchasing, handling, gutting, boning, filleting, displaying, ...
s and
butcher
A butcher is a person who may Animal slaughter, slaughter animals, dress their flesh, sell their meat, or participate within any combination of these three tasks. They may prepare standard cuts of meat and poultry for sale in retail or wholesale ...
s. It was not until 1826 that the market was legally recognized, and a convention held in 1835, decided to build an official structure. Construction began on 19 March 1840, under the direction of architect
Mas Vilá. The market officially opened in the same year, but the plans for the building were modified many times. The inauguration of the structure finally took place in 1853. A new fish market opened in 1911, and the metal roof that still exists today was constructed in 1914.
See also
*
List of markets in Barcelona
References
External links
Mercat de la BoqueriaBoqueria Market ToursFood and Culinary tours in the La Boqueria Market
{{DEFAULTSORT:Boqueria, La
History of Barcelona
Economy of Barcelona
Buildings and structures in Barcelona
Tourist attractions in Barcelona
Retail markets in Barcelona
Ciutat Vella
La Rambla, Barcelona
El Raval
1840 in Spain