Historic market architecture
Introduction
The Borne market[1] (Mercat del Born in Catalan) was a municipal market in Barcelona. Located on the Paseo del Borne "Paseo del Borne (Barcelona)"), in the Ribera neighborhood (in the Ciutat Vella district "District of Ciutat Vella (Barcelona)"), old town of Barcelona). Currently it is a cultural center (Borne Center of Culture and Memory"), which houses various archaeological remains and exhibition elements.
Architecture
It is an example of iron architecture, a movement within the modernist artistic movement, which enjoyed great importance in Catalonia. The structure, of notable elaboration, is a rectangular enclosure, with vertical walls of exposed brick. The roof, made of flat glazed tile, stands out for its complexity, resting on a structure of cable-stayed iron trusses and cast iron pillars. The volumetry of the building reflects the spatial organization of the interior, consisting of two large naves that cross the building in the two main directions, accompanied by four smaller subsidiary naves, which give the enclosure its rectangular shape.[2].
History
The Market is located in the eastern part of the city of Barcelona, in the area known during the Middle Ages as La Ribera. After the War of Succession, the area was completely demolished to build the Citadel, relocating its inhabitants to the newly created neighborhood of La Barceloneta. Later, this fortification was demolished again to dedicate the area to parks and walks, founding the Borne market in a later reorganization.
In 1873 the City Council approved the project for the construction of the Central Market of Barcelona drawn up by José Fontseré and the following year work began. The building was completed in 1876. It was the neighborhood market until 1920. Afterwards, it became a wholesale fruit and vegetable market until Mercabarna was inaugurated in the Zona Franca "Zona Franca (Barcelona)"), in 1971. During the 1980s, and after a slight restoration, the space was enabled for exhibitions. For almost the entire following decade, however, it remains closed, awaiting a decision on its future use.
In February 2002, while work was being carried out to install the Provincial Library of Barcelona in the building, archaeological remains from the medieval period appeared in an excellent state of conservation that correspond to the urban development of the Ribera neighborhood from the century until it was destroyed in 1714 after the War of Spanish Succession.