Barcelona and the Indianos: Business Overseas and Urban Change

Barcelona and the Indianos: Business Overseas and Urban Change

Barcelona and the Indianos — the coloquial name given to Spanish inmigrants in the Americas during the 19th century — is a route that explores the life of those who found riches in the American continent and reveals their investments in the Catalan capital. The route, which begins in Pla de Palau and ends in Eixample, emphasizes the influence of the indianos in Barcelona from 1835 up to 1916.

The wealth of americanus, as they were also known, played a part in the growth of modern Barcelona due to their relationship with the colonial regime and transatlantic commerce. Ruta de autor, in collaboration with MUHBA, offers a route through the Barcelona of ports and trains, of finance and real estate, and of the tobacco, sugar and coffee industries… all grown on the other side of the Atlantic. This route also addresses the slave labor system that made the indianos wealthy.

This route, which we began in April 2014, recovers the history behind indianos such as Antonio Lopez, Josep Xifre, the Vidal-Quadras brothers, Dorotea de Chopitea, among others; a route for those who wish to know the shared history between the metropolis and the American colonies.

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DATE:

April 27

MEETING POINT:

Pla de Palau, Nautical School

TIME:

11.00

DURATION:

2,5 hours