Countless stories are told about Barcelona’s past, and all of them are full of splendor. One of them is that centuries ago it was given the name of “Ciudad Condal”.
Over the years this name has become well known when talking about Barcelona, not only in Catalonia or in the interior of the country, but all over the world.
But it is still perhaps an unknown name to many.
And it is becoming more and more popular, especially after the celebration of the 1992 Olympic Games, which, with its charm, attracts millions of people to visit it year after year.
The beautiful streets of the city silently tell thousands of years of history. Through them have passed and lived historical characters of great recognition and that together with its particular architecture, have given the city an international appeal.
For all these reasons, today Barcelona is one of the most popular cities on the planet. In fact, many long to live there facing the Mediterranean, in the middle of a vibrant, cosmopolitan city with beautiful mountains nearby.
Barcelona: where does the name Ciudad Condal come from?
Well-known cities have nicknames. Barcelona is one of them.
That it is called Ciudad Condal dates back to the ninth century when at that time most of what is now Catalonia was run by counts with their counties. This area was a part of the Carolingian Empire known as Marca Hispanica which separated it from the Caliphate of Cordoba.
From these demarcations was born the county of Barcelona, denomination that comes from the count Ramon Berenguer.
At that time the current Catalan capital was named Ciudad Condal due to the lord count who dominated those lands and that his family would own from generation to generation.
Thanks to the fact that the heirs maintained the title of Count from one generation to the next, together with the territories they owned throughout the area, the name of Ciudad Condal was preserved over time.
But what is most striking is that this name is still preserved to this day.
Another fact worth noting is that Count Berenguer’s family was not only important for the history of Catalonia and the counties of the time.
In fact, in 1151 Ramon Berenguer IV and Petronila of Aragon joined in marriage to create an alliance that in the end, managed to dominate the Mediterranean and impact the history of all of Spain.
Today’s Barcelona, with its architecture, art, museums, beaches, modern buildings, emblematic streets, among so many other good things, is still undoubtedly recognized as the “Ciudad Condal” par excellence.
