Many decades have passed since the first picture of Barcelona was taken, but its whereabouts still remain unknown. Where is that historical picture? We don’t have an answer to that question, but we have other answers. For instance, what was pictured in that historical picture? From what spot was it taken? Here is the story we know as of today.
First picture taken in Barcelona: Where it was taken?
The first picture in Barcelona was taken on November 10, 1839. And we do know the place where it was taken: from a terrace at Pla de Palau square, in the Born neighborhood. It was a public event open to all citizens in Barcelona: it was an historic episode. And after that very first picture was taken, it was raffled among the public to raise funds. So 175 years have passed since that day and, as of today, nobody knows where the picture can be found. It still remains a mystery.
However, what was preserved was the camera through which the picture was taken. It was saved for many years in the Observatory Fabra, but today it is one of the treasures that can be found at the Real Academia de las Ciencias y las Artes in Madrid. This historical picture was the first one taken in Barcelona, but also in Spain.
A commemorative plaque on General Castaño street
If you walk around Pla de Palau and want to know more about the story, you can stop at the General Castaño street where you will see a commemorative plaque explaining that right from that spot the first picture of Barcelona, and also the first picture in Spain, was taken in November of 1839.
Keep discovering other mysteries hidden in this city (that you probably still don’t know): Barcelona stories, how much do you know about the city?