53. Barcelona from a bird’s eye view: the metropolitan city

The Turó de la Rovira is the city’s great vantage point, a prime observatory from which to survey the physical development and changes in the built-up area. In the mid-20^th century, the metropolitan city emerged with the new housing estate districts which make up an unmistakable landscape differing significantly from its 19^th century counterpart.

The metropolis brought urban densification and social transformation accompanied by the rise of neighbourhood associations and struggles for better living conditions coupled with building housing and public amenities. The 1992 Olympic Games marked a turning point and urban renewal shifted to the eastern part of the city.