‘La Boqueria’

“Of all the markets in the world, ‘La Boqueria’ has to be one of the most interesting.”

The ‘Mercat de Sant Josep de la Boqueria’, more commonly known as La Boqueria, is a large public market in the Ciudad Vieja central district of Barcelona, Spain, as well as that, its also one of the city’s most famous landmarks, with an entrance directly from the top of La Rambla its very easily accessible.

With a history dating back to 1217 when locals came up with a ploy to avoid city tax and installed tables to the old city entrance in order to sell meat, after that a Pig market arrived in the mid 1400’s and it became known as ‘Mercadi Bornet‘ until the late 1700’s when the name changed to ‘Mercat de la Palla’, or straw market. This early incarnation wasn’t an official market it was really just an extension of the ‘Plaza Nueva market’ The name ‘La Boqueria’ is believed to have got its name from the old Catalan word for ‘Male Goat’ which is ‘boc’ thus ‘La Boqueria’ is a place where Goat meat was sold!

It wasn’t until the early 19th Century that the authorities decided to create its own location on a separate market, based on ‘La Rambla’ initially it was built to house butchers and fishmongers so in 1826 it was finally recognised by the authorities and after a large fire at the old convent of San José de los Carmelitas in 1835 during the Sant Jaume day revolt. After which the locals requested the construction of a market and in 1840 work began under the watchful eye of the architect ‘Josep Mas i Vila’. Although the market officially opened in 1840 it was modified many times and in 1853 it was finally inaugurated, a new fish market was opened in 1911 and the metal construction roof that exists today was added in 1914.

“Its wonderful array of produce isn’t its only attraction, directly behind the market is the old Corralet cemetery, where the bodies of 14^th Century Mental patients and homeless people were buried. Once Medical students had finished with them that is. So many people believe that ghosts roam the aisles.”

The modern day market occupies an area of over 2,500 square meters and has more than 300 stalls with vendors selling everything from Fish, meat, sweets, nuts vegetables and ethnic food as well as many other specialities, both local and international.

Its current set up has won many awards and plaudits from around the world including one from the ‘World Market Congress’ in Washington which named La Boqueria ‘The Best Market in the World’ in 2005 and later CNN  considered it the best fresh market in the world, over its own ‘the Union Square Farmer’s Market’ in New York or the ‘Tor Kor’ Market in Bangkok.

Its wonderful array of produce isn’t its only attraction, directly behind the market is the old Corralet cemetery, where the bodies of 14^th Century Mental patients and homeless people were buried. Once Medical students had finished with them that is. So many people believe that ghosts roam the aisles.

Whoever roams the isles, some days it’s almost impossible to get a table at the Tapas bars, especially at breakfast time, the locals use the market for their daily staple needs and during morning rush its almost impossible to even get a coffee !