La Rambla at the beginning of the 20th century, near the Boqueria market. There is no longer room for even a needle in this large parking lot reserved for transporters linked to the sales stands.
The circulation along these sides was summarized in the passage of carriages and trams.
It can be seen that the pavement is traditional cobblestone. The test of the novelty from Paris had failed: the décollée model, made of wood, less noisy but, which had been imposed to prevent the stone revolutionary barricades from being almost impregnable.
A similar concentration of cars also occurred then in Born and on the port docks.
The walking of the four powerful equine legs shod with horseshoes caused very noticeable noise pollution. The metal wheels also contributed their own. The residents of Born were more tolerant, but those of La Rambla were more demanding due to a different social category; Suffice it to say that Eusebi Güell, before commissioning the palace from Gaudí, resided at number 37.
This topic reminds me of incidents that occurred at different times, centered on the same type of noise.
Charles IV and his Court spent a long stay in Barcelona. It was 1802. Those of highest rank resided in the Royal Palace and in the Customs House, which were connected with a temporary but very artistic bridge. Manuel Godoy, given his status as his favorite, of course deserved to be housed nearby and in that same area. Given the noisy environment generated by the proximity of the port traffic, he ordered the entire Pla de Palau to be covered with earth so that his important dream would not be disturbed.
Bishop Urquinaona had earned enormous esteem by defending protectionism in 1822 as a deputy in the Cortes so that his working-class parishioners would not be condemned to die of hunger; he begged on his knees. Upon returning to Barcelona, ??a crowd gathered at the stop on Aragó Street to cheer him on. They began to unharness the horses from his carriage and with muscle and drive they led him to the archiepiscopal palace. Shortly after, he was fatally ill in his palatial room near Palla Street, and the people asked to sand it so that the passing of the carriages would not disturb his agony. What a contrast.
