Plaza de España, Barcelona

This stopover on the way to Montjuïc Mountain used to be the gateway to the city, because the creu coberta (covered cross) lay in this square. It was a Gothic cross that symbolized arrival in Barcelona. Criminals were once hanged in this part of the city, and they remained on display some time in an attempt to dissuade those who arrived from straying from the "path of righteousness." Urbanization of the area began in 1908 and was completed in 1929, the year of the Universal Exposition of Barcelona. In the middle of the square is a fountain designed by Josep Maria Jujol, a Gaudí disciple.

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