Plaça de Lesseps, Barcelona
in Barcelona, SpainCategory: Attraction
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Ronda del General Mitre, 263, 08023 Barcelona, Spain Print route »
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Plaça de Lesseps is a square serving as the border between the Sarrià-Sant Gervasi and Gràcia district of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, loosely divided in two parts. One of the most heavily transited squares in the city, Lesseps is the starting point of one of Barcelona's busiest rondes: Ronda del General Mitre, as well as being the west end of Carrer Gran de Gràcia and being crossed by a number of streets, namely: Travessera de Dalt, Avinguda del Príncep d'Astúries, Avinguda de Vallcarca, Avinguda de la República Argentina, Carrer del Torrent de l'Olla, Carrer de la Mare de Déu del Coll, Carrer de Santa Perpètua, Carrer de Maignon and Carrer de Pérez Galdós.A traditionally arbored spot of the city, it has seen heavy construction works for years to move the route of the aforementioned rondes, allowing the square to become a more pedestrian-friendly place while easing the heavy traffic that crosses it on a daily basis.
The square is named after Ferdinand de Lesseps, the developer of the Suez Canal. Earlier in his career, De Lesseps was the French consul in Barcelona. He is known in Barcelona for having intervened against the 1842 bombing of the city ordered by General Baldomero Espartero and Captain-General Juan Van Halen. Before 1895 the square had been known as Josepets, after the 1626 convent of Santa Maria de Gràcia, also known as Els Josepets", which remained a popular name for the square, although now outdated.
