The Roman Barcino was the very first museum that I had the opportunity to experience upon my four month journey living in Barcelona. Walking off the yellow line at metro stop Jaume I, I was anxious and excited to see what the museums in Barcelona had to offer me, and the differences that were presented to me in comparison to the museums I have visited in the United States. Prior to entering into the museum itself, I was immediately blown away by the exterior of the building and the Gothic area of the city. Friends had always mentioned that a Gothic part of the city existed, however, I was never aware of the history that lied beneath the grounds of the city.
I couldn’t wait to enter the museum and begin to learn more about the city where I was now living in. I remember becoming interested immediately after entering into the museum, and warming up to my environment after watching the video clips about the history of the city and the Roman Empire. Little did I know I was about to enter and elevator that brought us back in time and into the literal remains of what was left of the Roman heritage here in Barcelona. I had no idea that these remains existed beneath the streets I had walked down several times in search of food or just to look around. I was amazed how well preserved the rocks were and could picture what the people of the times actually experienced. Prof. Xavi’s explanations allowed the ruins to become into reality and paint a picture of what life was like. Soon a clear vision of flowing water, pools, and even places to make wine were enscripted in my thoughts.
As much as I loved walking through the ruins, I really enjoyed the detailed explanation of the Roman dumus. After looking at the house structure and the mosaic tiles, I had a clear understanding of what life was like for the elite groups of the time period. I was fascinated by the accurate depiction of what these villas looked like and understood many of the differences between my life and theirs’. I am currently an Environmental Science major and I take notice of being environmentally sustainable and was unaware of how ecologically advanced people were. For instance, the shape of the rooftops and collection of rainwater to be used for other purposes amazed me that water conservation was taken into consideration. I am aware that resources were not as easy to come about, but I was never aware of the many ways that water and other resources were conserved. Prior to this field trip, I was unaware about the history of Barcelona and the sequence of the events in the city. Who knew that another civilization was buried beneath the city.
Visiting this museum was a very positive experience, leaving me excited to visit other museums and landmarks that exist in the city of Barcelona, and I look forward to going back to the Roman quarters with class on Thursday, and exploring them on my own as well.
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