Born out of a need to extend and modernise Barcelona, the Eixample district was the shop window for the city’s bourgeoisie in the 19C and early 20C and was a mirror for its economic and cultural growth during this period. The 1850s saw the emergence of the Renaixença, a literary movement which preceded and inspired Modernism. Stroll through the Eixample’s streets, admiring the profusion of new materials used during the period: ceramics, polychrome glass, wrought iron etc. Make sure you follow the "Modernist promenade", which runs from the Palau Güell to the Parc Güell.