'''Plaça Catalunya''' è la piazza più centrale ed importante della città di Barcellona; occupa una superficie di circa 50.000 mq.
thumb|300px|La piazza vista dall'alto
Attorno ad essa si concentrano la finanza, il commercio, ed il turismo della capitale catalana, ed è chiaramente luogo di ritrovo, anche perché è il punto da cui la rambla scende verso mare e da cui prende origine il Passeig de Gracia, altro frequentatissimo ed importantissimo viale.
Oltre a questo è un importante snodo dei trasporti pubblici: è infatti capolinea di varie linee di metropolitana.

Per la posizione in cui si trova, divide i quartieri vecchi (Barceloneta, Ribera, Raval) che compongono la Ciutat Vella, dalla parte di città più recente, risalente in gran parte al XIX-XX secolo.

Fu costruita nel dittatura franchista; è ornata da diverse fontane, numerosi monumenti e statue.

<gallery>
Image:Barcelona-Plaça-de-Catalunya.jpg|Vista notturna
Image:050529_Barcelona_109.jpg|Parte centrale della piazza
Image:Standbeeld Plaça de Catalunya.JPG|Monumento a Macià
Image:Fountain_in_Bercelona.jpg|Fontane
Image:Spain.Barcelona.Plaza.Catalunya.jpg|Fontane
</gallery>
== Altri progetti ==

thumb|300px|right|Plaça de Catalunya.
thumb|300px|right|Plaça Catalunya at night.
thumb|300px|right|Another view
thumb|300px|right|A fountain.
thumb|300px|right|Corner of Plaça de Catalunya with [[Passeig de Gràcia.]]
thumb|300px|right|[[Francesc Macià monument.]]

'''Plaça Catalunya''' (or '''Plaça ''de'' Catalunya''', both being the official Catalan language names) is a large square in central Barcelona that is generally considered to be both its city centre and the place where the old city (see Barri Gòtic and Raval, in Ciutat Vella) and the 19th century-built Eixample meet.

Some of the city's most important streets and avenues meet in Plaça Catalunya: La Rambla or Portal de l'Àngel, in addition to Ronda de Sant Pere, Carrer de Vergara or Carrer de Pelai. It has an area of about 50,000 square metres. It is especially known for its fountains and statues, its proximity to some of Barcelona's most popular attractions, and for the numerous flocks of pigeons that gather in the centre

==History==
After the medieval city walls were demolished in the 19th century, a significant reform of the city took place, under the guide of a number of notable urban planners. Plaça Catalunya in particular was conceived as part of ''pla Rovira'' in 1859 but no official permission from the government was given until the urbanised for the first time in 1902, with further reforms in 1929, on the occasion of the 1929 Universal Exposition, that also included the construction of a metro line. Francisco Nebot directed the reforms.

==Art==
===Sculpture===
Plaça Catalunya hosts quite a few interesting sculptures representative of Noucentisme, Neo-Classicism and different avantgarde movements.
*''Deessa'', by Josep Clarà.
*''Pastor de Pau'', by Pablo Gargallo.
*Francesc Macià monument. It reads: "Catalunya a Francesc Macià".
*Josep Llimona's sculptures.
===Decorative arts===
The mosaics that decorate the walls of the underground part of Plaça Catalunya were designed by pupils of Escola Massana.

==Culture==
===Theatre===
A few theatres have been established in Plaça Catalunya since its construction, none of which is still in existence.
*Teatre del Bon Retir (1876-1885)
*Circ Eqüestre Alegria (1879-1895)
*Eldorado Conert (1887)
*Teatre Barcelona (1923)
There still are, however, other theatres in the nearby area, located in other streets or squares.

===Cafés and restaurants===
Similarly, most of the cafés and restaurants where writers and artists would meet in the city haven't survived, with the notable exception of Café Zurich, where Fabiola of Belgium's brother worked as a pianist. The following ones disappeared with the Spanish Civil War:
*Maison Dorée
*Café Colón
*La Lluna
*Cafè Suís

==Other services==
===Shopping centres===
*El Corte Inglés
*El Triangle, containing a three-story fnac shop.
*Sfera

===Hotels===
*H10 Catalunya Plaza
*Hotel Monegal
*Olivia Plaza Hotel: 4 stars hotel. [http://www.oliviahotels.es Olivia Plaza] Phone +34933168700