Wildflower blooming at the Forum in the Sant Martí district

The history of Barcelona stretches back well over 2000 years to its origins as an Iberian village named Barkeno; its easily defensible location on the coastal plain between the Collserola ridge (512 m) and the Mediterranean Sea, the coastal route between central Europe and the rest of the Iberian peninsula, ensured its continued importance, if not preeminence, throughout the ages