EXCURSIONS IN BARCELONA

These lamps were filled with resin and lit—the resin was easily ignited and also gave off a pleasant aroma that masked the rotten and filthy odors that permeated the city. The scent of resin, like that of candles, was also important for churches—it neutralized the spirits of pilgrims and served as a "deodorizer," as washing was not customary in the Middle Ages.

Since 1725, oil lamps have been used to illuminate streets in Barcelona.

Gas lighting then appeared in the city. It was first used on June 24, 1826, during the Feast of Sant Joan. Then, the first gas lantern in Barcelona was lit on the Stock Exchange building. The city's lighting system began operating in 1842, with gas lanterns appearing on the Rambla and other important streets and squares.

A year later, Frenchman Charles Le Bon built the first gas factory in Barcelona and founded the Catalan Gas Lighting Society. It produced gas lighting systems on a large scale, primarily for illuminating factories and government buildings. Electricity, which had become widespread in the late 19th century, formally arrived in Barcelona only in 1904, although the first steps in this field had been taken in 1873. That year, Barcelona optician and physicist Tomás Dolmau and engineer Narcís Xifra launched the city's first power plant (still very modest). The system was powered by four gas engines, which drove machines called Gram, producing 200 volt-amperes. These machines supplied electricity to several city buildings. In 1888, the first electric streetlights were installed in the city. They coexisted with gas lamps until the mid-20th century.