Claim: Spain is part of Europe.

Barcelona -LRB- -LSB- bɑrsəˈloʊnə -RSB- , -LSB- bəɾsəˈlonə -RSB- , -LSB- barθeˈlona -RSB- -RRB- is the capital city of the autonomous community of Catalonia in the Kingdom of Spain , as well as the country 's second most populous municipality , with a population of 1.6 million within city limits . Its urban area extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of around 4.7 million people , being the sixth-most populous urban area in the European Union after Paris , London , Madrid , the Ruhr area and Milan . It is the largest metropolis on the Mediterranean Sea , located on the coast between the mouths of the rivers Llobregat and Besòs , and bounded to the west by the Serra de Collserola mountain range , the tallest peak of which is 512 m high .   Founded as a Roman city , in the Middle Ages Barcelona became the capital of the County of Barcelona . After merging with the Kingdom of Aragon , Barcelona continued to be an important city in the Crown of Aragon as an economic and administrative centre of this Crown and the capital of the Principality of Catalonia . Barcelona has a rich cultural heritage and is today an important cultural centre and a major tourist destination . Particularly renowned are the architectural works of Antoni Gaudí and Lluís Domènech i Montaner , which have been designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites . The headquarters of the Union for the Mediterranean is located in Barcelona . The city is known for hosting the 1992 Summer Olympics as well as world-class conferences and expositions and also many international sport tournaments .   Barcelona is one of the world 's leading tourist , economic , trade fair and cultural centres , and its influence in commerce , education , entertainment , media , fashion , science , and the arts all contribute to its status as one of the world 's major global cities . It is a major cultural and economic centre in southwestern Europe , 24th in the world -LRB- before Zürich , after Frankfurt -RRB- and a financial centre . In 2008 it was the fourth most economically powerful city by GDP in the European Union and 35th in the world with GDP amounting to $ 177 billion . In 2012 Barcelona had a GDP of $ 170 billion ; it is leading Spain in both employment rate and GDP per capita change . In 2009 the city was ranked Europe 's third and one of the world 's most successful as a city brand . In the same year the city was ranked Europe 's fourth best city for business and fastest improving European city , with growth improved by 17 % per year , and the city has been experiencing strong and renewed growth for the past three years . Since 2011 Barcelona has been a leading smart city in Europe . Barcelona is a transport hub , with the Port of Barcelona being one of Europe 's principal seaports and busiest European passenger port , an international airport , Barcelona -- El Prat Airport , which handles over 40 million passengers per year , an extensive motorway network , and a high-speed rail line with a link to France and the rest of Europe .