Second, it has always been a deliberate city, carefully created and built by central planners. In Barcelona's history, there have been just a few instances of unintended expansion. It has not spread, unlike many modern cities. Each fresh spurt of expansion has been calculated; there has always been a strategy. This is different from most other European cities that grew through accident or after being burned down repeatedly. Finally, Barcelona is a small city. At only 900 square miles (2,471 sq km), it's smaller than Washington, D.C. And with a population of about 790,000 people, it's less than half the size of New York City. Most places like this were never intended to be large cities. They usually start small, maybe even as trading posts, but they don't grow beyond their founders' expectations because there's no need for them to expand. In fact, most cities across Europe were also never expected to become major cultural centers or economic hubs. They emerged through accident or design, but always remained within their founders' intentions. This is probably why so many cities across Europe have such unique identities today. Even if you visit several during your travels, each one will always be identifiable as something special. Barcelona was founded in the 11th century by King James I of Aragon.