The image, taken near the current Plaça de la Universitat, shows the busy Barcelona artery with tram tracks and intense urban activity. A horse is visible on the right, while several stopped vehicles stand out on the left.
These vehicles are double-decker buses belonging to the Compañía General de Autobuses de Barcelona, SA, lined up between Aribau and Balmes streets, with passengers and uniformed workers waiting on the sidewalk.
What truly allows the scene to be spatially located is the building visible in the background, whose unmistakable appearance has remained virtually unaltered over the years.
This is the historic Universitat de Barcelona (UB) building, designed by architect Elies Rogent and inaugurated in 1874. A century after the photograph was taken, the complex continues to preside over this central stretch of the Gran Via with its imposing façade.
It should be noted that the UB officially resumed its activity in Barcelona in 1837, after 120 years of inactivity due to the Decret de Nova Planta promulgated by King Philip V in 1719.
