Barcelona, 1888.
The city is dressed in celebration. Beneath the Arc de Triomf, flags flutter, bands play, and the crowd cheers as Mayor Francesc de Paula Rius i Taulet delivers his words. The World’s Fair opens its gates—and with it, a new era begins.
Yet beneath the brilliance, something else is already stirring.
An ambitious mayor builds the future while balancing power and order. Antoni Gaudí, the eccentric genius, searches for form in an unseen world. Eusebi Güell, the influential industrialist, drives progress—yet knows every advancement comes at a price. Lluís Domènech i Montaner gives voice to ideals and national identity, while Narcís Oller sees everything, understands everything—and records it all.
Meanwhile, deep within the city, a forbidden love unfolds. A young anarchist couple, bound by passion and belief, find themselves drawn toward a path that may destroy them both.
As Barcelona rises, so does the tension. Behind the shining façade, cracks begin to appear. Strikes. Secret meetings. Unspoken fears. The promise of progress and the hunger for justice collide with increasing force.
Between 1888 and 1895, the fate of a city will be decided.
Barcelona – Republic of a Kingdom is a captivating historical novel of power, art, love, and rebellion—where the past comes vividly to life and asks a timeless question:
what is progress worth if, in the process, we lose ourselves?