Arc de Triomf

This guide to the Arc de Triomf in Barcelona opens with what makes it unlike other triumphal arches: no general ever rode through it in victory. It follows the city's 1888 bid to host Spain's first Universal Exposition, the architect who chose red brick and Moorish-inspired ornament over white marble, and the sculpted frieze and heraldic bats built into the gateway. Look for the carved figures on the front frieze as you stand beneath the arch.