Barcelona is an emblematic example of how a European and Mediterranean city can be radically transformed. Starting in the eighties, through investment in contemporary architecture, tourism, and advanced services, the city abandoned its traditional identity as an industrial center. Through extensive "in the field" investigation, giving voice to key figures in culture, architecture, and politics, and a vast array of images, the author gives a critical account of the various "stages" in Barcelona’s recent history, putting them into historical context and drawing parallels with local and international currents.