From Edwardian grandeur to postwar grit to multicultural celebration, the 1908, 1948, and 2012 Olympic Games in London didn’t just happen in the city; they transformed it—and in turn, helped reshape the Olympic Movement.
The Olympics Games breathed new life into Barcelona, in a way that host cities have emulated since. Barcelona didn’t just host the Games. It used them as a canvas to paint its way into the 21st century.