The old port of Barcelona or Port Vell has a long history, being built almost 2,000 years ago. In the past, this port was the most important port of Spain and it made Barcelona one of the largest and wealthiest cities in Spain. The port is known for being the re-entering point for Columbus in Europe to tell the king of Spain about his discovery of a new land – America. This important historical event is captured in the Mirador de Colom (Columbus Monument), that is situated only two minutes away from Port Vell.