The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) awarded their Royal Gold Medal, uniquely, to which city?

In a break with 150 years of tradition, the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) awarded their Royal Gold Medal for architecture not to an individual or to a group of individuals, but, uniquely, to an entire city, Barcelona.

In 1999 the RIBA jury decided to award the medal to the city of Barcelona for 'inspired city leadership, pursuing an ambitious yet pragmatic urban strategy and the highest design standards', which have 'transformed the city's public realm, immensely expanded its amenities and regenerated its economy, providing pride in its inhabitants and delight in its visitors'.

The Royal Gold Medal for architecture is awarded annually by RIBA on behalf of the British monarch, in recognition of an individual's or group's substantial contribution to international architecture. It is given for a distinguished body of work rather than for one building, and is therefore not awarded for merely being currently fashionable.

The medal was first awarded in 1848 to Charles Robert Cockerell. The winners include some of the most influential architects of the 19th and 20th centuries and candidates of all nationalities are eligible to receive the award.

Not all recipients have been architects. Also recognised were engineers, influential writers on architecture, scholars, theoreticians, archaeologists and painters. The notable exception to the list of individuals was the 1999 award to the city of Barcelona.