National Palace of Montjuïc in Barcelona
The work of three architects, the building combines Renaissance and Baroque elements to represent the typical architecture of Spain for the 1929 International Exhibition. Since 1934 it has housed the National Art Museum of Catalonia, one of the most outstanding in Barcelona, where you can admire Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Modern art, the largest numismatic collection in Catalonia and one of the most important exhibitions of Romanesque art in the world.
Montjuïc magic fountain
An emblematic fountain located at the foot of the mountain of Montjuïc, just in front of the National Art Museum of Catalonia. Built by the Barcelona architect Carles Buïgas for the 1929 International Exhibition, today it offers a spectacle of light, water and music that nobody visiting the city wants to miss.
Caixa Fòrum
A cultural centre that occupies the former Casaramona factory, built between 1909 and 1912 by the architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch. This cultural centre is managed by La Caixa as part of its Social Project and it houses various exhibitions and activities devised for all the family.
Fira de Barcelona
1932 saw the official founding of the company Fira Internacional de Barcelona, and since then it has become one of the most important in Europe It has some 70 halls and every year it organises exhibitions and conferences for over 30,000 companies from all sectors, gathering over two and a half million visitors.
Mies van der Rohe Pavilion
Designed by the architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, the German pavilion currently organises exhibitions, congresses, award ceremonies and conferences.
Joan Miró Foundation
The Joan Miró Foundation of Barcelona was conceived by the artist himself and commissioned to the architect Josep Lluís Sert. Joan Miró wanted to be sure that his works would always be within the reach of the general public and art lovers. Today, the Foundation has over 10,000 works by the Barcelona painter.
Palau Sant Jordi
The now emblematic Palau Sant Jordi was built for the 1992 Olympic Games by the Japanese architect Arata Isozaki. The building is the scene of big sporting and musical events and all types of shows. In fact, today it is the Olympic facility most used in Barcelona.
Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium
Designed by the Barcelona architect Pere Domènech i Roura for the 1929 International Exhibition, it has been the local stadium for three important teams of the city: F.C Barcelona, C.E Europa and R.C.D Espanyol. In 1985 work began to renovate it and in 1992 the stadium was the venue of the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympic Games, as well as the athletics events of the Paralympic Games. Today it is the scene of large concerts and sporting events.
Laribal Gardens
Hispano-Arabic style gardens, planned between 1924 and 1928 for the 1929 International Exhibition, and which lead onto the Teatro Grec de Montjuïc. The so-called Font del Gat (Fountain of the Cat) is to be found in these gardens.
Montjuïc Castle
Montjuïc Castle is a former fortress on the top of the mountain. It is one of the oldest buildings in the park and arouses the interest of tourists in Barcelona due to its interesting and controversial history. Declared an asset of cultural interest, since 2007 it has been a municipal facility where events, exhibitions and activities for all the family take place.
The Montjuic of today is the result of the changes that it has experienced throughout its long history. Three chapters of its life are of particular note: its period as a military fortress, its restructuring to become the epicentre of the 1929 International Exposition and its central role during the 1992 Olympics. A mixture of history, culture and entertainment make this one of the most symbolic and interesting places in Barcelona.
The original Montjuic castle
The mountain of Montjuic has always been a faithful companion and guardian to the city of Barcelona: it had a watchtower on its summit that was used to inform citizens of the arrival of ships in the city. Its first military fortifications were built in the seventeenth century, to repel attacks from the troops of Philip IV. Decades later, after the War of the Spanish Succession, it passed into Bourbon hands and the castle adopted its present form. In more recent times, it was used as a political prison and place of execution. Today it is a Heritage Site and belongs to the city of Barcelona, which has restored it for the celebration of events, exhibitions and activities for the whole family.
Early 20th century and the 1929 Expo
Since the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Barcelona has embraced modernism and made it its hallmark. Montjuic is integral to this. In fact, Josep Puig i Cadafalch built one of its most emblematic buildings here - the old Casaramona factory (1909-1912). It currently houses the Caixa Fòrum cultural centre, part of the social work of the Caixa bank. Workshops, activities and important shows are organised here, aimed at visitors of all ages.
In 1929 a decisive event took place for Barcelona in general, but in particular for Montjuic, the International Exhibition of 1929. This was a real showcase to the world which left a great legacy, which the Poble Espanyol forms part of. Another example is the German Pavilion of Mies van der Rohe, which was dismantled but later rebuilt in its original location.
The other great legacy of the Universal Exhibition of 1929 is the Fira de Barcelona trade fair, which has several of its most emblematic venues here, next to the Plaça de Espanya and the Avinguda de la Reina Maria Cristina. Trade and cultural fairs are organised here throughout the year.
This area is also home to the Miró Foundation, another of the city's great museums. The museum houses the legacy of Barcelona local Joan Miró, who epitomised the Surrealist movement. Miró fructified the 1929 International Exposition, although the current building dates back to the 1970s. The collection of over 10,000 works of art make this the best place to learn about the life and work of the artist.
The Olympics and Montjuic
The 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games changed the image of this place forever. Since then, Montjuic has been home to two of the city's main sports venues: the Palau de Sant Jordi and the Lluís Companys stadium. The Palau de Sant Jordi, designed by Japanese architect Arata Isozaki, was home to sports including handball, volleyball and gymnastics. Nowadays, it hosts sporting events and concerts on an international level.
The Lluís Companys stadium, originally built for the occasion of the 1929 Expo by Domènech i Roura and later rebuilt for the Olympic Games, was the site where the athletics events were held. Historical moments in the history of Spanish and world sport were made here, and the venue continues to host high profile sport and musical events.
If all this wasn't enough, Montjuic boasts its very own cable car, which has traced the slope of the mountain since 2007, offering one of the most fascinating panoramic views of Barcelona.
