Montjuic

Mount Montjuic rises above Barcelona's harbor almost in the city center. The hill is not too high - its height is 173 m, and houses hundreds of historical and modern buildings that are of interest not only to local residents, but also to travelers from all over the world. On the harbor side, Montjuic is a steep cliff. Its flat top is easily reached by cable car, one of two cable cars, by bus or on foot.

Castle

The hill is crowned by Montjuic Castle. From its height there is a picturesque view of the city and the sea below. The castle-fortress was built in the 17th century. The fortress played a huge defensive role; nature itself made it impregnable to enemies. In the 18th century the castle was rebuilt according to the design of the architect J. M. Kermeño.

For a long time there was a prison in the castle, which was notorious among local residents as a place where many prisoners were executed. Now only thick walls, picturesquely entwined with vines and ivy, remind of this. On the territory of the fortress there is a military museum, where weapons from medieval to modern are presented, documents, knightly armor and much more.

On the site near the castle, the open-air cinema Sala Montjuic shows films on warm summer nights. The origin of the name of the hill - this is how Barcelona residents prefer to call the mountain - has two versions: Jewish Mountain - on one of the slopes there was an old Jewish cemetery, or Mount Jupiter.

Montjuic Gardens

There are several beautiful gardens on the hill. At the beginning of the 20th century. A tremendous amount of work was done to plant and improve the landscape. It was then that parks and gardens with unique Mediterranean fauna, pergolas, original gazebos and open terraces, fountains appeared.

Later, the nursery, located on the northwestern slope, was transformed into a Botanical Garden with a magnificent collection of rare and exotic plants. The Mirador del Alcalde is also located here - the best observation deck, equipped with an original fountain.

In the 70s of the last century, the Mossen Costa and Llobera gardens with exotic cacti appeared. In the gardens of Mossen Sinto Verdaguer you can admire aquatic and other unique plants.

Sports facilities

In 1992, the Olympic Games were held in Barcelona. By the time they started, a huge stadium, swimming pools, a football field, a tennis court and other sports facilities had been built on the hill. All of them are united in the Olympic ring, the pearl of which is Palau Sant Jordi - an indoor sports arena. After the Olympics, the new sports palace was converted into a musical theater, where performances and shows are successfully held.

A little about the 1929 exhibition

The Royal Palace of Albéniz was built on the slope, around which lies the garden of Joan Maragall. The royal family stayed in the palace during the International Exhibition in 1929. For the opening, the Plaza de España, many pavilions and other structures were built. The exhibition halls are used to host other exhibitions on a European and world scale.

At the foot of the Montjuic hill, a magnificent musical fountain was built in 1929, which was restored in time for the Olympics. The magical dance of water is accompanied by lyrical music and spectacularly shimmering light - it is impossible to take your eyes off the mesmerizing spectacle. The height of the fountain jet rises to a height of 54 meters.

Museums and attractions

The Museum of Art, located in the National Palace, exhibits medieval frescoes, altars, and unique sculptures. Masterpiece paintings by Rubens, Goya, El Greco, and Picasso are presented here. The numismatics department has a magnificent collection of coins.

The J. Miró Museum is of particular interest, introducing visitors to contemporary art. Among the paintings and original compositions is the Mercury fountain. - an unusual work in which mercury flows instead of water. The artist's works are controversial, but many of them decorate the expensive interiors of the world's millionaires and billionaires.

In the Spanish village, occupying 49 thousand square meters. m, there are 117 buildings recreating the appearance of a typical Catalan town. Right in front of visitors in numerous craft shops, craftsmen create their works. Here you can try traditional Spanish cuisine. The village was built for the start of the exhibition in 1929. According to the architect Cadafalcu, every visitor to the village received a complete understanding of the culture, life and crafts of different regions of Spain.

Torre Calatrava evokes true admiration and surprise. A high-tech TV tower soaring high into the sky (136 m). Some compare it to the tail of a whale, and others to the Olympic torch. The tower was built according to the design of the extraordinary architect Santiago Calatrava.

You can spend more than one day on Montjuic, and even this time is not enough to get to know the sights of the legendary hill, known throughout the world.