An eye-catching fixture of downtown Barcelona, the Palau de la Música Catalana boasts a striking modernist design. It was built in the early-20th century by architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner, who designed the now-iconic exterior to feature intricate carvings, red brick arches, and exquisite Spanish and Arabic architectural details. Inside, the concert hall is even more breathtaking with its gold accents, floral patterns, and exceptional stained-glass elements. Visitors to the Palau de la Música Catalana will be awed by the kaleidoscopic skylight whether they take in a show or simply tour this breathtaking UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the past, the Palau de la Música Catalana has hosted such quality performers as Ella Fitzgerald, Paco de Lucía, Woody Allen, Ángel Corella, and Duke Ellington.
Designed by Richard Meier, the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art is housed in an aptly modern building with a glass facade and striking white color. It combines elements of contemporary American architecture with the Mediterranean rationalist tradition. The museum opened to the public in 1995, showing a permanent collection of work produced over the last 50 years and donated by the city's other artistic institutions. Visitors will also find regular temporary exhibitions featuring Spanish and international artists, as well as lectures, seminars, and audiovisual competitions on offer. If you like art, culture, and all things modern, swing by the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art.
Painted in soul-stirring Gothic splendor the likes of which the world has rarely seen, the Barcelona Cathedral is a striking religious landmark, and the seat of the Archbishop of Barcelona. This historic cathedral is dedicated to Eulalia, a patron saint of Barcelona whose crypt sits peacefully beneath its high altar. While construction on the cathedral officially lasted between the 13th and 15th centuries, the majority of the work was finished in the 14th Century. After its completion in 1420, the Barcelona Cathedral revealed expert craftsmanship in everything from skilfully rendered Gothic cloisters, to mythical gargoyles that protectively watch over the cathedral, lending to an architectural significance that persists even today. Perhaps the most festive legacy left by the cathedral is the Catalan tradition of the dancing egg, which is said to have originated when a hollowed egg was filled with wax and left to dance atop the jets of the cloister fountain, in honor of the Feast of Corpus Christi. The cathedral, adorned with intricate spires built atop a handsome nave and marvelous bell towers, vies for domination over the city's skyline with another priestly landmark, the Sagrada Família.
Las Ramblas, um destino privilegiado para moradores e visitantes, estende-se pelo centro de Barcelona desde a Praça de Catalunha até a margem Monumento de Colombo. O popular calçadão abriga várias atrações notáveis, incluindo o Gran Teatre del Liceu e o Palau de la Virreina, além de muitas oportunidades para terapia de compras. Este centro cultural é cercado de árvores e cheio de pessoas amigáveis, principalmente onde os restaurantes oferecem mesas ao ar livre em meio a toda a ação. Seja apreciando as vistas e os sons de La Boqueria, um dos mercados mais espetaculares do mundo, ou abraçando o ritmo catalão em um passeio tranquilo, Las Ramblas é um local imperdível em Barcelona.
Featuring an air of striking regality that can be attributed to its historic dull rose facade, the Gran Teatre del Liceu is a longstanding symbol of Barcelona's prized culture. Perhaps the most important theater in Barcelona, the Gran Teatre del Liceu was built in 1847 as a venue for opera performances. The original building showcased a modern aesthetic designed by architects Miquel Garriga i Roca and Josep Oriol Mestres, and while the theater was rebuilt after a fire in 1994, a handful of cherished artifacts from the first structure remain. The main façade, the Hall of Mirrors, and staircase notably represent the historic Gran Teatre del Liceu as it was originally conceived. As important as ever, the new theater stays true to its roots by staging an exciting program of operas, concerts, and ballets performed by some of the most reputable companies in the world. It even houses a symphony orchestra and choir that perform throughout the year. With 2,292 seats, the Gran Teatre del Liceu is certainly grand, and it has one of the largest opera auditoriums in Europe.
Homenagem de Barcelona a um de seus filhos adotivos, o Museu Picasso exibe uma coleção fabulosa em três palácios medievais adjacentes. Embora o famoso artista cubista tenha nascido em Málaga, sua longa carreira artística começou em Barcelona. Os visitantes deste museu verão importantes obras antigas em vários meios, incluindo gravura, litografia e cerâmica. As peças mais conhecidas em exposição no Museu Picasso são o Arlequim, um retrato de uma das esposas de Picasso, e a série Las Meninas. Exposições temporárias regulares se concentram em diferentes aspectos do legado do artista, como sua pesquisa sobre paisagens e incursão no design de teatro. Além disso, há algumas obras de outros artistas do movimento de vanguarda em exposição, o que completa a experiência.
Parc de la Ciutadella is a lush attraction nestled in the Old City, known locally as the Ciutat Vella. The park was designed by Josep Fontserè and his then-unknown assistant Antoni Gaudí, who went on to pioneer Catalan modernism with such masterpieces as the Basilica de la Sagrada Família. Although it no longer bears the distinction of being the only green space in the city, the park remains an important respite for city dwelling nature lovers, as well as those looking to experience the essence of Barcelona. Within the park are several attractions for the whole family, among them the Barcelona Zoo and Catalan Parliament. Weave through the verdant park and its many cultural offerings, taking time to relax by the lake as the ornate fountain creates a peaceful melody.
Housed in a 19th-century warehouse on the Barcelona port, this museum was created to preserve, exhibit, and disseminate Catalonian history. It is a dynamic and contemporary cultural center where the past is brought to life through artifacts, documents, historical re-creations, mixed media presentations, and interactive displays. Beyond regular exhibitions, there are also learning opportunities in the form of historical archives and libraries, as well as a dedicated educational department. Move from prehistoric times to the modern era, explore with a topographic model of Catalonia under your feet, wind down on the rooftop terrace with hot coffee and exquisite vistas, then swing by the souvenir shop on your way out.
Um ícone religioso inacabado que está imerso em profundo valor cultural e apresenta uma estética incomparável, a Basílica da Sagrada Família é uma maravilha impressionante. Gaudí começou a trabalhar neste templo totalmente surreal, agora um renomado Patrimônio Mundial da UNESCO, em 1882. Originalmente destinada a ser uma igreja neogótica modesta, a Basílica da Sagrada Família tornou-se indiscutivelmente o edifício mais icônico de toda Barcelona . Gaudí rompeu com o estilo neogótico reinante no final do século XIX e início do século XX, impregnando sua arquitetura de significado simbólico e sendo pioneiro no movimento do Modernismo catalão. Detalhes intrincados como pilares de palmeiras cujas bases assumem a forma de tartarugas, cores atraentes, influências de estilo barroco e materiais que variam de mosaicos a uma série de pedras convergem para criar uma obra-prima absoluta.
Established by surrealist artist Joan Miró, this institute was founded to support the study of contemporary art. It was built by architect Josep Lluís Sert who was also a close friend to Miró and member of the Catalan art scene. Its outstanding octagonal tower houses a concert hall that puts on classical music performances, and the striking building also houses a permanent collection of Miró's art. Large canvases mingle with tapestries while engravings complement photographs. Given the eclectic stylings of its honored artist, the institute showcases a number of disciplines and aesthetics. There are also a café-restaurant and souvenir shop onsite, promising plenty of comfort for visitors to the Joan Miró Foundation.
Built in 1990, the National Art Museum of Catalonia offers the best collection of Romanesque murals in the world, including some real gems from the Pyrenean region. Other pieces housed in the collection demonstrate diversity through such mediums as carving, sculpture, wood paintings, and glazed objects. Also found in the museum are uniques works like intricate altarpieces and gold and silver ornaments. You'll enjoy a selection of Gothic period paintings by 14th- and 15th-century Catalan School artists alongside those of their counterparts from across Spain and Europe. Art lovers will enjoy a healthy dose of local art at the National Art Museum of Catalonia.
Towering over the city at 173 meters (570 feet) is this scenic hill overlooking the sea. Montjuïc remained uninhabited until after the Middle Ages despite the fact that the Jewish quarter in Barcelona had already extended to the nearby Miramar area. The first path to the summit opened in 1607, and in 1640, a fortress was built to resist Spanish invasions during the Catalan Revolt. For centuries now, the Montjuïc park area has been a popular place for locals to pick wild herbs during leisure time, as well as an enjoyable attraction for visitors. Please note that while the park is free to visit, Montjuïc Castle charges an admission fee.