Palau Nacional

Montjuïc, the hill that towers so majestically over the city of Barcelona, has a cornucopia of delights for visitors to delight in – most of them originally constructed for either the 1929 World Fair or the 1992 Olympic Games. Even in these illustrious surroundings, however, the Palau Nacional – the National Palace – manages to stand out.

Originally designed by Pere Domènech, Enric Catà and Pedro Cendoya and built in 1929, the Palace was then restored in the late 1980s. The restoration work wasn’t completely finished, however, until 2004. It is amazing to think that the original plan had been to demolish this and most of the other Fair buildings at the end of the 1929 event! Instead, in 1934 the Palace became the permanent home of the National Art Museum of Catalonia (MNAC).

The Palau Nacional majestically dominates the skyline of the mountain as you look up the Avinguda de la Reina Maria Cristina from Plaça Espanya. This is a truly resplendent Baroque style palace, with all the flourishes you would expect around it.

The climb from Plaça Espanya is memorably laid out, with 50 cascading fountains lining the avenue and culminating in the breathtaking Magic Fountain, with its jets of water gushing upwards and its wonderful light display. There are moving escalators for those visitors who would find the climb too demanding.

One of Barcelona’s finest free shows is the spectacular light show at the Magic Fountain. Accompanied by suitably stirring music, including the Stars Wars theme for the younger audience members, there is a dazzling, unforgettable light and water display that illuminates the Palace above.

The displays take place on four evenings a week during the summer and just the two evenings during the winter. In the summer, the displays are from Thursday through to Sunday, every half hour from 9pm until 11 pm. From October until April, the fountain show occurs on Friday and Saturday nights from 7 pm until the final display at 8.30. To really appreciate the full effect of the 4,700 coloured lights, try to go when it is getting dark.

With the impressive sculptures, classical statues, wide terraces covered with urns and the sheer elegance of the building itself, the National Palace of Montjuïc – even if you don’t include the glories of the paintings in MNAC – is a palace worthy of comparison with any of those in other European countries. When you add its imposing setting and dramatic surroundings, though, it becomes a very special place indeed.

Location

The nearest Metro station to the Palau Nacional is at Plaça Espanya (Lines 1,3) and it is possible to walk from there along Avinguda de la Reina Maria Cristina towards Montjuïc, but there is also an escalator that can take you straight to the top. Also, bus numbers 50 and 55 stop close to the building.

MNAC

Next: Fundació Miró – the Joan Miró Museum