Montjuic: discover the history of Barcelona
About Barcelona:
Barcelona is the capital of the Catalonian province. It is located along the Mediterranean Sea and is also the second largest city in Spain. It consists of ten districts.Besides having a very important architectural heritage, it also has many modern buildings that are the legacy of architects such as Antoni Gaudí, Lluís Domènech i Montaner and Josep Puig. This city also has a fantastic natural environment for enjoying the sun and the beaches which are very close to the urban area.
However, the city has other scenic attractions such as Montjuic and Tibidabo hills (also known as the Magic Mountain). Their highest points are viewpoints. From there you can see the majesty of the whole city and the beauty of the sea.
Montjuic
Montjuic is a small hill which has historical and cultural value. It is located near the port and its top is a former military fortress. It also guards the entrance from the sea to the city. On its slopes are situated the following facilities:
– The Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium, which was designed by the architect Pere Domènech i Roura. It was opened in 1929 for the Universal Exposition of Barcelona.
– The Palau Sant Jordi designed by Japanese architect Arata Isozaki and built for the Olympic Games in 1992. It is widely used for sporting events and musical and theatrical performances as well.
– The Picornell swimming pools, which were also built for the Olympic Games in 1992. A total of three: summer pool, the diving and pool.
Attractions:
There is also the Historic Botanical Garden, which has a unique collection of cacti. It has an area of 14 hectares. Other attractions are the Poble Espanyol where concerts and art exhibitions are preformed. This area is also great for children’s activities and even weddings in Barcelona.
It was created by the modernist architect Josep Puig during the Universal Exhibition (1929).Within its walls are more than a hundred buildings (a total of 117), that represent all regions of the country.
Other buildings of great cultural interest are placed in Montjuic such as CaixaFòrum Museum, National Museum of Catalan Art, the Teatre Lliure, Teatre Grec and the Barcelona Teatre Musical.
On the other hand, there is a cable car in Montjuic that takes you to the top where you can visit the Castle from the eighteenth century. Moreover, you can see the flower market and the communications tower made by the architect Santiago Calatrava, which became a symbol of Barcelona.