Attraction 13 / 22
Quick Info
Location
Av de la Gran Via de les Corts
Subway
Espanya (L1, L3)
Rating
4 votes 4 votes
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Plaça d'Espanya

The Plaça d'Espanya is a square located at the foot of the Montjuïc. The site was used for public hangings until the gallows were moved to the Ciutadella in 1715.
Fountain at Placa d'Espanya, Barcelona
The Central Fountain
The Plaça d'Espanya was created for the 1929 World Exhibition. Designed in 1915 by the architect Josep Amargós, it was only completed just in time for the exhibition.

Another architect, Josep Maria Jujol designed a large fountain at the center of the square. His modernist style is clearly influenced by Gaudi, with whom Jujol frequently collaborated on projects like the Casa Milà and Park Guëll. The sculptures adorning the fountain were created by the Spanish sculptor Miguel Blay Fabregas.

Venetian Towers
Plaça d'Espanya
Venetian Towers
A wide avenue, the Avinguda de la Reina María Christina, is flanked by two towers and leads to the Magic fountain and the Palau National at the Montjuïc. The avenue is often used for trade fairs.

The 47m / 154ft high towers are modeled on the Bell Tower at the St. Mark's Square in Venice. They were built by Ramon Raventós for the 1929
Arenas de Barcelona
Arenas de Barcelona
International Exhibition.

Arenas de Barcelona
At the other end of the Plaça d'Espanya stands the 'Arenas de Barcelona'. The bullring in Mudéjar style brickwork was built in 1900. But bullfights have never really caught on in Catalonia and the arena is now being turned into a shopping center.

The area behind the arena is known as the Parc de l'Escorxador or Park of the abattoir
Parc de Joan Miro
Parc de Joan Miró
as it was used as the abattoir for the bullring.

In the 1980s the park was renamed Parc de Joan Miró after the local artist who left his mark on the square with a 22m high colorful sculpture, known as 'Dona i Ocell' or Woman and Bird.

Originally the idea was to put a forest of sculptures like these in the park, but Joan Miró's death in 1983 prevented these plans from being implemented.

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