On a Visit to Barcelona
by Jean Knill

When you need a break from the glories of the Sagrada Familia and the other modernist architecture of Antonio Gaudi in Barcelona, pick up the funicular at Avenida Paral-lel and ride it through splendid tunnels up to the viewpoints of Montjuic. This little mountain sits at the edge of the city above the old town and the waterfront. In medieval times it is said that its slopes contained a Jewish cemetery, hence a possible translation of its name as The Mountain of the Jews.



Montjuic is no ordinary mountain. You could just call it a hill with its natural beauty transformed by gardens, buildings and monuments to reflect its history. The earliest is its castle, which figured in the War of the Reapers, between Spain and Catalonia in the 1600s, and a number of gruesome events since then. Today it houses the city’s military museum and offers fine opportunities to see Barcelona spread around below. To get there, you can take a cable car from the funicular terminus.

There are other ways to reach the summit. The tourist buses go a roundabout route and stop at all the various attractions. If you are feeling energetic you can make your way up the hill on foot from the Plaça d’ Espanya.

First check out the Plaça de Braus les Arenes on the north side of the square. This is the former bullring that was the venue for the Beatles concert during the European Tour of 1965. I wonder if you could actually hear the strains of A Hard Day’s Night above the screaming of the fans.

The Plaça d’ Espanya was redeveloped at the time of the world trade fair that was held here in 1929. Building preparations for this event went on all through the 1920s. The first evidence of this is in the two grand Venetian towers at the entrance to the Avingunda de la Reina Maria Cristina.

Walk between these towers and along the avenue towards the Palau Nacional. You will pass many fountains on either side, till you come to the culmination of watery grandeur, the terraced cascades and jets that herald the Magic Fountain, devised as a work of art that keeps changing its shape. This is a place to come back to after 8 pm on summer evenings, currently Thursdays to Sundays. You’ll enjoy a magical display of water and light, set to music and replayed every half hour from 9pm to midnight.

For the day’s exploring though, you may choose to visit the museum and gallery of Catalonian art within the Palau Nacional that was built for the 1929 exhibition. Then look for the escalators that will ease your way between the different levels up to the Avinguda de l'Estadi at the top.

Here you will find magnificent monuments to the 1992 Olympic Games. There is so much on this little mountain that you would be crazy to try and see it all in one visit. So choose carefully unless you are able to return.

The most obvious relic of the Games is the Olympic Stadium. Actually it was already here in its previous incarnation for the international exhibition of 1929. The opening of the Olympic Games here was the most amazing spectacle that included the song, Barcelona, which was written by Freddie Mercury, singer with the famous rock group, Queen. Only on this occasion it was sung by opera maestros, Placido Domingo and Jose Carreras, as well as Monserrat Caballé. You can find out all about the Olympic and Paralympic Games held here in the exhibitions of the Olympic Gallery.

Barcelona has also carried on the sporting theme on Montjuic with the The Bernat Picornell Swimming Pools, where you can swim in the Olympic pools and take part in other sporting activities.

Or you could take in one or more of the parks on the mountain. 1999 saw the opening of the New Botanic Garden where you can take a relaxing stroll through the plantworld of the Mediterranean and enjoy more fantastic views over the city and its surroundings.

At the Miramar overlooking the port is the entrance to another garden on the south eastern hillside. This is the cactus park where you will find a great collection of cacti and succulents that can often only be seen in greenhouses. The north east wind cannot reach this corner of the mountain so the temperature is higher here forming the right microclimate for this garden.

There are more museums on Montjuic too. You could take in the interactive exhibition in the Ethnological Museum and learn more about cultures around the world and how to find ways of living together harmoniously. Or visit the Archaeology Museum and journey through the history of Catalonia.

Art lovers should not miss the paintings, sculpture and graphic art at the Joan Miró Foundation. This great son of Barcelona died in 1983 at the age of 90 and the city demonstrates its pride in this comprehensive collection. Temporary exhibitions often display the work of other 20th century artists. More contemporary art can be seen in the Caixa Forum, which also houses an auditorium and conference rooms, a media library, bookshop and cafeteria.

If you are interested in Spanish architecture, the Poble Espanol is a must. Built in time for the 1929 world fair, it represents the buildings and open spaces of the cities and regions of Spain, all put together in the planners version of an ideal Spanish village that includes a church from Aragon. This is not only an open-air museum; it is a multi-functional area where you can shop, eat, drink and be entertained.

For this you turn right at the Palau Nacional. Go in the daytime to appreciate the exact copies of homes, squares and streets from all the Spanish regions. You’re not likely to leave empty handed when you browse the boutiques and craft workshops. Return in the evening to dine and dance the night away, after you have enjoyed the spectacle of the Magic Fountain.