Placa d'Espanya

1. Arrival
2. Nights
3. Guests (Age 10 and Over)
4. Children (Under Age 10)

At the foot of Montjuic, the Placa d’Espanya is one of Barcelona’s most important squares, both historically and artistically. With its fountains, towers and other nearby attractions, the square is a great place to visit from our Barcelona holiday apartments.

The square was designed in 1915 by the architect Josep Amargós, for the 1929 World Exhibition. Finished just on time, the Placa d’Espanya was a triumphant showpiece for the prestigious event. Today, despite the almost constant stream of traffic that passes round the square, the monuments and sculptures are well worth a visit when staying in our Barcelona holiday apartments.

The most prominent attractions in the Placa d’Espanya are the two Venetian towers which were built as a gateway to the site of the World Exhibition (at the entrance to Avinguda Reina Cristina). The towers, each measuring 47m in height, were designed by Ramon Raventos and modelled upon the Bell Tower of the St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice.

In the centre of the square lies a large fountain designed by Josep Maria Jujol, an associate of Antoni Gaudí. This spectacular fountain, adorned by a series of smaller sculptures by Miguel Blay, is an impressive sight and very reflective of both the city and Catalan culture. Another building of note on the square is the Arenas de Barcelona, a former bullring built in 1900. If watching a bullfight isn’t particularly appealing when staying in our Barcelona holiday apartments then rest assured: the building is being converted into a shopping centre.

Behind the Arenas de Barcelona sits the Parc de Joan Miro, named after the famous Catalan artist. In one corner of the park sits Miro’s colourful 22 metre tall statue, Dona i Ocell. At the end of the Avinguda Reina Cristina (which starts at the Venetian towers) can be found one of Barcelona’s most spectacular museums, the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya. For art lovers staying in our Barcelona holiday apartments, this is one of the city’s must-see destinations.

The Placa d’Espanya is easy to visit from any of our Barcelona holiday apartments. Located in the Sants-Montjuic district, the square itself is a major transport hub served by numerous day and night buses. Taking the metro may be the easiest way to visit the square: head for the Espanya metro station on L1, L3 or L8. The square can be visited day or night, but in order to appreciate the monuments in all their glory, a sunny day is best.