Montjuïc ( Catalan pronunciation: [muɲʒuˈik] ) is a hill in Barcelona , Catalonia , Spain .
97-579: Montjuïc or Montjuich, meaning "Jewish Mountain" in medieval Latin and Catalan, is a broad, shallow hill in Barcelona with a rich history. It was the birthplace of the city, and its strategic location on the Mediterranean and the Llobregat River has made it significant throughout history. The hill has a medieval Jewish cemetery, declared an area of Cultural Asset of National Interest in 2007. Montjuïc has been
194-579: A gondola lift . On the eastern slope is the Miramar terminal of the Port Vell Aerial Tramway connecting Montjuïc with Barceloneta on the other side of Port Vell . Part of the slopes are covered with a well attended park and gardens . The hill is often used for amateur cycling . In June 1792 the French astronomers Jean Baptiste Joseph Delambre and Pierre François André Méchain set out to measure
291-499: A book with Ausias March and Miguel de Cervantes ). The famous Magic Fountain of Montjuïc , designed by Carles Buïgas, was constructed in 1929 on Avinguda Maria Cristina at the foot of Montjuic , and amazed the public with its light and water displays. Today, it is still an emblem of the Catalan capital, and musical lightshows are often performed there during the annual festival of La Mercè , as well as during every weekend. It enchants
388-614: A folk dance festival on the mountain while attending a music festival in Barcelona. They took down the melodies and the following year they jointly wrote a suite of four Catalan dances for orchestra, which they named Mont Juic . A track called "Montjuic" was released on the 2021 album Polydans by German musician Roosevelt . 1929 Barcelona International Exposition The 1929 Barcelona International Exposition (also 1929 Barcelona Universal Exposition , or Expo 1929 , officially in Spanish : Exposición Internacional de Barcelona 1929
485-461: A great advance in the city's economic, architectural and technological growth and development, including the reconstruction of the Parc de la Ciutadella , the city's main public park. A new exposition was proposed to highlight the city's further technological progress and increase awareness abroad of modern Catalan industry. This new exhibition required the urban planning of Montjuïc and its adjacent areas and
582-638: A great sensation. On both sides of the avenue were the main buildings of the Exposition: Palace of Costumes; the Palace of Communications and Transport; and the Palace of Metallurgy, Electricity and Locomotion. Today, these buildings are used as exposition spaces in the Barcelona Trade Fair. Along the avenue was Mechanics Square (now the Plaça de l'Univers ), at the center of which stood the "Tower of Light", and
679-685: A large increase in immigration to the city from all parts of Spain. At the same time, the increase in population lead to the construction of various workers' districts with "cheap housing", such as the Aunós Group in Montjuic and the Milans del Bosch and Baró de Viver Groups in Besós. Palau Nacional The Palau Nacional ( Catalan for 'National Palace') is a building on the hill of Montjuïc in Barcelona . It
776-458: A pedal keyboard of thirty-two notes, with more than two thousand organ pipes. It was inaugurated by Professor Alfred Sittard on 6 July 1929. The organ was restored and enlarged in 1955, wherein two thousand five hundred new pipes were added to the previous amount. With the expansion of the organ it now contains six keyboards and measures a total of eleven meters in height and 34 meters in width. The Throne Room ( Saló del Tron ), also known as
873-527: A restaurant (1925). There are many sculptures in the gardens, with works by Josep Viladomat, Enric Casanovas, Josep Clarà , Pablo Gargallo , Antoni Alsina, Joan Rebull, Josep Dunyach, etc. In the Miramar zone the Montjuic swimming pool was built, as well as a restaurant which in 1959 became the first Televisión Española studios in Barcelona. At the top of the hill, next to the International Section,
970-453: A restoration process. The official opening ceremony, attended by King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia, took place on 16 December 2004. In 2009 work was again started on the Palau, this time under the direction of architects Enric Steegman and Joan Ardèvol, with the objective of restoring the exterior projections of the building, as well as the surrounding gardens, as explained by the administrator of
1067-450: A swimming pool. The main façade was monumental in atmosphere, with a dome and a tall tower topped with a shrine. It was decorated with sculptures, most notably the "Horse riders making the Olympic salute", two bronze equestrian sculptures by Pablo Gargallo. The building was remodelled by the architects Vittorio Gregotti , Frederic de Correa, Alfons Milà, Joan Margarit and Carles Buxadé for
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#17328519080841164-464: Is covered by an oval shaped coffered vault, with large columns dominating the decoration. The column's shafts are adorned with a Renaissance grotesque decoration. The decoration is simple, consisting of ornamental borders and basic vegetation motifs, which line both the arches and the coves of the vault. Another design element of the Salon is the fifty-six small heraldic shields which occupy the space between
1261-556: Is made from a singular piece of artificial stone. The structure of the Great Hall measures 46 x 74 meters with a height of 70 meters. On 30 June 1926 the first stone of the construction was placed, an occasion marked by diverse authorities including the president of the executive committee of the Exhibition, Mariano de Foronda, the mayor of Barcelona Darius Rumeu i Freixa, and the director of construction Pere Domènech i Roura. The design of
1358-510: Is related to the Latin phrase Mons Jovicus ('hill of Jove '). The city of Girona has a hill or mountain named Montjuïc just to the north of its old quarter with a similar history; its name is derived from the medieval Jewish cemetery that was there. Montjuïc, because of its strategic location on the Mediterranean, and alongside an important river communication channel, the Llobregat River ,
1455-665: The Fira de Barcelona , was established. At the same time, several buildings were remodelled, such as the City Hall, where Josep Maria Sert painted the Salón de Crónicas , and the Generalitat , where the flamboyant bridge over Bisbe street was built. The post office and the Estació de França (France Station) were completed after having spent several years under construction. The Palau Reial de Pedralbes
1552-461: The 1992 Summer Olympics . One work which had great public success was the Poble Espanyol ("Spanish Town"), a small showground containing reproductions of different urban and architectural environments from the entire national territory, in an atmosphere which ranges from the folkloric to the strictly archaeological . It was designed by the architects Ramon Reventós and Francesc Folguera, with
1649-615: The Avinguda de la Reina Maria Cristina , past the Font Màgica and through the Plaça del Marquès de Foronda and the Plaça de les Cascades to the Palau Nacional . The Poble Espanyol, a "Spanish village" of different buildings built in different styles of Spanish architecture , also survives, located on the western side of the hill. Mies van der Rohe 's German national pavilion was constructed at
1746-699: The Font màgica de Montjuïc , the Teatre Grec , Poble Espanyol , and the Estadi Olímpic . The idea of a new exhibition began to take shape in 1905, promoted by the architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch , as a way of bringing out the new Plan of links designed by Léon Jaussely . It was initially proposed that the Exposition should be constructed in the area of the Besòs River , but instead, in 1913, planners selected Montjuïc as
1843-641: The Institut Nacional d'Educació Física de Catalunya state , a centre of sports science ; the Piscines Bernat Picornell and the Piscina Municipal de Montjuïc , the venues for swimming and diving events respectively; and the striking telecommunications tower , designed by the architect Santiago Calatrava . Of the Piscines (swimming pools), the diving pool was selected as the setting for
1940-511: The Montjuïc trial prompted the execution of anarchist supporters and led to a severe repression of the struggle for workers' rights. During this era, "Montjuïc" was synonymous with barbarism based on the torture of anarchists and others imprisoned there. On different occasions during the Spanish Civil War , both Nationalists and Republicans were executed there, each at the time when the site
2037-542: The Olympic Stadium was built by Pere Domènech i Roura within the sports section. It had a surface area of 66,075 m and a 62,000 person capacity, making it the second biggest stadium in Europe at the time, after Wembley . It contained fields for the practice of football and other sports, as well as athletics tracks and installations for various other sports such as boxing , gymnastics and fencing, as well as tennis courts and
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#17328519080842134-703: The Plaça d'Espanya , where four large hotels were built, through the Avenue of Americas (now the Avinguda de la Reina Maria Cristina ), which housed the grand buildings of the Exposition, to the foot of the mountain, the site of the "Magic Fountain", the Palaces Alfonso XIII and Victoria Eugenia, and a monumental staircase. The Avenue of the Americas was decorated with numerous fountains, as well as glass columns—illuminated by electricity—designed by Charles Buïgas, which caused
2231-577: The Vatican , with two smaller domes on each side. At the four angles corresponding to those of the Great Hall stand four towers that resemble those of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostella or the Giralda of Seville. The architectural project not only included architectural decoration such as columns, pediments and moldings but also considered such interior decoration as murals and sculptures. The ornamentation of
2328-658: The latitudes of the two cities they could calculate the distance between the North Pole and the Equator in classical French units of length and hence produce the first prototype metre which was defined as being one ten millionth of that distance. The definitive metre bar, manufactured from platinum, was presented to the French legislative assembly on 22 June 1799. In 1936, the British composers Lennox Berkeley and Benjamin Britten visited
2425-408: The meridian arc distance from Dunkirk to Barcelona, two cities lying on approximately the same longitude as each other and also the longitude through Paris . The fortress on Montjuïc was chosen as the reference point in Barcelona. After protracted negotiations (France and Spain were technically at war) Méchain made his measurements from the fortress on 16 March 1794. Using this measurement and
2522-622: The " Slow " music video recorded in 2003 by Australian singer Kylie Minogue . The ornate Palau Nacional houses the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya , an extensive showcase of Catalan painting and sculpture. The top of the hill can be reached using the Funicular de Montjuïc , a funicular railway that operates as part of the Barcelona Metro , and then the Montjuïc Cable Car ,
2619-497: The 1960s to prepare for the exhibition on Romanesque art, a project directed by the head of Museums of Art of Barcelona, Joan Ainaud de Lasarte. From the 1960s until the 1980s the Italian architect Gae Aulenti was contracted to rectify the problems that surfaced during the exhibition. As a large number of artworks has accumulated, it became critical to make use of the spacious interiors and high ceilings as exhibition spaces. In 1990, at
2716-492: The Conference or Proceedings Room ( Sala d'Actes ), is that decorated with the most noble of materials. Each wall surface is treated with different coloured marbles, realized in the formation of geometric designs. Above the throne hangs a portrait of King Alfonso XIII. It is an oil painting which was commissioned for the occasion of the 1929 Exhibition and was realized by the Barcelona painter Richard Canals. The lateral walls of
2813-648: The Exhibition and outline the evolution of the Spanish people and their sumptuous arts. The masses of visitors will find characteristic scenes of national history, presented in an attractive manner, achieving an unforgettable record of their spirit. The organisers chose highlights of the history of art, particularly for their value and significance, soliciting the works from their owners as well as accepting proposals. They gathered in total some 5,000 works of diverse nature from museums, individuals, religious institutions, libraries and archives from different parts of Spain. In total
2910-573: The Exhibition project. The distancing of Puig i Cadafalch from the project was not only for political reasons, but financial ones as well. In a document titled Advancement of the Budget of the Exhibition , the budget valued the Palace at 8,080,000 pesetas . Another reason for the new organizational committee to avoid Puig i Cadafalch's continuation was the transfer of the contract from the construction company Ingeniería y Construcciones to another company Construcciones y Pavimentos , contradicting
3007-409: The International Section, home to pavilions representing other countries and institutions, had a more contemporary aspect, parallel to the current state of the art of the period. This particularly included Art Deco and rationalism . The exposition was opened by King Alfonso XIII on 19 May 1929. Led by Mayor Darius Rumeu y Freixa, baron de Viver, and Manuel de Álvarez-Cuevas y Olivella, President of
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3104-588: The National Labor Development and the City Council, be appointed commissioners of the organization Josep Puig i Cadafalch, Francesc Cambo and Joan Pitch i Pon. In 1915, the committee presented a first draft by Puig i Cadafalch, which was divided into three specific projects, each commissioned to a team of architects. Puig i Cadafalch and Guillem Busquets reserved the area at the base of the mountain, Lluis Domenech i Montaner and Manuel Vega i March planned
3201-547: The National Palace is a unified style of Spanish Renaissance architecture with an air of academic classicism. It is the result of different functional forms and construction procedures, resolved by a technical language attributed to the Barcelona School of Architecture . The construction of the Palace consists of the combination of traditional systems based on symmetry, as clearly outlined in its composition and, that of
3298-583: The Nations). In order to construct the dome, a system was conceived to include a combination of a concrete and geodesic dome structure. The construction of this design began in 1923. However, in September of the same year, the arrival general Miguel Primo de Rivera to power brought on the dismissal of Puig i Cadafalch from his position as president of the Commonwealth of Catalonia and his subsequent distancing from
3395-593: The Organizing Committee. It was attended by some 200,000 people in the general public and by many Catalan political, economic, and cultural figures, including the Prime Minister (and dictator) Miguel Primo de Rivera . In terms of cost, the exhibition lost money, with a deficit of 180 million pesetas. Its success was relative; during the event the stock market crashed in New York, on 29 October 1929, which reduced
3492-519: The Throne Room. For the decoration of the dome, Lluís Plandiura suggested that is should be entrusted to one of the best Catalan artists of the time. For this reason the central part of the dome (a surface area of about 300 m ) was realized by Francesc d'Assís Galí, who was contracted to represent 'in a tremendous way, the grandeur of Spain, justified in a symbolic composition defined by four fields: Religion, Science, Fine Arts and Land'. The drum of
3589-662: The United States participated in an unofficial capacity. Each country had a week dedicated to it throughout the course of the event, with a highlight of the German week being the flight of the Graf Zeppelin airship over Barcelona, on 16 May 1929. The landscaping of Montjuic mountain left works like the Teatre Grec , an open-air theatre inspired by ancient Greek theatres (particularly the Epidaurus ), designed by Ramon Reventós. Located in
3686-528: The aerial tram did not open until 1931, after the fair was closed. Construction, while somewhat delayed, was completed in 1923, but the introduction that year of the dictatorship of Primo de Rivera delayed the actual exposition, which finally occurred in 1929, coinciding with the Ibero-American Exhibition in Seville. Also, the delay made obsolete the goal of promoting electrical industry, so that in 1925
3783-577: The arches and represent the fifty Spanish provinces which existed in 1929. The six remaining shields depict musical instruments and are located in the part of the Salon where the organ is found. For the Universal Exhibition of 1888 in Barcelona two electric organs were installed in the Salon of the Queen of Regent of the Palace of the Fine Arts ( Palau de les Belles Arts ); this initiative being faithful to
3880-554: The area atop the mountain—designated the International Section, and Enric Sagnier and August Font i Carreras Miramar developed a Maritime Section. The principal difficulty of the project was the amount of land required. The exposition would need at least 110 hectares, and the Barcelona City Council had only 26 by 1914. Thus, using an 1879 law, they resorted to land-expropriation. In 1917, development work began at Montjuïc, with assistant engineer Marià Rubio i Bellver. Landscaping
3977-409: The artificial stone, manufactured on-site, is T-shaped in order to provide a good grip on the wall structures between which they are applied. A norm was presented by which all walls and framework were to be realized in concrete and the lost formwork in artificial stone, incorporating the visible decoration. The flat roofs were constructed using a system of reinforced concrete and coffering, which formed
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4074-489: The artistic advice of Miquel Utrillo and Xavier Nogués. The exhibition is divided into six regional areas: Castile and Extremadura , Basque Country and Navarre , Catalonia, Valencia and the Balearic Islands , Andalusia, Aragon and Galicia , around a Grand Plaza and surrounded by walls (a replica of the walls of Ávila ). With a surface area of 20,000 m , it contains 600 buildings, of which 200 can be visited. Among
4171-410: The building procedure dominated by more modern techniques and materials such as the use of concrete. The building has two floors: one base or ground floor and another main floor which holds double pilasters , marking the great blind wall panels. At the north-eastern part of the structure lies a subterranean space, which at the moment of construction was destined for the installation of kitchens. There
4268-629: The buildings of various architects, some loyal to the Noucentisme prevailing at the time, others reflecting recurring historicist and eclectic trends that persisted since the late 19th century, with particular influence from the Spanish Baroque , in particular the architecture of Santiago de Compostela , in Galicia . Despite this diversity, most buildings—at least the official ones—had a common theme of monumentality and grandiosity. In contrast, buildings in
4365-466: The celebration of the exhibition in Montjuïc was proposed in 1909 when Manuel Vega i March suggested that the culminating point of the development should be 'a great Temple of Art, a summary and compendium of our most prodigious knowledge'. Finally, in 1913, it was decided that Montjuïc would be the definite location for the Exhibition of Electric Industries ( Exposició d'Indústries Electriques ), promoted by
4462-476: The centre. The fountains by the staircases leading to the palace are the work of Carles Buïgas . Between 1996 and 2004, the palace was extended to accommodate the National Art Museum's entire collection of over 5,000 artworks. Ahead of the 1929 International Exhibition, Barcelona had already commenced urbanizing parts of Montjuïc. From the second half of the 19th century, projects were presented regarding
4559-495: The city, the improvement of links with the city's peripheral neighbourhoods, the Sarrià train being moved underground ( Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya ), the electrification of public trams and the extension of metro line 3 to Sants , connecting the Plaza de España with the Exhibition district. The construction of all these public works lead to a great demand for workers, causing
4656-610: The city: Tetuán, Urquinaona and Letamendi squares were landscaped; the Marina bridge was built; the Plaça de Catalunya was urbanised; and the Avinguda Diagonal was extended to the west and the Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes to the southwest. Various public works were also carried out: street paving and sewer systems were improved, public bathrooms were installed and gas lighting was replaced with electricity. The tradition of ongoing fairs,
4753-441: The club left for a new stadium in Cornellà / El Prat upon its completion in 2008. The roads in the slopes facing the city were once the Montjuïc circuit Formula One race track , hosting the Spanish Grand Prix on four occasions. However, a terrible accident in the 1975 race saw Rolf Stommelen 's car crash into the stands, killing four people; as a result the Spanish Grand Prix never returned to Montjuïc circuit. Montjuïc
4850-406: The creation of an exterior water collection network to prevent moisture leaks and repaired the cracks which had become visible on some of the wall surfaces. The Palau Nacional has undergone many different interventions. A few years later the first-floor rooms were rendered unusable after damage to the roof during the Spanish Civil War . This damage was repaired during the restoration undertaken in
4947-463: The dome consists of eight panels representing ancient civilization paintings, realized by Josep Togores and Manual Humbert. The shells were painted by the aforementioned artists in the grisaille technique and depict four allegories relating to the former kingdoms of León , Castille , Navarre and the Crown of Aragon . Under the shells, four sculptures are located in niches representing to one side, Law and Force by sculptor Josep Dunyach; and to
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#17328519080845044-413: The event was renamed the International Exhibition in Barcelona. The change of objective led to the reorganization of the exhibition, so that it was devoted to three aspects: industry, the sports, and art. In this new period, the organization fell into the hands of Pere Domènech i Roura, the Marquis de Foronda, and Director of Works. Further development of the event allowed for a great stylistic diversity in
5141-414: The existence of the medieval Jewish cemetery in Barcelona, considered the largest in Europe of its time. Barcelona's Montjuïc is a broad shallow hill with a relatively flat top overlooking the harbour , to the southwest of the city centre. The eastern side of the hill is almost a sheer cliff, giving it a commanding view over the city's harbour immediately below. The top of the hill (a height of 184.8 m)
5238-404: The fair, including Germany, Britain, Belgium, Denmark, France, Hungary, Italy, Norway, Romania and Switzerland. In addition, private organizations from the United States and Japan participated. Hispanic American countries as well as Brazil, Portugal and the United States were represented in the Ibero-American section in Sevilla . The previous 1888 Barcelona Universal Exposition had led to
5335-450: The final decoration. As a result, the interior comprises iron housing, filled with concrete to one side, and the other treated with decorative plaster work. For the lobby, stairs and basement, the so-called 'Catalan Vault' was used, consisting of flat-laid brick work. Amongst the pieces of artificial stone made on-site are sixteen columns supporting the dome, each of one meter in diameter and ten in height, and hollow in structure. Each column
5432-417: The foot of the hill, near the Plaça del Marquès de Foronda. It was demolished in 1930 but was rebuilt in 1988. Also completed in 1929, the Olympic stadium was intended to host an anti-fascist alternative Olympics in 1936, in opposition to the 1936 Berlin Olympics . These plans were cancelled due to the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War . The stadium served as the home for football team Espanyol , until
5529-402: The hands of Enric Steegman, renovation began. It took longer than expected, however, due to technical complications. As a result, the works were carried out in phases, and the museum collections were opened gradually. For the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, they could only reveal part of the museum besides the Great Hall, where the inauguration of the Games was held. In 2000 the final phase of
5626-405: The history of Spain, realised by the same artists that had participated in the decoration of the Palace. There were fifteen final themes in total, part of the twenty-seven initially planned for the exhibition: Architects Eugenio Cendoya, Enric Catà and Pere Domènech i Roura constructed Palau Nacional as a temporary building for the Exhibition of 1929. The speed of the construction and the modesty of
5723-484: The industry and the city council of Barcelona. The initial plan proposed by architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch in 1915 was basic in design, depicting a large central avenue crowned by a rectangular palace with a great dome, the top of which had a statue of a winged Victory surrounded by eight towers. In 1920, the same architect designed a detailed project named Palau d'Art Antic (Palace of Ancient Art), which later became known as Palau dels Nacions (Palace of
5820-441: The installation of public facilities in the area. Up until this time, Montjuïc had only been used for its resources: pockets of private properties and numerous quarries. The lack of roadways made it area difficult to access, however. A project by Ildefons Cerdà and another by Josep Amargós in 1894 proposed to convert the mountain into a residential area. A similar later plan was Léon Jaussely's 1905 Pla d'Enllaços . Another idea for
5917-421: The interior spaces depended on the organizational committee who resulted in giving the amount of 1,200,000 pesetas towards its realization. Responsible for the project management was Louis Plenduira, curator of the Fine Arts Exhibition. The work commenced in winter of 1928, leaving the artists three months to carry out their pieces. The style of the art work produced belongs to that of which prevailed in Catalonia at
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#17328519080846014-487: The lobby is the Great Hall ( Gran Saló ), or Oval Room ( Saló Oval ). Due to its large dimensions, it was conceived as a space for the hosting of great events; from the official ceremony to the inauguration of the Exhibition, as well as concerts, balls, galas and conferences. The hall is 2,300 m and has standing room for 1,300 people. The Oval Room hosted the opening ceremony of the Exhibition, presided by Alfonso XIII and Queen Victoria Eugenie . The Great Hall
6111-433: The materials used meant that a restoration of the structure was called for in 1934, when it became the National Art Museum of Catalonia. It was the ground floor rooms which underwent the most important transformation. The architect Ramon Reventós was appointed in charge of the renovation, in which they removed excess interior decorations and smoothed the wall surfaces to prepare for the display of paintings. They also undertook
6208-465: The monuments reproduced some of the most notable are the Mudéjar belltower of Utebo ( Zaragoza ), the palaces of the marquis of Peñaflor ( Seville ) and of Ovando Solís ( Cáceres ), the cloister of Sant Benet de Bages and the Roman belltower of Taradell . Just as in 1888, the 1929 Exhibition had a great impact on the city of Barcelona at an urban level, not only in Montjuic district, since improvement and refurbishment works were carried out throughout
6305-516: The number of participants in the event. At the social level, it was great success as it allowed for a large influx of people and achievements for the city of Barcelona, especially in the fields of architecture and urbanism. The Exposition Center, el recinte de l'Exposició , was built to designs by Puig i Cadafalch with two different types of buildings: palaces, the sections devoted to the official competition; and flags, representing countries, institutions and companies. The exposition's main axis began at
6402-415: The official participants were Austria, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Norway, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland and the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs (later Yugoslavia ); most of these countries had their own pavilions, except for Austria, Czechoslovakia, Finland and Switzerland. Apart from these countries, Japan, the Netherlands, Portugal, the United Kingdom and
6499-405: The other side, Work and Religion , by sculptor Enric Casanovas. The 1929 International Exhibition was organised around three thematic areas: Industry, Sport and Art, the last of which led to a grand exhibition in the National Palace titled el arte en España ('Art in Spain'). A 'Regulation and Guarantee of the dedicated section of Art in Spain at the National Palace' was developed, whereby
6596-420: The presiding jury was the then-mayor of Barcelona, Darius Rumeu i Freixa. The winning project also included the collaboration of the constructor Antoni Montseny, and in some publications, the name Pere Domènech i Roura appears, who was already the general manager of construction of the Exhibition. During 1925 the competition, winners made the implementation plan of their project. One of the most important factors
6693-455: The proposal of a construction company. It was the latter option that gave way to the final winner. Ten projects in total were presented. That of José María Martín was rejected, as it was considered outside of the scope of the project. The nine successful entries were made public in January 1925: The winning proposal was that of Eugenio Cendoya and Enric Catà, with honorable mentions given to Salvador Soteras and Santomà i Romaní. The president of
6790-412: The public with a backdrop of the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya . Originally, four columns were built in this location by Puig i Cadafalch to represent the Catalan flag , but these were removed by Spanish dictator Primo de Rivera's orders. As the Ibero-American Exposition of 1929 was taking place simultaneously in Seville, no Spanish American countries participated. From the remaining countries,
6887-406: The purpose of the collection was outlined: It will be a demonstration, organised and suggestive of various historical, artistic and archaeological jewels which will serve to outline Spain's past in a manner never achieved by any other country before. Specialists will be able to observe authentic and invaluable objects. The erudite will be able to contemplate numerous canvases, which form the core of
6984-482: The renovation began, which included the collaboration of architect Josep Benedito. In 2003 the newly complete temporary exhibitions space was inaugurated and finally in 2004 the work on the museum came to a close. Now with a total surface area of 51,600 m , this added a total of 15,300 meters squared to the original surface area of the building. The water fountain located to the front of the Palau Nacional also underwent
7081-568: The renovation of public spaces, principally Plaça d'Espanya . The exposition called for a great deal of urban development within the city, and became a testing-ground for the new architectural styles developed in the early 20th century. At a local level, this meant the consolidation of Noucentisme , a classical style that replaced the Modernisme (in the same vein as Glasgow Style / Art Nouveau / Jugendstil , etc.) predominating in Catalonia at
7178-399: The room are decorated with allegorical paintings referencing the Exhibition of 1888 and realized by Francesc Labarta; others relate to the Exhibition of 1929 and were painted by Xavier Nogués. The painter Josep Obiols i Palau also contributed with a series of four frescos depicting the cardinal virtues : Fortitude, Temperance, Justice and Prudence, located in the four tympana of the arches in
7275-571: The sculpture El Treball , by Josep Llimona. The Plaça d'Espanya was included in Ildefons Cerdà 's plan for the expansion of Barcelona, the Eixample . It was to be a major point of communication in the route between Barcelona and the towns of Baix Llobregat . After a first draft by the urbanized square Josep Amargós in 1915, the square was finally built to plans by Josep Puig i Cadafalch and Guillem Busquets, and then finished by Antoni Darder i Marsa. It
7372-518: The site of an old quarry , it has a 460 m semicircular area, with a diameter of 70 m and a 2,000 person capacity. It is currently the site of a summer festival in Barcelona, the Festival Grec . The theatre is situated within Laribal Gardens, designed by Forestier and Rubió, where the famous "Cat Fountain" is located at the entrance to a building by Puig i Cadafalch which has been convertred into
7469-587: The site of various fortifications, including the Castle of Montjuïc dating back to the 17th century. The area was also associated with political imprisonments and executions, and held significance during the Spanish Civil War. The hill was chosen as the site for the 1929 International Exposition , which led to the construction of several buildings, including the Palau Nacional and the Estadi Olímpic. Montjuïc
7566-469: The site. While originally planned for 1917, the exposition was delayed due to World War I. Puig i Cadafalch's project was supported by the Fomento del Trabajo Nacional, especially Francesc d'Assis, one of its leaders, who took charge of negotiations with the various agencies involved in the project. Thus, in 1913 the organization created a joint committee for organizing the event, consisting of representatives of
7663-630: The square another monumental fountain was built, designed by Josep Maria Jujol. Its ornate decoration is an allegory of Spain, surrounded by water. Three niches with sculptures symbolize the three principal rivers of the Iberian Peninsula , the Ebro , Guadalquivir , and Tagus . Around the central sculpture, three decorated columns symbolize Religion (a cross with Ramon Llull , Saint Teresa of Jesus , and Saint Ignatius of Loyola ), Heroism (a sword with Pelagius of Asturias , James I and Isabella), and Arts (
7760-404: The statement of conditions previously agreed. As a result, the new committee decided to suspend the construction works of the palace. On 18 July 1924 the engineer Marià Rubió i Bellver, member of the organization and lawyer of J.M. Almirall Carbó, launched a competition of projects . The participation was open to all Spanish architects, who could present an individual project or one together with
7857-523: The time namely the noucentisme style, which is found especially in the decoration of the main dome and the domes under the Throne Room, the Great Hall and the Tea Room. The neo-Renaissance architecture contrasts with its 20th-century decoration by sculptors Enric Casanoves, Josep Dunyach, Federic Marès and Josep Llimona, and painters Francesc d'Ássís Galí, Josep de Togores, Manuel Humbert, Josep Obiols i Palau, Joan Colom i Augustí and Francesc Labarta. Beyond
7954-441: The tradition undertaken in other Exhibitions such as that of Glasgow in 1901 , of Saint Louis in 1904 and that of San Diego in 1915 . It was thus seen appropriate to continue this tradition and so install an organ for the new Exhibition in Barcelona. The organ was built in 1929 by E.F. Walcker & Cie. from Ludwigsburg (Germany). The mechanisms entirely electric and consisted of 154 music registers divided into five keyboards and
8051-563: The turn of the 20th century. Furthermore, it marked the arrival in Spain of international avant-garde tendencies, especially rationalism , as seen in the design of the Barcelona Pavilion, created by German Bauhaus architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe . The Exposition also allowed for the erection of several emblematic buildings and structures, including the Palau Nacional de Catalunya ,
8148-416: The works are said to have had a value of some 800 million pesetas. The collection was organised in chronological order, from the epoch of Roman Spain to the period of Isabella II . Months later, a pre-historic section was added to the exhibition, which was located in the basement of the Palace. Amongst the pieces created exclusively for the collection were a number of commissioned dioramas which highlight
8245-585: Was also a set of rooms constructed: the Throne Room, rooms for the King and Queen and, to the front of the building, the museum section. To the back of the building an area for events was created, with a small tea room or restaurant, located in the body of space which stands behind the Great Hall. The façade consists of a central body flanked by two smaller side ones. The center topped by a large dome reminiscent of that of St. Paul's in London or that of St. Peter's Basilica in
8342-553: Was also built as a residence for the royal family, designed by Eusebi Bona and Francesc Nebot. During this period the first skyscraper in Barcelona was also constructed: the Telefónica building on the corner of Fontanella and Portal del Ángel, designed by Francesc Nebot. Finally, they improved the city's communications, with construction during the 1920s of the Barcelona El Prat Airport , the removal of level crossings within
8439-589: Was also the location for several venues during the 1992 Summer Olympics, with the Olympic stadium as the centerpiece. The hill is now home to the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya and various parks and gardens , and can be accessed via the Funicular de Montjuïc and the Montjuïc Cable Car. Montjuïc translates to " Jewish Mountain" from medieval Latin and Catalan , and remains of a medieval Jewish cemetery have been found there. Some sources suggest that Montjuïc
8536-452: Was done by Jean-Claude Nicolas Forestier, who was assisted by Maria Rubio i Tudurí Nicolau. Their design was distinctly Mediterranean, with classical influences, combining the gardens with the construction of pergolas and terraces. Likewise, a funicular was built to allow access to the top of the mountain, as well as an aerial tram , which connected the mountain with the Port of Barcelona. However,
8633-623: Was fully complete by 1926. They designed the square as a monumental rotary , to be surrounded by a Baroque colonnade . The design was influenced by Bernini 's St. Peter's Square in Rome. Dividing the square from the Avenue of the Americas Ramon Reventós designed two bell -towers, known as the Venetian Towers , which were heavily influenced by St. Mark's Campanile in Venice. At the center of
8730-534: Was held by their opponents. The former president of the Generalitat de Catalunya Lluís Companys was also executed there in 1940, having been extradited to the Franco government by the Nazis . Naturally wooded, the slopes of the Montjuïc were traditionally used to grow food and graze animals by the people of the neighbouring Ciutat Vella . In the 1890s, the forests were partially cleared, opening space for parklands. The site
8827-600: Was selected as the site for several of the venues of the 1992 Summer Olympics , centred on the Olympic stadium. Extensively refurbished and renamed the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys , the 65,000-seat stadium saw the opening and closing ceremonies and hosted the athletic events. Around it the Anella Olímpica (the "Olympic Ring") of sporting venues was built, including the Palau Sant Jordi indoor arena,
8924-399: Was selected to host the 1929 International Exposition (a World's Fair ), for which the first large-scale construction on the hill began. The surviving buildings from this effort include the grand Palau Nacional , the Estadi Olímpic (the Olympic stadium), the ornate Magic Fountain of Montjuïc (Font Màgica), and a grand staircase leading up from the foot of Montjuïc at the south end of
9021-819: Was the birthplace of the city of Barcelona. Archaeological discoveries have added greatly to the history of Barcelona. During the Iberian period, and especially during the Roman period Montjuïc became the main quarry of Barcelona, drastically changing the shape of the mountain. On March 15, 2007, the General Directorate of Heritage of the Generalitat of Catalonia, in accordance with the Catalan Cultural Heritage Law (Law 9/1993, of September 30), declared Montjuic an area of Cultural Asset of National Interest (BCIN), due to
9118-408: Was the guarantee of development of the work in a given timeframe. A mechanism to bring the construction time forward was found in the rationalization of architectonic elements; searching for repetition that would serve to save time during the building process. Three materials served to be most important during the construction; concrete, artificial stone and iron. According to the architects themselves,
9215-543: Was the main site of the 1929 International Exhibition . It was designed by Eugenio Cendoya and Enric Catà under the supervision of Pere Domènech i Roura. Since 1934 it has been home to the National Art Museum of Catalonia . With a ground surface of 32,000 m , the Spanish Renaissance -inspired building has a rectangular floor plan flanked by two side and one rear square sections, with an elliptical dome in
9312-427: Was the second World Fair to be held in Barcelona , the first one being in 1888 . It took place from 20 May 1929 to 15 January 1930 in Barcelona , Spain. It was held on Montjuïc , the hill overlooking the harbor, southwest of the city center, and covered an area of 118 hectares (291.58 acres) at an estimated cost of 130 million pesetas ($ 25,083,921 in United States dollars). Twenty European nations participated in
9409-553: Was the site of several fortifications , the latest of which (the Castle of Montjuïc ) remains today. The fortress largely dates from the 17th century, with 18th-century additions. In 1842, the garrison (loyal to the Madrid government) shelled parts of the city. It served as a prison, often holding political prisoners, until the time of General Franco . The castle was also the site of numerous executions. In 1897, an incident popularly known as
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