Parks
Relics of the exhibition can still be seen today in the Parc de la Ciutadella, with buildings such as the
Castell dels Tres Dragons, which occupies the original restaurant designed for the exhibition by
Domènech i Montaner, the waterfall and lake, designed by Fontseré, and the beautiful plant house, the
Umbracle, and glass house, the
Hivernacle.
Barcelona Zoo has stood on the other side of the park since 1892. The
Catalan Parliament stands in the parade ground, in the former military arsenal of the citadel. Nearby, you can see a replica of
Josep Llimona"s beautiful sculpture "
El desconsol" (Distress), which is one of the most important pieces of public art in the park.
Montjuïc is also home to museums, such as the Fundació Miró, the Museu d"Arqueologia, the Museu Etnològic i de Cultures del Món and the Museu Nacional d"Art de Catalunya-MNAC. The latter, which is housed in the Palau Nacional, the centrepiece of the 1929 exhibition, invites us to discover 1,000 years of Catalan art. The Pavelló Mies van der Rohe, which was the German pavilion at the event, is a superb example of Bauhaus architecture. The former Casaramona textile factory, a modernista landmark by
Puig i Cadafalch, is now home to CaixaForum, a cultural centre which hosts temporary exhibitions. The Magic Fountain and the Poble Espanyol, with its "artisans" village", are other places of interest in Barcelona which are a must-see.
Parc de Sant Martí is set out around the original centre of the Clot neighbourhood, which comprises the church of
Sant Martí de Provençals and a series of old farmhouses. The park offers six hectares of green space where you can walk, do some sport or meet up with friends and neighbours.
The 2008 Pritzker prize winner,
Jean Nouvel, left his imprint once again on the new Barcelona that has developed around the
Diagonal Mar neighbourhood. This new
Parc Central del Poblenou is an architectural gem combining different zones and a variety of planting. A much- needed green “lung” in the former industrial area of Poblenou.
There is no doubt that this park is the green jewel of the Horta and Guinardó district. It was designed in 1792 by the Italian engineer Domenico Bagutti, as an initiative of the owner of the estate Joan Desvalls, the Marquis of Llupià and Alfarràs.