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.
This large park with lots of open space is also known as the Parc l"Escorxador (so named because it stands on the site of the old municipal slaughterhouse: escorxador in Catalan) and is used by visitors and locals from Barcelona"s Eixample Esquerra to relax. This great urban "lung", full of possibilities, is located at the south-west end of the neighbourhood and is the perfect appetiser before you begin exploring the monumental Plaça Espanya.
A small, delightful park, sunny but with shady areas, simple yet complex, is located in
Barcelona"s Eixample. An artistic gem which combines the contours of the land with art, creating a park of extreme delicacy, where decorative forms make a walk through the large grassy areas a pleasure for the senses.
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.
Barcelona lived through a magical summer it will never forget. When the city hosted the
1992 Olympic Games, the city became the world"s capital during a fortnight which will be etched forever in people"s memories.
The Olympic Ring on Montjuïc was the nerve centre of the festivities.
