The Gran Teatre del Liceu was built in 1847 and is a unique cultural facility in Barcelona and one of Europe"s leading opera houses. Located on the Rambla, every year it hosts major opera and ballet productions and symphony concerts. The building was destroyed by fire in 1994 and reopened in 1999 after a magnificent reconstruction.
Strangely enough, the Palau de la Música Catalana, the so-called "building that epitomises Catalan art nouveau" wasn"t designed by Gaudí, but by his contemporary
Lluís Domènech i Montaner (Barcelona, 1850-1923). This concert hall in Barcelona, which is a designated
UNESCO World Heritage Site, is an artistic landmark of outstanding beauty and a highly prestigious music venue.
Standing at the end of
Barcelona"s Rambla, near the sea, The Mirador de Colom, designed by Gaietà Buïgas, was built in 1888 on the occasion of the Universal Exhibition as a tribute to
Christopher Columbus, who chose to disembark in the port of Barcelona on his return from America. Inside, a lift raises the 51mts high of the column, made of cast iron and Corinthian style, to the viewing gallery. If you look north, you"ll be able to make out the
Gothic Quarter, the Cathedral, Santa Maria del Mar and the bustling Rambla. If you look towards the sea, to the east, following the coastline, you will be able to see the Olympic Marina and the modern Forum. To the south, stands Montjuïc Hill, with its castle at the top and, finally, if you look west, you"ll see Collserola Natural Park, the vast green lung surrounding the city of Barcelona.
Different native and exotic species, many of them endangered, live in the Barcelona Zoo. A visit to the zoo becomes a learning experience with inhabitants from around the world, as you discover its fauna: mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds… The attractions at the zoo make for an unforgettable, perfect day out for all the family.
