Previously a bullring in Barcelona, the Arenas de Barcelona is now a commercial complex which is located close to the Placa d’Espanya. The former bullring was built somewhere during 1889-1900. The designer responsible for this project was the Spanish architect by the name of August Font i Carreras. One of the most prominent features of this arena is the horseshoe shaped entrance which has been adorned with beautiful tiles. The arena itself has been constructed in the Moorish style, which was typical for Carreras.

The huge arena has the capacity to accommodate over 16000 spectators. The total diameter of the arena is around 171 feet (52 meters). Conventionally a bullring, this arena has also played host to many other events such as concerts. One such memorable concert was held in 1966 when the Beatles performed live here.

One surprising fact is that, this area was built for the purpose of being used as a bullring, but bullfighting never caught the attention of people in the city as much as it was meant to and the last bullfight took place at the arena in 1977, after which the arena remained unused for years. Plans were then made to turn this into a recreational and shopping complex, as seen today.

Possibly one of the most important squares in Barcelona, the Placa d’Espanya is a must visit for tourists. The main building was completed in 1929 and was constructed especially for the occasion of the International Exhibition which was held at Barcelona’s Sants Montjuic district.
Placa d’Espanya is one of Barcelona’s largest squares and hence one can fathom the importance that it holds. The mastermind behind the designing of this impressive structure was the famous Josep Amargos. The square includes a fountain as well as some statues which were designed by Josep Maria Jugol and Miquel Bay respectively. Nicolau Maria Rubio i Tuduri was responsible for designing the rest of the buildings in this square.
The site at which Placa d’Espanya is located today was once used for the purpose of public hangings, complete with gallows. The Ciutadella fortress was also built here in 1715. This fortress was later demolished when the idea of Placa d’Espanya was conceived. The square was designed in 1915 for the Universal Exposition, and reached its completion in 1929. The fact that it connects many prominent destinations and buildings in Barcelona gives the square great importance in the city today.

The Fira de Barcelona was inaugurated in 1932. This piece of land was allotted for the purpose of being used as a ground for trade fairs in Barcelona. The organization and management responsible for Fira de Barcelona have managed to successfully organize over 80 shows, allowed over 40,000 companies to come together to participate and attracted nearly 3.5 million spectators and visitors to date.
Spanning over an area of 365,000 square meters, this is perhaps the biggest trade fair ground of its kind in all of Europe. It has been divided into two main areas, one is located at Montjuic spanning over an area of 165000 square meters, whereas the other is situated at the Gran Via business district which occupies 200,000 square meters of exhibition space.
The latter was inaugurated in 2007. The management here constitutes a position among the top five companies in all of Europe. This industrial trade fair ground is a platform and forum for economic growth and progression in Barcelona. It also promotes various organizations, industries and allows different companies to come together and communicate in order to make progress in the field. The Fira de Barcelona is still being used for trade fairs.

Situated in the prominent Avenida Diagonal in Barcelona, the Palau de Congressos de Catalunya is the city’s financial and business centre. Because of its location and importance, the structure is surrounded by the most spectacular and picturesque gardens in the entire city.
The Palau de Congressos is basically a part of the Rey Juan Carlos I Hotel. The complete structure, which includes the hotel and resort, is counted amongst the most luxurious and splendid hotels in the world. Though Barcelona is rich in history with the presence of hundreds of structures based on gothic, medieval and renaissance architecture, this particular building is a classic example of contemporary Barcelona. The designers behind this breath-taking project are Cartana and Ferrater, who in 2001 were presented with the National Architecture award. The building is designed in such a way that it utilizes natural light to the highest degree and lights up spaces with natural sunlight.
The building consists of over thirty five rooms and halls. The auditorium of the building has the capacity to seat over two thousand people. It also features an exhibition space spanning over 4000 square meters which is often used for banquets and can accommodate over three thousand people.

The Barcelona Pavilion was built for the occasion of the International Exposition held in Barcelona and during this expo this building was used as the German Pavilion. It is from here that the German portion of the exhibition was displayed and inaugurated. It is a classic example of modern architecture in the city and yet it has great historical value. Materials such as travertine and marble have been used mostly in its construction. In 1928, Mies was given the charge for the erection of the building with complete artistic management. There was however one condition that he had to follow stringently and that was the time limit of one year that was given to him to complete this project. The economy of the country was also unstable during these times which posed another great challenge to Mies. Once the construction was complete, at the exhibition, the German Pavilion displayed and represented the new Weimar Germany with elements of democracy, prosperity, progression and advanced architecture. The purpose that the Pavilion was meant to serve at the exhibition was to convey a message to the world, that Germany had marked an era of a new beginning in terms of prosperity and advancements after World War 1.

The Font Màgica de Montjuïc, commonly known as the Magic Fountain of Montjuic, is a famous fountain located in Barcelona. A fact that is little known about the Font Magica de Montjuic, is that it still uses the plumbing that was installed when the fountain was first built. Perhaps one of the most spectacular sights to see in the Catalan capital, this fountain has over 3500 tubing pieces and is illuminated by over 4500 bulbs. The fountain works its magic after sunset when the water dances to different tunes from different ages.

The Font Màgica de Montjuïc is located near the Avenida Maria Cristina at the Montjuic district of the city. The famous landmarks in the vicinity of the magic fountain are the Palau Nacional and the Placa d’Espanya. The purpose for this fountain construction was to make an impression at the International Exposition held in Barcelona in 1929, and to complement many other buildings and structures in the city.

The mastermind behind the designing of this marvellous fountain was Carles Buigas who is known for his work on fountains with spectacular lighting. The site where the fountain stands today, was previously occupied by the famous Four Columns which were demolished in 1928. There were 3000 people involved in the construction of this project because the time given for its completion was rather short, and hence, the fountain dazzled its first round of spectators when it displayed its magic for the first time on the 19th of May, 1929.

Palacio de Albéniz is a royal palace, built in the Novecentismo architectural style in 1928. It was designed by Juan Moya. It is the official residence of the Spanish royal family when they visit Barcelona. There is an interesting fountain in front of the building, decorated with sculptures. Featured paintings by Salvador Dali are inside the palace. Only the gardens surrounding the palace are open to the public.

The Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys is a stadium located in the Catalan capital city of Barcelona. This stadium was built for the occasion of the International Exposition that was held here in 1929. The project reached its completion in 1927. Later, the stadium played host to the Summer Olympics of 1992 for which it was renovated in 1989. The huge stadium has the capacity to accommodate nearly 56,000 spectators. It is situated at the Anella Olimpica, near the Montjuic Hill.
The designer of this stadium was the well known architect Pere Domenech i Roura. The stadium was meant to be the main stadium for the Summer Olympics of 1936, an honour which was handed over to Berlin instead, resulting in protests and outbreaks. In 1955, the stadium became the centrepiece for the occasion of the Mediterranean Games.
It also played host to the National Football Cup final between RCD Espanyol and Barcelona Football Club in 1957. The condition of the stadium deteriorated significantly in the seventies. Over the years, the stadium has met and played host to some of the most prestigious and most memorable games and sporting events in history, and even today it is one of the most prominent stadiums in Barcelona.

The Montjuïc Communications Tower is an iconic tower that was built in 1991 at the Montjuïc Hill, just southeast of the Barcelona city center. The gracious white beacon is characteristically designed in the style that is known as the architecture of Santiago Calatrava, the Spanish designer of the tower. Commonly known as the Torre Calatrave or the Torre Terefonica, the Montjuic Tower is the main telecommunication tower of the Catalan city of Barcelona. The construction of this tower initiated in 1989 and the structure reached its completion in 1992. The designer commissioned for this project was Santiago Calatrava. The tower is situated in the Olympic park and was built for the purpose of transmitting TV signals and coverage of the Olympic games that were held in Barcelona in the summer of 1992. The height of the tower is 136 meters and it is constructed to resemble an athlete with the Olympic Flame in his hand. Gaudi’s famous mosaic technique known as the Trencadis can be seen at the base of this tower. Because of the history associated with it. It serves not only as a telecommunication tower today but also a memorable structure for those who witnessed its completion before the summer Olympics.

One of the most interesting destinations in Barcelona is the Jardi Botanic de Barcelona, which is the city’s botanical garden located near the Montjuic district. It is located near the stadiums which were used for the Olympic Games held here in 1992. The earliest botanical garden in Barcelona is said to be established back in 1888, but this particular one was inaugurated in 1999. The garden is divided into areas with botanical treasures originating from specific areas of the world like South Africa, California, Australia, Chile, the Western Mediterranean, Eastern Mediterranean and the Canary Islands.
The botanical garden has been allotted a piece of land spanning 33 acres and has been built on a rather steep, sloping ground. It comprises a huge, breathtaking variety of plants; in fact, the botanical garden of Barcelona is home to over 72 plant communities from all over the world.
Instead of the conventional square botanical gardens, this one has been created in the form of a series of triangular areas allotted to different divisions. This botanical garden truly proves that Barcelona has more than just the treasure of historic relics and ancient buildings and structures. It is indeed a treat for all plant lovers.

The Grand Castell de Montjuic is standing atop Mount Montjuic, the famous hill of Barcelona. The view from this location is truly breathtaking as one can see the port, the entire city and then the sea. The Castell de Montjuic was constructed somewhere in the late 18th century and still stands in all its glory today.
Initially, it was used as a military prison before being made part of the city in 1960. It is now home to the Museum of the Military History and attracts a great number of locals and visitors alike. At this very site, the very first castle was created in a short span of only 30 days in 1640. At that time, it was used as a fortress. Several years after that, in 1694, this fortress was made into a proper castle with the walls of the previous fortress reinforced.
The Montjuic is already a very famous location for all tourists that visit Barcelona, but the museum at the Castell provides a comprehensive insight into the history of this area and the military history of Spain. One can gain tremendous knowledge from the museum, and one can also enjoy the truly spectacular view that Castell de Montjuic has to offer.