Have you ever visited Palau de la Música Catalana? La Sagrada Familia, la Pedrera or Park Güell usually get all the attention, but this hidden gem in el Born neighborhood is such a magical place worth visiting. Read on to discover the story of this beautiful palace!
When was it built?
Located in el Born, near city icons such as Picasso Museum or Parc de la Ciutadella the Palau de la Música Catalana was built between in the twentieth century, during 1905 and 1908.
Who built Palau de la Música Catalana?
The modernist architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner built the Palau de la Música Catalana. It’s an architectural jewel of Catalan Art Nouveau, the Catalan modernist art movement. Other works from this architect include Casa Lleó i Morera or Castell dels Tres Dragons, the castle in Parc de la Ciutadella. Domènech i Montaner, through his education work, mentored disciples such as Antoni Gaudí and Josep Puig i Cadafalch.
Built for the Barcelona choir
It was built as a home for the Orfeó Català, a choral society based in Barcelona.
A magical building
Right from the moment you enter this place, you feel its majesty. And discovering all its corners turns into a magical adventure.
Palau de la Música Catalana façade
This emblematic building captures your attention even before entering: the majestic façade. If you pay attention to it, you will find out its symbolic meaning. Because it displays a sculpture group with the title “La cançó popular catalana” (“The popular Catalan song”) created by the artist Miquel Blay, in which many figures are represented.
Sant Jordi appears under a feminine figure representing a large figurehead from a ship in the center, surrounded by a group of characters: the sailor, the peasants, the old man and the children. An allegory of music with a clear meaning: music is for all people.
Rehearsal room of the Orfeó Català
At this intimate and cozy space you will find the first rock placed in 1905 to build Palau de la Música. It’s the rehearsal room of the Orfeó Català and also where the small format concerts, conferences and presentations take place.
Palau de la Música Catalana concert hall
The jewel of Palau de la Música. Entering this space will probably leave you speechless: the light, the atmosphere, the beauty in every corner… The large central lamp is what will catch your attention first. And it represents the sun. And another curiosity: In the daylight, all the light that gets is natural light.
If you pay attention to the many corners and details, you will find many messages. This concert hall is filled with figures and representations:
- The 18 muses, figure sculptures, that surround the stage.
- Wagner’s Valkyries that emerge from the ceiling.
- The busts of Anselm Clavé and Beethoven on either side of the stage.
- Nature elements everywhere such as flowers, palms and fruits.
Another iconic space of Palau de la Música is the balcony. It is formed by two rows of colorful columns with glazed ceramics, which represent floral motifs on the upper part of the column and geometric motifs on the lower part. A characteristic feature of Domènech i Muntaner.
A concert hall recognized worldwide
It’s the only concert venue in this style to be listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Palau de la música catalana tickets
You can get the tickets to visit Palau de la Música directly on its website. If you are planning to visit Barcelona and would like to visit this place, we recommend you to book it in advance since it sometimes has high demand.
But in case you can’t get a ticket, you can still visit part of the building which has free access.
Palau de la Música Catalana’s cafeteria and restaurant
You can visit the entrance of this building, its hall, for free. From the hall you can also access the cafeteria and the restaurant. So in case you can’t get tickets, you can enjoy a coffee at the Palau de la Música Catalana’s cafeteria, among the beautiful and historical cafes in Barcelona and get some of its magical vibes.