Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
MONTJUÏC
Named the “Jewish Mountain”, after an important Jewish cemetery that ex-
isted here in the Middle Ages, this sizeable and mountainous park rises 213
m (700 ft) above the port. The park itself was first landscaped for the 1929
International Exhibition, when the elegant Palau Nacional and the strikingly
modern Mies van der Rohe Pavilion were also built. During the following
decade, the area fell into general disuse and soon became synonymous with
decline. Together with the grim shadow cast over the hill by the castle,
which for years acted as a slaughterhouse for Franco's firing squads, it is
little short of miraculous that Montjuïc is now one of Barcelona's biggest
tourist draws. However, as the main site for the 1992 Olympics, held on its
southern slopes, Montjuïc was given a comprehensive face-lift and the area
was transformed into a beautiful green oasis, with two fabulous art mu-
seums and a host of stunning sports facilities. All these elements are inter-
connected by a network of exterior escalators and interlaced with quiet,
shady gardens, which offer dazzling views over Barcelona and a welcome
respite from the bustle of the city.
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1. PALAU NACIONAL & MUSEU NACIONAL D'ART DE
CATALUNYA
ThePalauNacionalishometothe
MuseuNacionald'ArtdeCatalunya
whichexhibits
Catalonia's historic art collections. Boasting one of Europe's finest displays of
Romanesque art, the museum includes a series of 12th-century frescoes, rescued
fromCatalanPyreneanchurchesandpainstakinglyreassembledinaseriesofgaller-
ies here.
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