Palau de Música Catalana

Friday, 29 January 2010 16:59

Places to visit in Barcelona

The Palau de Música is one of the most spectacular buildings in Barcelona. It was designed by the modernist architect Lluís Domenech i Montaner and is very in keeping with the works of Antonio Gaudi in Eixample. It is a concert hall which is still frequently used for different types of music not solely classical performances. The hall comprises some of the most amazing art  and design but perhaps the most famous and indeed spectacular part is the sky light. It was built between 1905 and 1908, commissioned by a chior but the funding came from the citizens, with larger donations coming from the more aristocratic inhabitants. It is now a UNESCO world heritage site and one of the most visited sites in Barcelona. It is situated in La Ribera only about 5 minutes walk from the centre of the city, on a narrow street of the busy road Laeitana.

The building not only comprises lots of different styles but also different materials. Domenech i Montaner uses brick, iron and a lot of stained glass. All the bannisters are stained glass both inside and out the building, you can see this from the ground outside, and ofcourse the amazing sky-light is made of many different coloured glass, almost like a mosaic.

There is a huge amount of history about the edifice; the concert halls itslef has references dating back to the Ancient Greeks. There are freezes of Pegasus and amazing sculptures of the ancient godesses on the walls. One half of the stage represents classical music and the other folk. For a more tangible history, lots of the chairs are dedicated to inflential figures with brass plaques on the back. But the most exciting part of the concert hall is the organ; it plays itself!

The Palau de Música Catalana must be on your list of things to visit in Barcelona. There are tours in English, Castillian and Catalán. They cost 12 euros each and last 45 minutes. You have to partake in a tour to go beyond the foyer unless you are lucky enough to actually see a concert there.

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