Palau de la Música Catalana
An architectural gem of Modernisme
A unique Modernista concert hall that integrates all the applied arts: sculpture, mosaic, stained glass and ironwork. The Palau de la Música Catalana (Palace of Catalan Music), declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the work of the Modernista architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner, who designed it around a central metal structure covered in glass. The Palau de la Música Catalana is a symbol of Catalonia and one of the most spectacular examples of Modernisme.
Barcelona Bus Turístic, on the Hola Barcelona app
Your app for visiting the city with the Barcelona Bus Turístic: routes, stops and the most iconic places. A comfortable way to carry your tickets too!
Why visit the Palau de la Música Catalana?
The Palau de la Música Catalana is a Modernista work of art that combines architecture, sculpture, mosaic, stained glass and ironwork in such a way that all visitors are simply dazzled. Designed by Lluís Domènech i Montaner, the concert hall was constructed from 1905 to 1908 to be the home of the Orfeó Català choral society with funds collected from its patrons.
The building incorporates advanced architectural solutions such as a metal central structure stabilised by a system of Gothic-inspired buttresses and perimeter vaults. An organ and a skylight whose stained-glass design not only lets natural sunlight in but also depicts the sun itself, preside over the stage of what is surely one of the world’s most remarkable concert halls.
The hall is adorned with figures, such as Wagner’s valkyries emerging from the ceiling; the Muses surrounding the stage; the busts of Anselm Clavé and Beethoven; and various natural elements such as flowers, fruits and palm trees. For its construction, Domènech i Montaner worked with some of the period’s most renowned artists such as the mosaicist Lluís Bru, the ceramicists Josep Orriols and Modest Sunyol, and the sculptors Miquel Blay, Eusebi Arnau, Dídac Massana and Pablo Gargallo. The stained-glass elements and cement tiles were provided by the firms Rigalt i Granell and Escofet, respectively.
In addition to its large concert hall, the building also features the Petit Palau (Small Palace), a modern auditorium inaugurated in 2004, as well as a rehearsal hall for the Orfeó Català choral society.
The Palau de la Música Catalana continues to regularly hold classical and modern music concerts, in addition to being at the heart of Barcelona’s cultural life.
How do you get to the Palau de la Música Catalana?
Hop off at the Plaça Catalunya stop on the Blue and Red Routes of Barcelona Bus Turístic, walk down Via Laietana and turn left onto Carrer de Ramon Mas.
For the most curious of you
- Did you know? The first organ recital to be held in Barcelona at a venue other than a church was performed by Alfred Sittard, the organist of Dresden Cathedral, at the Palau de la Música Catalana shortly after its inauguration.
- Local’s tip: A guided tour of the Palau de la Música Catalana is essential to understand the stories recounted by its decorative elements. You can consult the opening hours and prices here.
- A must: For lovers of art, music and culture.
