While the city of Barcelona is home to a large number of Spain and Europe’s finest architectural sights, you have to dig deeper to find some of the hidden gems as there are so many touristy and more expensive attractions such as La Sagrada Familia and the Casa Batllo.
If you appreciate truly inspirational architecture and intricate works of art, look no further than Palau de la Musica Catalana — a concert hall that was designed and constructed over a century ago in the northern section of old Barcelona. It took from 1905 until 1908 to be built. Spanish architect Lluis Domenech i Montaner designed the hall for a choral society — Orfeo Catala — that drove the Catalan cultural movement known as the “Catalan Rebirth.”
During the 1980s, Spanish architects Oscar Tusquets and Carles Diaz directed an extensive restoration, remodeling and extension to the building, and Palau de la Musica Catalana’s stunning architecture has been on display for the past three decades. In 1997, UNECO deemed the piece of architecture a World Heritage Site.
As you approach the building, take note of its striking facade, although you may miss it if you are strolling down a nearby narrow alleyway and become distracted by the abundance of restaurants, cafes, stores. Depending on which direction you approach the building, the first thing you may notice is the grand red brick exterior intertwined with iron, glazed tiles, and a variety of mosaics and stained glass windows. The facade combines traditional Spanish and Arab architecture.
If you enter the building from the opposite side, you may be initially puzzled by the modern feel of the aesthetically lacking brick and window portion of the facade located to the left of the entrance.
But keep venturing past the entrance and you’ll find the corner of the building, which is decorated with colorful and floral mosaics and a plethora of intricate sculptures.
The mosaics are primarily mediterranean-themed colors, which balances the modest and traditional red brick exterior. The sculptures on the corner of the facade were designed by Spanish sculptor Miguel Blay, who illustrated people symbolizing Catalan folk music.
After you’ve taken a fulfilling look of the building’s exterior, you will be eager to enter the interior, where you’ll pay either 15 euros for general admission or 19 euros for a guided tour with access to the roped-off area closer to the concert hall’s stage. Kids under the age of 12 are able to enter for free. If you opt for the guided tour, it may be wise to book your visit in advance as the highly-anticipated time slots fill up quickly.
Fortunately, the hours are flexible as Palau de la Musica Catalana keeps its doors open from nine in the morning until nine at night on weekdays. On weekends, the building is open from 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturdays and from 9:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Sundays and public holidays.
The concert hall’s stage hosts all genres of music festivals and performances on a weekly basis including chamber, choral, jazz, modern, and flamenco. The maximum capacity is 2,200 as there are multiple tiers along the sides of the hall and a slanted upper deck at the back of the hall. Palau de la Musica Catalana remains the only auditorium in Europe that is illuminated entirely by natural light during the daytime.
Upon entering the building, you’ll notice the columns painted with floral mosaics leading up to the doors. You can enter the main floor and take a ground-level view of the stage, but you’ll want to gaze upward at the ceiling, which features a stunning stained-glass skylight that is reminiscent of the intricate design of the Sistine Chapel. Antoni Rigalt designed the rectangular skylight with shades of blue and purple surrounding a circular shape of yellow and gold to symbolize the sky and the sun.
Make your way out of the ground floor and head for one of the spiral staircases — that match the exterior’s color scheme — leading up to the second and third floors. On the second floor, you’ll find Lluis Millet Hall, where a balcony with mosaic-covered pillars overlooks the building’s entrance and front-facing facade. On the interior of the hall, you’ll see several bronze sculptures of musicians with ties to Palau de la Musica Catalana lined up against the wall. These include Lluis Millet, Spanish composer Amadeu Vives, Spanish conductor Eduard Toldra, and pianist Rosa Sabater.
At last, climb to the third floor, where you’ll be offered the best view of the entire auditorium. You can walk to the back row and get a closer peek at some of the stained-glass windows along the building’s sides and ceiling.
The ceiling is also decorated with alternating pink and blue roses that complement the floral design.
A French tourist named Lucas was wandering through the concert hall during my visit and was impressed by the overall architecture, but he specifically mentioned the lopsided light bulbs that surround the pillars on the ground floor. “I personally thought the light bulbs around the columns down there were especially cool,” he said.
An American couple from Houston, Texas, told me how they not only appreciated the sculptures on the exterior but also those on the interior. “The massive stone horses on the upper level and then all the ones down near the stage were just incredible,” they said. The only downside to regular admission is you cannot get a close-up view of the stage and all the nuances of the sculptures.
On your way out of Palau de la Musica Catalana, if you and your peers are feeling hungry or craving a caffeine boost or some refreshment, be sure to check out the cafe called Cafe Palau located near the building’s exit.
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