The Palau de la Música Catalana, in addition to being an authentic palace of music, is a modernist building of great beauty for its ceramics, sculptures and stained glass windows, especially inside. Outside, sculptural elements alluding to the world of music are mixed with modernist and baroque style architectural and decorative elements. The Palau de la Música Catalana was designed by the architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner, and built between 1905 and 1908 thanks to the financing of Catalan industrialists and financiers, enlightened people and music lovers. One of its most outstanding features is that it is the only European concert hall illuminated with natural light.
The Palau de la Música was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997. It is an essential visit in Barcelona ; just from the outside it is already worth it, but to get to know its magnificent interior, you can choose between a self-guided visit
or a guided tour.
The original façade of the Palau de la Música Catalana
The original façade is divided between Sant Pere més Alt and Amadeu Vives streets. In the corner it forms, you can see the sculpture group La cançó popular catalana (The Catalan popular song) by the artist Miguel Blay. The sculptures represent a Saint George and a female figure who is surrounded by a sailor, some peasants, an old man, some children and the upper class of society. The whole set symbolizes that the Palau de la Música Catalana was built for the whole town.
The original façade was the only access until 1989, the date on which the expansion of the Palau de la Música was inaugurated.
The expansion
Between 1982 and 1989, an important restoration and expansion of the building was carried out under the direction of the architects Óscar Tusquets and Carles Díaz .This refurbishment continued with a second part in 2000 that provided the Palau de la Música with a six-storey semi-detached building in which the dressing rooms, the library, the archive and a meeting room are located. In a second phase of this second reform, interior reforms and a new extension were carried out to include an audition and rehearsal room, as well as a restaurant.
The Palau de la Música Catalana is owned by the Associació Orfeó Català, whose objective is to promote Catalan culture, mainly musical culture and with special attention to choral music.
Ticket combinations that include the Palau de la Música Catalana and works by Gaudí
Casa Batlló + Visit to the Palau de la Música
What includes? Casa Batlló: Entrance with access to the building + Audio guide (45-minute augmented reality guide) available in 15 languages + Gaudí's Cube / Palau de la Música Catalana: Free visit + A downloadable audio guide for your mobile with explanations, images, music and video (QR code provided at the establishment).
Casa Milà - La Pedrera + Visit to the Palau de la Música
What includes? Casa Milà - La Pedrera: Skip-the-line ticket for Casa Milà + Audio guide + Gaudí's Cube / Palau de la Música Catalana: Free visit + A downloadable audio guide for your mobile with explanations, images, music and video (QR code provided at the establishment)
Where is it?
How to get there
Metro: L1, L4 Urquinaona / L3 Catalonia
Bus: V15, V17, 45, Tourist Bus (stop Casa Batlló - Fundación Tàpies)
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