MAGIC FOUNTAIN OF MONTJUÏC

Description

Essentials about the Magic Fountain of Montjuïc in brief

Not only fountain fans should have seen the Font Màgica de Montjuïc (Magic Fountain of Montjuïc), because it is truly a magical phenomenon. Even during the day (when it is not in operation), the 50-by-65-meter fountain, which can spray around 2,600 liters of water per second into the air from 3,600 nozzles, is an imposing sight. After dark, however, the real magic of the Magic Fountain begins. Then the water fountain spectacle is visually complemented by a light show and acoustically by a music program. An absolutely unique experience that hardly any visitor to Barcelona wants to miss.

The location of the Magic Fountain of Montjuïc

The Magic Fountain of Montjuïc is located at the foot of the Palau Nacional, which houses the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya, and like most of the buildings around it, was built on the occasion of the 1929 World Fair, just a few meters from Plaça d’Espanya. Originally, at the site of the fountain stood the monument Quatre Columnes (Four Columns), symbolizing the four red bars of the Catalan flag. At the time, they were a symbol of the strengthening Catalan nationalism and were demolished in 1928 under the Spanish dictator Primo de Rivera. Only in 2010 they were rebuilt a few meters away.

The history of the Magic Fountain of Montjuïc

When Buïgas submitted his plans only a year before the World’s Fair, his project was considered too daring for the short time frame. Fortunately, with the help of over 3,000 construction workers, it was finally realized. The first performance took place the day before the opening of the World’s Fair. During the Spanish Civil War, the fountain was severely damaged and was out of service until 1955. On the occasion of the 1992 Olympic Games, the Magic Fountain of Montjuïc was completely restored.

The water and light show of the Magic Fountain of Montjuïc

Since the 1980s, the water and light show has been additionally accompanied by music. The music program covers a wide spectrum; it ranges from classical and modern music to Spanish works and film music. Due to the changing program, it is worth staying a little or coming on different days to watch/listen to different water-light-music spectacles.