This panoramic image was taken from the roundabout at the center of the Plaça d'Espanya. The junction is very busy as some of the main roads through Barcelona pass round this roundabout. However, this seemed to be the best place to capture the layout of the area and provide a good image of both the fountain at the middle and the road leading to the base of the ascent to the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya, the impressive looking building to the south up the hill. The satellite view of the map of Barcelona shows just how busy the junction here is.

Placa d'Espanya - Barcelona visitor guide showing a virtual tour of 'Placa d'Espanya' linked to an interactive map with local and travel information. 360° panoramas from Catalonia.

Plaça d'Espanya is one of the most important square in Barcelona. It is quite modern, being laid out in 1929 for the International Exhibition. The history of the square is quite notorious, lost now beneath the noise and bustle of traffic from 4 of the main arterial routes that run through the city. The square used to be a place of public hangings until these moved to the Ciutadella in 1715.

Plaça d'Espanya used to be adorned by four Ionic columns, which symbolised the Catalan flag. These were pulled down by the dictator Miguel Primo de Rivera in 1928 in his efforts to ban any Catalan symbols. In the middle of the roundabout is a majestic and highly adorned fountain designed by Josep Maria Pujol. To the south are two Venetian Towers which guard the entrance to the Avenu de la Reina Maria Cristina, the road that leads to a number of squares and fountains that ascend the Montjuïc to the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya.

The other main roads that lead from the Plaça d'Espanya include the Aveinguda del Parallel which terminates at the Plaça de les Drassanes close to the World Trade Centre and the old harbour. Plaça d'Espanya is sometimes also called Plaza España or Plaza de España.

Travel and Getting There:
Metro: Espanya
Other: Plaça d'Espanya is either a station or terminus for numerous S and R train services as well as buses and night buses.