Palau de la Musica Catalana – Nearly but not quite a hidden gem

Barcelona Sights, Entertainment, Events and Music, Places of interest on August 14, 2009 2:08 pm

The Palau de la Musica Catalana…You couldn’t quite say it is a hidden treasure as it’s a well known place with the locals but with tourists it is perhaps a little less famous and something for them to discover rather the usual attractions.

Sagrada Familia, Montjuic, La Pedrera and Parc Guell all get their fair share of attention and plaudits and so they should, given the amazing qualities all of them offer. You’ll find these on the majority of the itineraries of any organized tourist to Barcelona however one thing you may not find is the Palau de la Música Catalana.

History

It was built between 1905 and 1908 in the Catalan Modernist style by renowned architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner. It opened on the 9th February 1908 and celebrated its centenary last year. Originally built for the Orfeó Català, a choral society founded in 1891 which became a leading player in the Catalan cultural movement known as the Renaixença, it has since been used as a venue for many of the world’s best soloists and singers but still remains the headquarters for the Orfeó.

The façade of the Palau is sure to catch the eye of any curious tourist or architectural fan. The exterior of the building is a combination of Spanish and Arabic architectural styles; exposed red brick, mosaics, stain-glassed windows, glazed tiles and a huge glass pane front at the entrance help make this structure stand out even though it is slightly hidden down a side street. The old entrance which is round the corner from the current one is still stunning.

Inside the Palau

Once inside the Palau you cannot help but admire the grandeur that every nook and cranny has dripping off it. The grand marble staircases which bring visitors to the second floor are soaked in elegance with the gleaming tiles that cover their underside.

The main hall can seat up to 2200 people and possesses a unique quality in being the only concert hall in Europe that is totally illuminated by natural light during the day. The windows of the hall are stained-glass and set in magnificent arches while the ceiling has a blue and gold stained-glass skylight suggesting the sun in the sky. The architectural décor in the hall complements its function of being a musical hall perfectly, with many different sculptures being representative of the music world.

The last extensive work carried out on the Palau took place between 1982 and 1989. Many parts of it were restored to their original state and it was expanded with an additional six storey building that houses the dressing rooms, a library and an archive.

Andrew

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