The Catalan Music Palace

"Palau  de la Música Catalana" (Music Palace), is a concert hall designed by the architec Lluís Domènech i Montaner and opened in 1908.This building is the headquarters of "Orfeó Catala", a prestigious institution grounded in the year 1891 to support Catalan music and culture. This is why the decoration of the building shows some representations of the "quatre barres" (which is the Catalan coat of arms).

Inside the scene is a sculpture representing on one side the "Ride of Valkyries" and on the other side, the figure of Beethoven, sculpted by Pau Gargallo and Dídac Massana. The splendid central glass light on the roof was made by Rigalt and Granell. The façade is made of red brick and decorated with mosaics from Lluís Bru.

The Palau de la Música Catalana organizes daily guided tours of the Modernist Concert hall and, when available, Lluís Millet Hall and the Chamber Music Hall.

The Palau de la Música Catalana is located in the El Born district of Ciutat Vella. It is one of the most emblematic buildings in the city and a must-see for all lovers of architecture and music.

The Catalan Music Palace is a UNESCO World Heritage Site

The Catalan Music Palace was built between 1905 and 1908 to house the Orfeó Català choir (an association of Barcelona choirs), which needed a larger space for its rehearsals. Today it hosts concerts and musical events of international renown.

The Palau de la Música is one of Barcelona's architectural gems, designed by the modernist architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the building is famous for its large concert hall decorated with coloured stained glass windows, sculptures and mosaics, and is considered one of the finest examples of Catalan Modernist architecture, also known as Art Nouveau. This architecture is characterised by the use of modern materials such as iron, glass and concrete, as well as motifs and forms inspired by nature.

Specific construction techniques used in the Palau de la Música Catalana include the use of natural light, which is abundant thanks to the large skylights and rose-shaped windows. The structure also features colourful mosaics, sculptures and floral motifs, creating a unique and vibrant aesthetic effect.

The architect, Lluís Domènech i Montaner, also used advanced techniques for the time, such as the use of steel trusses for the structure of the building, which allowed him to create a large concert hall without intermediate pillars. Another technical detail is that the building was constructed without using steel beams, which was very rare at the time. Instead, the structure rests on decorative cast iron columns and brick arches, creating a unique and magical atmosphere inside.

Lluís Domènech i Montaner is also known for having designed the Casa Lleó i Morera in 1902, the Casa Fuster in 1911 and, of course, the Sant Pau Hospital between 1901 and 1930, which has also been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997..

Our tip: To make the most of your visit to the Music Palace, we recommend taking a guided tour to learn about the history and architecture of the building. You can also attend a concert to appreciate the exceptional acoustic quality of the concert hall.

Finally, an interesting anecdote about the Music Palace is that during the Spanish Civil War, the building was used as a garage for military vehicles, which saved the building from destruction! A miracle.