The Plaça d’Espanya is also called the Plaza de España. It is a square that receives a lot of traffic and is located in Barcelona, Spain. It is situated at the bottom area of Montjuïc Hill. It is next to the Arenas and the popular Joan Miró Park.
For hundreds of years the square was used for many public hangings. In 1715, the gallows were relocated to the Ciutadella. The present square was constructed for the World Exhibition that took place in 1929. In 1915, Architect Josep Amargós designed the square, and it has been used by the public since that time.
The Fountain
Josep Maria Jujol created the large fountain that is located in the center area of the Plaça d’Espanya. He used a modernist style and was influenced greatly by the architect, Gaudí. Jujol often collaborated with him for projects such as the Parc Güell and Casa Milà. The sculptures that decorate the fountain were produced by Miguel Blay Fabregas, a Spanish sculptor
Venetian Towers
The square has two 154 foot tall towers that lead the way to the Palau Nacional road and the Magic Fountain. This wide avenue is frequently used for different trade fairs throughout the year. The towers were modeled after others found in Venice, Italy, at St. Mark’s Basilica. They were created for the International Exhibition by Ramon Raventós.
The Arenas de Barcelona is located next to another area of the square. This was a bullring that was built in the neo-Mudéjar design in 1900. Bullfights never were that popular in Catalonia, and so the arena now functions as a modern shopping center that has a dome roof. Visitors can access the roof area to see a beautiful panoramic view of the city.
The back portion of the arena was once called Parc de l’Escorxador, and was part of the bullring. During the 1980’s, Parc de l’Escorxador’s name was changed to Parc de Joan Miró, to honor a local artist. The artist has a 72 foot tall sculpture there called the Dona i Ocell, which means the woman and bird.
