Montjuïc Castle

Montjuïc Castle crowns the hill of Montjuïc, which rises more than 170 metres above the port and the Mediterranean on the south side of Barcelona. A watchtower stood on the hill for centuries, and the fortress that stands today began in the seventeenth century, during the war between Catalonia and the Spanish crown, and was rebuilt in the eighteenth century into the star-shaped fort you see now. With its bastions, ditches and long walls, it was designed to control the port and to keep the city under watch, a role that made it unpopular with many Barcelonians.

The castle has a heavy history. It was used as a military prison and a site of executions over many years, especially in the twentieth century. During the Spanish Civil War and the early Franco years, many prisoners were held and shot here, among them the Catalan president Lluís Companys, who was executed in 1940. The fortress remained a military installation until it was handed over to the city in 2007. Since then it has been presented as a place of memory as well as a viewpoint, with exhibitions about its past and the story of the hill.

Today visitors can walk around the ramparts, the parade ground and the surrounding gardens. The terraces on the walls look out over the container port, the sea and the whole of Barcelona, and on clear days you can see far along the coast. The moat around the fortress has been turned into gardens, with shady paths that are pleasant in the heat of the day. Inside, exhibition rooms explain the military and political history of the site, and there is a small shop and refreshments.

Getting there is part of the fun. The Montjuïc cable car, a gondola that rises from the lower slopes, gives views across the port, and a bus also runs up from the foot of the hill. Many people walk up through the parks, past the Olympic Stadium and the gardens that date from the 1929 International Exposition and the 1992 Olympics. The Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya is also on the hill, so the fortress combines well with a day of museums and viewpoints.

The castle suits history enthusiasts, families and photographers, and a visit takes between one and two hours. Late afternoon offers the best light for the city views. Check current times and tickets before you go.