Joan Maragall Gardens
The setting of a princess tale in the heart of Montjuïc
These are among the most extensive and elegant gardens in the city, surrounding the residence of the Spanish royal family in Barcelona, known as the Palauet Albéniz. They are located on Montjuïc hill and cover nearly 4 hectares.
Montjuïc Cable Car, on the Hola Barcelona app
Your app for discovering the city from the heights with the Montjuïc Cable Car: journey, stops and most iconic places. A comfortable way to carry your tickets too!
Sculptures and floral displays surrounding a palace
The origin of these gardens dates back to the 1929 Universal Exposition, when Montjuïc hill was completely transformed. In fact, within the grounds, the Palauet Albéniz was also built to host the royal family during the event.
This is an architectural ensemble that combines French classicist style with Mediterranean flair, featuring numerous pergolas and terraces. In 1970, the gardens were expanded with abundant decoration, including up to 32 sculptures.
Today, the gardens are divided into three areas. The main one, in front of the palace façade, has two ponds at each end and a central area of flowerbeds, where a small temple stands out with the sculpture Susanna Bathing by Théophile-Eugène-Victor Barrau. A second area lies along the sides of the palace, corresponding to the original 1929 gardens, where two fountains with tritons and a sculpture titled Reclining Woman by Enric Monjo can be found. Finally, the northern area connects to the National Palace and features a courtyard with an Ionic colonnade and the sculpture Serena by Pilar Francesch, as well as the hermitage of Santa Madrona.
For the curious
- In 1970, the gardens were expanded and received their current name in honor of the Catalan poet Joan Maragall, grandfather of Barcelona’s mayor during the Olympic Games, Pasqual Maragall.
- The design of the Joan Maragall Gardens was carried out by architects and landscape designers Nicolau Maria Rubió i Tudurí and Jean-Claude Nicolas Forestier, who also designed María Luisa Park in Seville and many of Paris’s parks.
