Magic Fountain of Montjuïc
Barcelona, Spain
National Art Museum of Catalonia, Barcelona
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Photo: Rafa Esteve, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia CommonsFit in nearby today
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- Paid; some free hours
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Hours
- Tue–Sun; closed Monday
- Time on site
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A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes. - 2 h 30 min
- With kids
- Fine with kids
- Closed
- Monday
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Highlights
- Romanesque frescoes, Gothic, modernisme, the Oval Hall
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Rooftop
- Viewing terrace, separate ticket
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Location
- Montjuïc, Espanya metro (L1, L3)
Key facts
1929the palace was built for the Exposition
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English Wikipedia1934an art museum opened inside
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English Wikipedia1990the National Art Museum of Catalonia was formed
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English WikipediaRomanesqueone of the world's finest fresco collections
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English WikipediaAbout MNAC
The domed, towered Palau Nacional was built on the slope of Montjuïc as the main pavilion of the 1929 International Exposition. An art museum opened here in 1934, and in 1990 several collections merged into the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya, or MNAC.
The museum spans a thousand years of Catalan art, from medieval frescoes to early 20th-century modernisme, plus European Renaissance and Baroque painting. The building is just as striking: a vast Oval Hall beneath the dome, marble staircases and terraces looking over the whole city.
The Romanesque frescoes
The museum's pride is its Romanesque murals of the 11th to 13th centuries. In the early 20th century they were carefully removed from the walls of small Pyrenean mountain churches, to save them from decay and from being sold abroad, and brought to Barcelona along with the shape of their apses. The galleries recreate the curved vaults, so you see the frescoes as their painters intended.
The most famous is Christ Pantocrator from Sant Climent de Taüll: a huge, stern face with wide-open eyes in vivid colour. It's one of the great works of European Romanesque art and worth the visit even if you're short of time.
What to see at MNAC
- Romanesque frescoes — mountain church apses and the Taüll Pantocrator.
- Gothic — altarpieces, painted panels and sculpture.
- Renaissance and Baroque — El Greco, Velázquez, Zurbarán.
- Modernisme — Casas and Rusiñol, Gaudí furniture.
- The Oval Hall — the vast hall beneath the dome.
- The terrace — views over the Magic Fountain and city.
Gothic, Baroque and modernisme
The Gothic galleries are full of gilded altarpieces and painted panels by 14th and 15th-century Catalan masters. Then come European painters: El Greco, Velázquez, Zurbarán, and Rubens and Titian from the Thyssen-Bornemisza collection.
Upstairs is Catalan modernisme: paintings by Ramon Casas and Santiago Rusiñol, Gaudí furniture from Casa Batlló and Casa Milà, stained glass and jewellery, with separate rooms for photography and posters. It shows how Barcelona lived in the years when the Sagrada Família and the Palau de la Música were going up.
How to get to MNAC
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Where are you starting from?
We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.
On foot
- Magic Fountain of Montjuïc is about 4 min away on foot.
- Barcelona Pavilion is about 7 min away on foot.
- Montjuïc is about 14 min away on foot.
More tips
- Metro Espanya (L1, L3), then up the avenue and escalators to the palace, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Bus 150 from Plaça d'Espanya to the museum entrance.
- From Montjuïc, down through the gardens and stairs to the palace.
- The main entrance is on the upper terrace in front of the palace.
Tips for your visit
If you're short of time, focus on the Romanesque galleries and the Oval Hall, the most unique parts, and come back for the rest the next day on the same ticket. There's a café with a city view and a cloakroom for bags.
It pairs well with the evening Magic Fountain show: when the galleries close, step out onto the terrace for sunset over Barcelona, then walk down to the fountain. The steps in front of the palace are one of the city's best free viewpoints.
Before you go
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Places in Barcelona: compare and choose
Places in Barcelona rated by YesGo. Click a column header to sort.
| Camp Nou | 63 | 1 h 45 min | Paid | 2.9 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Casa Batlló | 55 | 1 h 15 min | Paid | 2.8 km |
| Barcelona Pavilion | 43 | 40 min | Paid | 6 min walk |
| Casa Vicens | 39 | 1 h | Paid | 3.9 km |
| Casa Milà | 37 | 1 h 15 min | Paid | 3.1 km |
| Picasso Museum | 36 | 1 h 45 min | Paid | 3.0 km |
| National Art Museum of Cataloniayou are here | 34 | 2 h 30 min | Paid | — |
| Dalí Theatre-Museum | 27 | 2 h | Paid | 120.3 km |
Montjuïc in half a day
The Palau Nacional, the Barcelona Pavilion and the hill.
- Montjuïc3 h · Free
- 11 min walk from the previous stopNational Art Museum of Cataloniayou are here2 h 30 min · Paid
- 6 min walk from the previous stopBarcelona Pavilion40 min · Paid
3 places · about 6 h 27 min with walks · 17 min on foot in total
Nearby and on the way
How to do it right
- Closed on Mondays.
- Tickets last two days.
- Don't miss the Romanesque frescoes.
- Evening: the terrace and fountain.
Questions
What is there to see at MNAC?
Romanesque frescoes from Pyrenean churches, Gothic altarpieces, El Greco and Velázquez, Catalan modernisme and the Oval Hall.
How long do you need at MNAC?
2 to 3 hours; the ticket usually lasts two days.
When is MNAC free?
At certain times, such as Saturday afternoons; check the museum's site.
How do I get to MNAC?
Metro to Espanya, then up the avenue and escalators to the Palau Nacional.
What day is MNAC closed?
Monday.
Where is the best view near the museum?
From the steps and terrace in front of the Palau Nacional.
Have you been? Was it worth your time?
1 — no, 5 — absolutely
Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.
Sources and fact-check
- English Wikipedia: Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya
- Official site, museunacional.cat
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