Episode 4: Palace of Catalan Music

The Palau de la Música, considered the most modernist building in the world, was built at the beginning of the 19th century by the architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner. He was one of the leading modernist architects from Catalonia. This building served as the headquarters of the Catalan Symphony Orchestra. The works of Domènech i Montaner are noteworthy due to their excellent combination of structural rationality with extraordinary ornamental features. These are inspired by Spanish-Arab architectural trends and by the curved lines of modernism. The Palau de la Música is now a central meeting point for Catalan cultural and social life. It is also the only modernist concert hall to have been granted UNESCO World Heritage status. Numerous features of the composition of the main façade catch the eye. Firstly, we can see numerous arches with large red brick and tile columns leading into the building. On the first floor, a balcony runs along the façade with 14 columns arranged in pairs. Each column is covered with a mosaic of different designs. On the second floor, there are busts erected on the columns, designed by Eusebi Arnau. These correspond, from left to right, to the musicians Palestrina, Bach and Beethoven. Beyond the group sculpture, in the corner, we find Wagner. This sculpture group, found on the corner of calle Amadeu Vices, is known as the Catalan Folk Song. It includes a representation of Saint George, under a feminine figure in the center as a figurehead. These are surrounded by a group of characters representing a sailor, a peasant, an old man, children, and the upper class. This indicates that the Palau de la Música Catalan was for everyone. Inside, the Palau de la Múscia is made up of the Concert Hall, one of the most unique in the world; the Petit Palau (Small Palace), an ideal modern music hall for chamber concerts or smaller events; the Rehearsal Hall for the Catalan Symphony Orchestra; and the Lluís Millet Hall, a large salon for relaxing and meeting others.
Photo Domènech.i.Montaner.Palau.Musica.Catalana.8.Barcelona by Yearofthedragon is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0