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Plaça d’Espanya at Barcelona (Catalonia, Spain). Photo By orge Franganillo – Wikimedia Commons

Top 10 Facts about Placa Espanya

An ariel view of Barcelona will have you amazed at its symmetry. Its vibrance is attributed to its intriguing architectural design, pedestrian-friendly streets, and the grandeur of public spaces such as Placa Espanya. This, however, was not always the case.

Before the 19^th century, the city was fortified by perimeter walls, and its development was haphazard. The population outgrew the urban space, and the poor living conditions made the city uninhabitable.

In 1855, with the aid of Ildefons Cerda, the government approved the redesign and expansion of Barcelona. His innovation of the grid plan, known as Eixample, has had a major impact on urban planning.

Ildefons’ vision of a livable city encompassed green spaces, walkable thoroughfares, good air quality, proper drainage systems, and functional buildings. Eixample brought about the importance of green spaces within the city, and spaces such as Ciutadella Park and Placa Catalunya were designed.

By 1900, Barcelona had made significant technological advances and plans were underway for an international exposition. The expo began on 20^th May 1929 in Montjuic, Southwest of Barcelona. It was for this purpose that Placa Espanya was built.

Read more interesting facts about the city of Barcelona here. 

1. Placa Espanya Was Constructed As A Result Of The Second Universal Exhibition

Plaza de España, before its construction, in the Catalan Illustration nº 280 . Photo By Frederic Ballell i Maymí – Wikimedia Commons

In 1888, Barcelona hosted the first universal exhibition to celebrate its people’s culture. This particular event led to major upgrades in public utilities, and as a result, the population grew by fifty thousand in 1900.

The second exhibition was held in 1929 and aimed to showcase Spain’s technological advancement. The exhibition included 20 European countries, private organizations from the US, and other Hispanic countries. Spain settled on Montjuic as the exhibition site where designs such as Placa Espanya were implemented.

2. It Lies on The Foothill Of The Former Military Execution Ground

Placa Espanya is located in Sants-Montjuic district at the foot of Montjuic hill. In the 1700s, the Montjuic castle was constructed and used as a military fortress. It was a command point as well as an execution ground. Between 1936 and 1938, approximately 150 people were executed in Montjuic.

Moreover, the fortress was used to imprison and torture people during the Spanish Civil War. In 1960, it was handed over to Barcelona and is now one of the most popular tourist attractions. It doubles up as an event ground hosting exhibitions, concerts, and conferences. However, its history is vivid in the memory of some city residents who still refer to it as a place of sadness.

3. Placa Espanya Is One Of The Biggest Squares in Barcelona

Placa Espanya occupies 34 hectares and is the third-largest square in Spain. Placa De Colona is the largest square with an area of 37 hectares, followed by Plaza de Espana, 36.9 hectares.

Though Barcelona has more built forms than green spaces, implementing approved government concepts such as the superblock aims to change this status.

Find out interesting facts about Plaza de Espana here.

4. It Is Located At The Junction of Barcelona’s Main Trunk Roads

Traffic flow on Plaça d’Espanya. Photo By –
Ralf Roletschek. Wikimedia Commons

Placa Espanya forms the junction between the major streets in Spain, Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, Avinguda del Paral, Carrer de la Creu Coberta, and Carrer de Tarragona.

Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes is the second longest street in Spain and an essential part of Ildefons’ Eixample. It stretches across the municipality from the South West to the North East. Aside from the Placa Espanya, the 13.1-kilometer avenue has four other squares.

Avinguda del Paral is the only street in Barcelona that runs parallel to the Equator. It begins at Placa Espanya, leading to the seafront of Placa de la Carbonera. Carrer de Tarragona begins from Placa Espanya and stretches to the Barcelona Sants Railway Station.

Read more on the Eixample and other must visit buildings in Barcelona here.

 5. Its Construction Was Completed 14 Years After It Was Designed

Placa Espanya was designed in 1915 in preparation for the second international expo. The square was designed by Amargos Joseph, Joseph Maria Jujol, and Miquel Blay.

However, the square was seen to its completion by Antoni Drader I Marsa in 1926. Placa Espanya was used to showcase the technological development and new architectural styles of the 20^th century.

6. Placa Espanya Was A Designated  Transportation Core In The Eixample 

When Ildefons was planning the expansion of Barcelona, Placa Espanya was designated as a transit node between the city and Baix Llobregat county. Today, it is a transport hub with an interchange complex underneath that comprises a metro station.

The station, known as Place Espanya station, serves as a Llobregat-Anoia terminus. The Llobregat-Anoia station serves a variety of lines, including commuter rail, Baix Llobregat metro, and Barcelona metro.

7. Placa Espanya Was Put Together By Three Different Designers

Although many know Joseph Amargos as the main designer of Placa Espanya, the fountain and statues were created by other architects namely Miquel Blay and Jose Maria Gilbert

The fountain in Placa Espanya was designed by Jose Maria Gibert, a famous painter, and architect. He also did woodwork designing furniture pieces across Spain collaborating with architects to create pieces like the Trinity altar in Basilica de Santa Maria del Mar.

Miquel Blay sculpted the statues at Placa Espanya. The outstanding pieces are symbols of humans.

8. A Roman Plaza Inspired Its Artists’ Impression

View of St Peter’s Square, Rome from the Dome of St. Peter’s Basilica. Photo By Diliff – Wikimedia commons

At the time, modernisme style had emerged in Europe, and places such as Barcelona added unique characteristics to the style. The design behind Placa Espanya was drawn from St Peter Square, Rome

 St Peter’s Square, at St. Peter’s Basilica, was constructed in 1667. Similar to Placa Espanya, the notable structures of the square are its granite fountain and colonnades.

9. The Fountain At Placa Espanya Is A Representation Of Significant Features Of Spain

Fountain of the Plaza España (Barcelona). Photo By Canaan –

The monumental and well-detailed fountain lies right at the centre of the square. It is a visual representation of the three main rivers of the Iberian Peninsula, River Ebro, Tagus, and Guadalquivir. The rivers are vital water sources for Spain and are used as commercial river ports.

10. The Columns Of Placa Espanya Are A Symbol Of The Hispanic Heritage And Culture

Each of the three decorated columns around the central sculpture represents an essential part of the people of Barcelona. The cross with the Missionary Roman Llull and Saint Teresa of Jesus represents Barcelona’s religious faith.

The other two columns, a sword with Pelagius of Asturias, James I the Conqueror, and a book with Ausias March and Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, show Hispanic heroism and its arts, respectively.

Pelagius is commemorated for establishing the Asturian monarchy in the Iberian Peninsula. Ausias March was considered one of the most important poets of Catalan literature, while Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra is the greatest writer of the Spanish language.