Arc del Triomf in Barcelona

Getty Images


Just northwest of the main Parc de la Ciutadella, Passeig de Lluís Companys is capped by the Modernista Arc de Triomf, designed by Josep Vilaseca as the principal entrance for the 1888 Barcelona Universal Exposition, with unusual, Mudéjar-style brickwork in an earthy red. Josep Llimona did the main reliefs. Just what the triumph was eludes us, especially since the exhibition itself was a commercial failure. It is perhaps best thought of as a bricks-and-mortar embodiment of the city’s general fin de siècle feel-good factor.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Monestir de Sant Pere de les Puelles

0.14 MILES

It was around this much-remodelled Romanesque church, founded in 945, that settlement began in La Ribera. In 985 a Muslim force under Al-Mansur largely…

2. Foto Colectania

0.25 MILES

Photography lovers should swing by this minimalist-design nonprofit foundation in El Born, which hosts thought-provoking, regularly changing exhibitions…

3. Castell dels Tres Dragons

0.25 MILES

Along the Passeig de Picasso (western) side of the Parc de la Ciutadella, the engaging, medieval-looking 'Castle of the Three Dragons' caprice is the work…

4. Museu de la Xocolata

0.28 MILES

Chocoholics have a hard time containing themselves at this museum dedicated to the fundamental cocoa-based foodstuff. Displays trace the origins of…

5. Arxiu Fotogràfic de Barcelona

0.29 MILES

On the 2nd floor of the former Convent de Sant Agustí is the modest exhibition space of this photo archive, devoted to sharing photos of the city from the…

6. Cascada

0.33 MILES

Near the Passeig de Pujades entrance to the park stands this monumental cascada (waterfall), inspired by Rome's Trevi Fountain and topped by a golden…

7. Mercat de Santa Caterina

0.35 MILES

Come shopping for your tomatoes or pop in for lunch at this extraordinary-looking produce market, designed by forward-thinking architects Enric Miralles…

8. Capella d'en Marcús

0.36 MILES

Standing at the northern end of Carrer de Montcada, on the corner of Carrer dels Corders, this much-meddled-with Romanesque chapel was once a wayfarers’…