Prague and Las Vegas, Sentosa in Singapore and Xi'an in China, the Emirate of Dubai and German Hamburg, Russian Sochi and Moscow - all these cities of the world bring together fascinating fountain shows that attract millions and billions of spectators every year. The magical fountain of Montjuic, located in the Spanish city of Barcelona, occupies a well-deserved place in the top ten.
The author of the idea
In 1929, Barcelona hosted the World International Exhibition. A year before its start, everything was ready to receive and host a unique exhibition. There was not enough zest to make this event memorable.
In June 1928, the young architect Carlos Bougas proposed a rather bold design of a dancing fountain. 460 plans and 70 drawings were studied and approved by the Board of Directors. It took Carlos and three thousand workers less than a year to bring the fantastic idea to life in time for the opening of the exhibition.
The result was the world's first singing fountain in Barcelona on such a scale, where powerful jets of water obediently change their shape in the light of multi-colored rays.
Some facts
The talent of Bouigas was manifested not only in the external appearance of his creation, but also in the engineering component. Every smallest detail has been carefully thought out - from the size of the pool and the number of pumps to the recycling water system designed to save water. In one second, five pumps distill 26 tons of water.
The area of the fountain is about 3000 square meters. The fountain is located at the foot of Montjuic. It is from here that it takes its name, although locals call this attraction Font màgica, or the magic fountain of Montjuic.
Musical design was added to the next significant event - the 1992 Olympics. The symbiosis of water, fire and music - what could be more bewitching and bewitching?
Better to see once
From the day of its creation, the fountain was managed by a team of specialists, musical accompaniment was carried out manually. In recent years, a system has been created that completely replaces man. The arsenal of singing fountains has seven billion combinations of light, music and water.
3623 is the exact number of jets of water that come from wells and strike in all directions, reaching a height of 54 meters, to create the complete illusion of immersion in the magic of Montjuic.
Today the repertoire of the Barcelona Singing Fountain in Spain is represented not only by operas and symphonies of classical composites (Tchaikovsky, Beethoven), but more modern jazz compositions, melodies from cult films and the latest hits.
Particularly colorful shows are held on September 23 in connection with the end of the Mercier festival in honor of the Barcelona saint, at Christmas and some other significant events.
For some time now, the city authorities gave the green light to the private rental of the fountain for 2170 euros per hour. The film companies making films and the young man in love, who thus made a marriage proposal to his chosen one, became tenants.
Mode of operation
During the day, the water in the fountain starts working every 20 minutes, and the show itself lasts half an hour and begins in the evening according to the schedule, depending on the time of year. Opening hours of Barcelona's singing fountains:
- from the first day of summer to the end of September, performances begin at 21.30, 22.00 and at 22.30 from Thursday to Sunday;
- all of October - at 21.00 and at 21.30, 22.00, on Fridays and Saturdays;
- from November to the end of March (with the exception of the closing period for maintenance work in January – February) - at 19.00, 19.30, 20.00, on Fridays and Saturdays;
- All April and May - at 21.00 and at 21.30, 22.00, on Fridays and Saturdays.
The Barcelona Singing Fountain show has a full house, so it’s better to come a little in advance to take convenient places on benches located nearby.
Where is located
Fountain Address: Carlos Buigas Square, 1, 08038, Barcelona, Spain. The map will help you find your way.
Transport
You can get there by metro: to the Espana station on the green line L3 or the red line L1. Or by bus: Route 55 or tourist bus, MNAC stop.
Reviews and Opinions
There are more than 24,000 reviews about the Barcelona Singing Fountain on travel sites, and almost everyone rates it excellently. It is recommended to visit among the ten best attractions of the city. The show is free, access is free. A bonus is a wonderful walk to the nearby observation deck of the National Museum of Art of Catalonia with stunning views of the city.
A pocket thief can often spoil the impression, often working in the crowd, so valuables are best left in the hotel safe.