Palau de la Música

The concert hall of the Palau de la Música Catalana in Barcelona is a magical space, designed as a huge glass box topped with a large central dome. Opened on February 9, 1908, the Palau de la Música Catalana is one of the most representative buildings of Catalan modernism. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997 and is definitely worth a visit!

What to see and do at the Palau de la Música Catalana

The grand concert hall, built by Lluís Domènech i Montaner at the beginning of the 20th century for the Catalan music association, is a feast for the eyes. But the entire building, from the outside to the café where you can take a break, is beautiful to see. You can visit the Palau de la Música during a concert, join a tour, or simply admire it from the outside.

The Palau de la Música from the outside

Even from the outside, the Palau de la Música Catalana is beautiful to see and a delight for the eyes. The façade on Carrer Sant Pere Més Alt is the most famous and houses some of the city’s most beautiful mosaics. The original locker of Domènech i Montaner within a column with the typical trencadís is, for example, very special to see.

Also notice the complex system of arches and balconies where busts of great composers like Bach and Beethoven are placed.

The highlight is the sculpture by the artist Miguel Blay, called “La canción popular catalana” (The Catalan Folk Song), which shines on the corner of Carrer Sant Pere Més Alt.

The Palau de la Música from the inside

The Palau de la Música Catalana organizes daily tours of the modernist concert hall and, if available, through the Lluís Millet room and the Música de Cambra room.

The concert hall is one of the most unique places in the world and has been the privileged stage for many national and international concerts for over a hundred years.

During the tour, you learn everything about the concert hall, its artistic value, and history.

Attending a concert at the Palau de la Música

The Palau de la Música Catalana still serves as a cultural institution where concerts of all genres and styles, cultural, social, and business events, congresses, conferences, and exhibitions are organized.

You can buy tickets online for one of the concerts to experience the Palau in its true glory.

Keep an eye on the schedule for upcoming events or order your tickets for one of the events below. Highly recommended for an unforgettable evening!

Orfeó Català Library

On the fifth floor of the palace is the Library of the Orfeó Català (BOC), specializing in music and the Orfeó Català Foundation. The library opened in 1891, the year the Orfeó was formed. Since then, the library has possessed a rich array of materials, some of which have been donated or bequeathed.

The BOC is perhaps one of the most prominent musical libraries set up by a private civic institution in Catalonia. Parts of the collection that are safeguarded by the library are of great importance to the international music community.

The goal is to become a modern research library in the field of music in the broadest sense.

Foyer del Palau

Another special place is the Foyer del Palau. A space with access via Carrer del Palau de la Música, it is used as a restaurant-cafeteria and can be visited for free.

The wide arches atop the Foyer, built of bricks and glazed ceramic in green with floral patterns, give this space its own character and are a beautiful example of Catalan modernism.

History of the Palau de la Música Catalana

The Palau de la Música Catalana, or the Palace of Catalan Music, was built between 1905 and 1908 in the narrow streets of Sant Pere. The Catalan architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner designed the building, which was primarily financed by donations from the city’s elite.

The founders of the theater asked Montaner to design a unique Catalan building to express their nationalist sympathies. The architect, together with local craftsmen and artists, created the vibrant decoration and sculptures that adorn the entire building. This includes sculptures by Miguel Blay, Pau Gargallo, and Dídac Massana, the famous stained glass dome on the roof of the Concert Hall by Antoni Rigalt i Blanch, and the red brick façade with mosaics by Lluís Bru.

The palace opened in 1908 and served as the headquarters of the Orfeó Català, a prestigious institution founded in 1891 to support Catalan music and culture. This is why the building’s interior has many references to Catalan nationality. In the concert hall, for example, there are sculptures symbolizing dancing and traditional music-playing Catalan women, and a large Saint George sculpture on the façade of the building.

In the past two decades, there has been a major renovation of Barcelona’s Palau de la Música, which led to the opening of the Petit Palau auditorium and Plaça del Palau in 2004.

Palau de la Música tickets

The Palau de la Música Catalana can only be visited inside if you have tickets for a self-guided tour, if you participate in a guided tour, or during a concert. It is advisable to buy tickets in advance in all cases.

You can buy tickets for a self-guided visit to the Palau de la Música Catalana starting from €16. If you opt for the free audio guide, you will receive a downloadable audio guide for your smartphone with all sorts of information, images, music, and video footage. The audio guide is available in English, Spanish, Catalan, and French.

Tickets for the guided tour can be booked online from €20 (children up to 9 years old can join for free, accompanied by an adult). Language: English. Duration: about 55 minutes. Please note that the tour in the Palau de la Música can be adjusted if a performance or rehearsal takes place.

How to get to the Palau de la Música Catalana

The Palau de la Música Catalana is located between the streets of Sant Pere més Alt and Plaça Lluís Millet, very close to Plaça Urquinaona and Plaça Catalunya, and next to Via Laietana. If you are in the center, you can easily walk here. The nearest metro stations are Urquinaona (L1 and L4) and Catalunya (L1, L3, L6, and L7).