Magic fountain show in barcelona: Magic Fountain | Barcelona website

Everything about the Magic Fountain of Barcelona (Montjuic)

FONT MÀGICA – MUSIC, WATER, LIGHT AND COLORS

Barcelona would celebrate its second World Fair in 1929, and the organizers were looking for something unique that would make it stand out from other fairs. The answer was the project suggested by the architect Carles Buigas: a monumental water fountain that would dance to music and change colors. It took over 3000 workers and an entire year to built. Since then, the Barcelona Magic Fountain has been delighting young and adults with its night shows, and participated in many other celebrations, such as the 1992 Olympics, New Years Eve or the Piromusical festival, celebrated every year in September and combining water and fireworks.

You might be asking yourself how does the Montjuic Fountain compare to the Bellagio in Vegas. Both shows are spectacular, but the Bellagio fountains are placed inside an artificial lake and you see it from a distance, whereas the Barcelona fountain is in the street level and you can get really close and feel the water spray your face. The water jets of the Bellagio are thinner and remind me of water ballerinas, while the Magic Fountain has also some larger and more powerful jets that look like a color waterfall. And while Bellagio is bigger, it’s not as colorful as the one in Barcelona.

Barcelona Magic Fountain schedule

Many visitors are disappointed to discover that the Magic Fountain in Barcelona doesn’t run every day. The evening shows only take place a few days a week (even if during day time you can see it operating just like a normal ornamental fountain, without music, light nor movement). Friday and Saturday are the safest bets, but depending on the time of year it can also run on other days.

The show schedule also varies depending on the season, because of the sunlight: in the Summer it’s later, because the sun sets later too. So you should always check the official website to find out when they are running. Their chart can be a bit confusing: look for “Sessions with music and color” and double check that there’s no “Technical shutdown for annual maintenance” during your stay.

How to get to the Magic Fountain of Montjuïc

The Magic Fountain of Barcelona is located in the Hill of Montjuic, halfway between the Museum of National Art (MNAC) and Plaça Espanya. You can get there by subway: Lines L1 (red) and L3 (green), the station is called Espanya. The following buses also stop nearby:

  • 13 (connecting the Sant Antoni District with different areas of Montjuic)
  • 150 (connecting Pl. Espanya with different areas of Montjuic)
  • 23 (connecting Pl. Espanya with the Zona Franca district)

The exact address of the Magic Fountain of Montjuic is Plaça de Carles Buigas, 1.

Things to do in the area before attending the Barcelona Fountain Show

There’s a lot of things to do in Montjuic: the Olympic Ring, the Miro Foundation, the cable car, the Castle… They are great choices if you are planning to spend the entire afternoon in the area. My recommendation is to start from the Castle, and plan your sightseeing heading down to the Magic Fountain.
But if you don’t have that much time, these are the closest sites, so you have something to do before the show starts:

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  • Museum of National Art of Catalunya (MNAC). A museum for hard-core museum goers: it covers the last 1000 years of local art, from the Romanesque frescoes all the way to the first vanguards of the early 1900’s. Average visit time: 2 to 4 hours.
  • Caixaforum. A modernist factory built by Puig i Cadafalch, a competitor of Antoni Gaudi, now turned into a cultural center running very interesting temporary art exhibits. Average visit time: 1 to 2 hours.
  • Mies van der Rohe pavilion. The reconstruction of the German pavilion of the 1929 World Fair is a must for architecture lovers. You can see it quite well from outside, but the entrance fee isn’t too expensive so it’s worth it if you are an architecture and design lover. Average visit time: 10 to 30 minutes.
  • Spanish Village. Another attraction from the 1929 World Fair, you’ll see there real size replicas of buildings that are representative from the traditional architecture of Spain. It’s also a great place to buy handmade crafts. Average visit time: 1 hour.
  • Les Arenes shopping mall and vantage point. The former bullring was transformed into a modern shopping mall by the architect Richard Rogers. It is now covered by a white dome surrounded by a viewing platform overlooking the city. The access is free if you use the inside escalators – but they charge you to use the outside “panoramic elevator” shaped like a needle.

Where to eat near the Magic Fountain of Barcelona

Having dinner is the big issue with visiting the Magic Fountain, because the show usually takes time around dinner time… So you’ll have to decide if you are having an early dinner or a late dinner. And of course you can choose to eat somewhere else and take taxis between there and the Magic Fountain. But it’s usually more convenient to eat nearby. Check out our post about restaurants near the Magic Fountain.

Final tips to plan your visit to the Montjuic Fountain Show like a pro

Attending the Magic Fountain Show sounds simple: go, watch, leave. And it can really be that easy but there’s always things worth knowing to make your experience seamless. Things that as a local seem obvious, but for someone that has never been there before may not be that evident. So let me share with you my insiders tips:

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  • The show is free. Do not trust anyone that says you need to buy tickets in advance.
  • Double check the start and ending times of the show for the day of your visit. You don’t want to go all the way there to find out the show is tomorrow, not today…
  • Know what music will be played (it’s on their website). The show often starts with “Barcelona” by Freddie Mercury and Montserrat Caballe. That’s a must. Then knowing what other music is playing will help you deciding how long you wish to stay.
  • The show looks better, the darker it is. Specially in the Summer, the first sessions start when there’s still a lof to sunlight and the fountain colors don’t look too bright yet. 
  • There are no seats to watch the show: either you stand, or you seat in the steps of the staircase in front of the Magic Fountain, or in the balustrades of the bridge over the street.
  • Arriving early to “grab a good spot” isn’t super necessary (except in the Summer) if you are fine standing: there’s a lot of room. But do arrive early if you want to seat.
  • The breeze tends to send the spray more to one side of the Magic Fountain than the other. If you don’t want to get wet, find the side opposite to the breeze. Or if it’s really hot, find the side that is more “refreshing” to watch the show from there.
  • You don’t need to stick strictly to the schedule: it’s not a theater. You can arrive and leave whenever you wish during the show times. I once read a review somewhere where the poster complained about the show being too long: gee, who makes you stay until the end? Leave when it’s the right time for you.
  • Actually, it’s a good idea to leave a bit early, because as soon as the show is over everyone rushes to the subway stations and the taxi stop. If you leave early you’ll avoid the crowds, the carriages won’t be crammed and it’ll be easier to find a cab.
  • The only toilets available are the ones in the nearby cafes, and there’ll be probably lines and they won’t be super clean: come prepared to not need them.
  • Beware of pickpockets.

Is the Magic Fountain of Barcelona part of your trip plans?

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AUTHOR BIO

Marta is the founder of ForeverBarcelona. She is a passionate tour guide that loves Barcelona and loves writing too. She is the main author of our Blog, and is committed to sharing her knowledge about Barcelona and her best tips with our readers.

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Magic Fountain of Montjuïc | Barcelona Cable Car

A spectacle of music, light and colour

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  • The cable car route

    Parc Montjuïc Stop

The Magic Fountain, located at the bottom of Montjuïc Mountain, has become one of Barcelona’s most popular attractions, thanks to its exhibition of music, light and colour. Both locals and visitors gather around it to enjoy a hypnotic spectacle of water choreography.

Why visit the Magic Fountain of Montjuïc?

Located between the Palau Nacional and Avinguda de la Reina Maria Cristina it was built for the 1929 Universal Exposition by the engineer Carles Buïgas. It was not until the 1980s that it incorporated music, and for the Barcelona ’92 Olympic Games it was completely restored. In recent years, the fountain has committed to sustainability, replacing its classic lighting with LED technology and incorporating the use of phreatic water.

Since its inauguration, the Magic Fountain of Montjuïc has become a symbol of Barcelona that illuminates the Catalan capital with its lights and jets of water dancing to the rhythm of the music during the most important events celebrated there.   

The lighting and hydraulic elements of the Magic Fountain produce some seven billion viable combinations of water and light. Every day, at different times, some 2,600 litres of water per second dance to the rhythm of all types of songs, including Disney melodies, classical music, soundtracks and hits from the 1980s and 1990s. Its main song, however, is “Barcelona”, the anthem of Barcelona ’92, which was performed by Freddie Mercury and the Catalan soprano Montserrat Caballé at the fountain

If you visit the Fountain of Montjuïc during the day, all you’ll see is a large fountain. Still, it’s a good time to take advantage of the daylight hours and stroll through the Sants-Montjuïc area that stretches from Montjuïc Mountain to the coast. Some of the attractions close to the Magic Fountain of Montjuïc that you can visit are:  Montjuïc Mountain, the National Museum of Art of Catalonia and Poble Espanyol. 

Before nightfall, we recommend visiting the Magic Fountain to watch the scheduled fountain of light, water and music show. At this time, the music will start and the fountain will light up in different colours and shades as the water begins dancing to the rhythm of the melody. Take the opportunity to enjoy the show and record videos and take photos as souvenirs.  

 

Fountain of Montjuïc hours

Entry to the fountain of colours show is free and open. However, depending on the time of year, hours may vary.  The shows last between 10 and 15 minutes. 

All the information about the hours of the Fountain of Montjuïc, how to get there and more information about its history, operation and environmental sustainability are available on the official web page of the Barcelona City Council.  
 

For the most curious of you

  • Did you know? Every year, the Magic Fountain is the place chosen to host Piromusical, the final act of Barcelona’s biggest festival.
  • Local’s tip: Given that it’s a highly popular tourist attraction, we suggest arriving on time to find the best spot to watch the show.  
  • A must: To enjoy a special night in the open air with your loved ones.

  • Fundació Joan Miró

  • CaixaForum Barcelona

  • Barcelona Pavilion

  • National Art Museum of Catalonia

  • Poble Espanyol

  • Mercat de les Flors

Barcelona: Magic Fountain of Montjuic

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Original taken from marinagra in Barcelona: the Magic Fountain of Montjuic

In Barcelona tourist guides, this fountain is often called dancing, singing, but the Spaniards call it the Magic Fountain of Montjuic: Fuente mágica de Montjuic – in Spanish, Font màgica de Montjuïc – in Catalan.

The light and music show of the Magic Fountain attracts visitors to Barcelona just as much as the Sagrada
Familia or the PARK GUELL. The fountain at the foot of Montjuic is visited by about two and a half million 90,010 people a year. In the evenings, crowds of tourists go from the grandiose Plaza de España along the wide avenue
Reina Maria Cristina to see unique performances – new ones every day.

The show lasts
about 15-20 minutes. Tourist groups usually bring an hour, guests have time to watch two performances.

Actually, there are many fountains at the foot of Montjuic, but there is only one, magical, dancing and singing, surrounded by an oval pool. Water jets, illuminated by light bulbs, “dance” to the beat of the music: they rise and fall, intertwine, wearily droop and immediately straighten vigorously … 4,730 lamps of ten colors create 50 color shades. The music sounds the most diverse: symphonic, opera and operetta, popular melodies of the 80s and 90s, movie soundtracks, Spanish folk music. In general, from Beethoven to The Lord of the Rings and The Godfather. Color, sound, shape of water jets – everything changes synchronously, creating a special kind of art, “water light music”. How it’s done? They write that until recently the fountain was controlled manually, but now the show is programmed automatically.

The Magic Fountain, like the whole ensemble at the foot of Montjuic, was built for the Barcelona World Exhibition 1929 years old, the author of the “dancing fountain” project is the Catalan engineer Carlos Buigas. The square, which is decorated with a fountain, is named after him. Buigas presented the project very late – just a year before the exhibition. In order to be in time for the opening of the exhibition, 3,000 workers worked on the construction of the fountain. The first light show, which took place on May 19, 1929, amazed and delighted contemporaries. The fountain was badly damaged during the Spanish Civil War and only resumed operation in 1955. The Magic Fountain was not always musical – it first “sounded” at 1980 year. In 1992, before the XXV Summer Olympic Games in Barcelona, ​​the fountain was seriously restored, however, many original original mechanisms still remain in it.

From the fountain, two wide monumental stairs rise to the National Palace (Palau National), now the National Art Museum of Catalonia, built at the same time and on the same occasion as the fountain – for the 1929 World Exhibition. Powerful water cascades, terraces with viewing platforms are a great addition to the magic fountain. The view from the palace to the fountain, the illuminated Plaza de España, the Reina Maria Cristina Avenue and Barcelona at night is worth the climb!

And finally – the video “Magic Fountain of Barcelona” shot by himself

Video improves mood and relieves fatigue! Checked on myself))))

  • 0062 galik_123 : (no subject ) [+1]
  • palasiun : (no subject) [+1]

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Barcelona Singing Fountains

If you have the opportunity to relax in Spain, then by no means leave this hospitable country without visiting Barcelona – the unique city of love. Once in Barcelona, ​​you plunge into the cycle of spectacular performances, incredible experiences and all-consuming entertainment. And an incredible magnificent show awaits you here – singing fountains of Barcelona . After seeing this magnificent miracle, created by human hands, you will not want to leave here.

The Singing Fountains of Barcelona

Historical background

In 1928, members of the executive committee of the World Exhibition, approving the project for the construction of the fountain, which was provided by the Catalan engineer and designer Carlos Buigas, did not speak very flatteringly about it: too grandiose, too pompous and too expensive . But the project was approved and 3,000 workers set to work to build a magnificent fountain with an area of ​​​​more than 3 thousand square meters on the Montjuic hill in Barcelona. At 19On 29, the fountain was opened and became a magnificent decoration of the Fair and Universal international exhibition held in Barcelona. It was the singing fountains of Barcelona that became already in 1992, before the opening of the Olympics in Barcelona.

Splendor of the “Magic” fountain

The main fountain is located near the National Palace. Smaller fountains descend from it along two sides of a wide alley at the foot of the National Palace to the square itself. The alley is full of many small exhibition pavilions, and above them rises a majestic architectural monument on Mount Montjuic – the National Palace, also built in 1929 year. Its construction was also timed to coincide with the opening of the world exhibition. Magical, singing, magical – as soon as they do not call this magnificent fountain, which from May to October daily shows its enchanting show.

Technical digression

For those who are interested in the singing fountains of Barcelona as a technical masterpiece, it is worth knowing that every second 5 pumps pump 2600 liters of water. The length of the pipeline itself for supplying water is 1.5 km, and for supplying compressed air – 6 km. The number of jets tending upwards – 3620 pcs. The number of compositions and forms that are shown for 20 minutes is more than 7 billion. Until recently, fountains were controlled manually, but with the advent of computer technology, control is automated.

Singing Fountains of Barcelona – photo

Enchanting Water Show

The Magic Fountain Show is a unique fairy tale of water, music and light. Every evening this magical fairy tale begins, consisting of two parts: the first part of the show is accompanied by classical music, the second – by modern music. The obligatory crown number, the beginning of this show is the play of water and light to the unique anthem of the city of Barcelona performed by M. Caballe and F. Mercury. Cascades of water shimmer, change shape and color to the immortal music of Chopin, Tchaikovsky, Bach, Beethoven, dance to famous opera arias and modern instrumental music.