International Volvo Photo Locations Part 529
Plaça de Carlos Ibáñez is located at Jardins de Miramar on MontJuïc in Barcelona, Spain. From here, you have a great view on the city Barcelona!
Located on Montjuïc Mountain, the Miramar Gardens were landscaped from 1919 to 1923 for the 1929 Barcelona Universal Exposition. They were designed by the French engineer and city planner Jean-Claude Nicolas Forestier, one of the best international landscapers of the time, who introduced the concept of Mediterranean gardens to the city of Barcelona. He was aided by Nicolau Maria Rubió i Tudurí, the director of Barcelona Parks and Gardens Department.
The Miramar Gardens are located on a balconied area some 60 metres above sea level. They offer magnificent 270º views of the city and contain hundred-year-old trees and numerous species of great interest. They are structured into regular terraces, held in place by walls made of stone from Montjuïc and wrought iron railings, with trees and various types of flower beds mainly containing species from warm zones.
The water features and sculptures indicate the main and secondary paths. In the central part of the garden is a stone fountain surrounded by three female sculptures: “Fertility” and “Serenity” by Josep Clarà and “Pomona” by Pablo Gargallo. The “Serenity” sculpture had been previously installed in the Joan Maragall Gardens, at Palauet Albéniz, near the Olympic Stadium.
The Miramar Hotel is a stone’s throw away from the gardens. Its building is an old palace that was designed by the architect Ramon Reventós for the 1929 Universal Exposition. From 1959 to 1983 it was the headquarters of Televisión Española in Catalonia. Finally, in 2006 the building was remodelled by the architect Òscar Tusquets as the Miramar Hotel. The building conserves the original facade of the former palace.
Did you know? Miramar was created as a gardened lookout point and as a nexus between the upper part of the 1929 Universal Exposition and the maritime section at the port. Unfortunately, the project, whose aim was to provide direct access to the mountain from the sea, was never executed.
Local’s tip: The Miramar Gardens lookout point is located at one of the lowest parts of Montjuïc Mountain, allowing you to contemplate the various points of interest of the city more closely.
A must: For those seeking calm in Barcelona, without losing sight of the city.
More information at es.wikipedia.org and ticketshop.barcelona/montjuic.html.