Poble Espanyol, translated as Spanish Town, is an open-air architectural museum in Barcelona. One of the top Montjuic attractions, along with the Magic Fountain, the Poble Espanyol in Barcelona was built in 1929 for the Great Universal Exhibition. The impressive village contains more than 100 buildings, streets, and squares that have been reproduced to scale. The goal was to create a museum that represents the architecture and style of various places across Spain.

Visitors today can gain an understanding of the different styles of Spanish architecture by strolling the streets to see the squares, town hall, church, residential buildings, and a monastery. If you have traveled throughout the rest of Spain, you may recognize some of the buildings. The Spanish Town contains replicas of buildings from across Spain, such as the gate at the main entrance, which is designed to look identical to the gate of the eleventh-century walled city of Avila.

The Poble Espanyol has an interesting history. After the exhibition, it remained such a popular attraction that it wasn’t torn down. However, during the Spanish Civil War, the Poble Espanyol in Barcelona was used as an internment camp for prisoners. Because the open-air museum is free of cars, it remains to be a very popular attraction in Barcelona today. A renovation took place in 1988 that added even more to the village for visitors. Bars, restaurants, and local artisans displaying their work make Poble Espanyol even more popular.

Barcelona Map

Like other Montjuic attractions, it is possible to reach Poble Espanyol with public transportation. The Metro stop Espanya will bring visitors very close to the open-air museum. A lovely place to spend a sunny day, this attraction is educational as well as beautiful.