Interesting districts

The land adjacent to the former railway station, the Estació del Nord, which closed in 1972, became the site of the Parc de l’Estació del Nord. It is surrounded by a neighbourhood full of architectural jewels, ranging from the modernista-style former station building, now the city’s main bus terminal, to other buildings such as the Dipòsit de les Aigües, a former water tower which now houses the library of the Universitat Pompeu Fabra, or the building of the electricity company Hidroelèctrica.

More recent buildings include the TNC, or Teatre Nacional de Catalunydesigned by Ricardo Bofill in the shape of a glass Greek temple, and the concert hall, L’Auditori, designed by Rafael Moneo and opened in 1999, which combines the sobriety of its modern exterior with a symphony hall that can hold an audience of up to 22,000. It is also home to the Museu de la Música. Another curious museum in the area is the Museu de Carrosses Fúnebres, which takes visitors on a journey through the history of funeral carriages and hearses.

Jean Nouvel’s majestic Agbar Tower has stood in the Plaça de les Glòries since 2003, rising into the air like a tall geyser. Its modern, louvered façade contrasts with the old flour mill, the Farinera del Clot, and the Mercat de Bellcaire, the city’s flea market.