Palau de la Musica Catalana

Lluis Domenech i Montaner built the Palau between 1905 and 1908 for the Orfeo Catala, a choral society central to the Catalan cultural revival, and it is the only concert hall in Europe lit entirely by natural light during the day: the walls are largely glass, and an inverted stained-glass dome in gold and blue hangs through the ceiling of the auditorium. The proscenium carries sculpture on both sides, Catalan folk song on one and Beethoven and the ride of the Valkyries on the other, and the rear of the stage holds eighteen half-relief muses in ceramic and mosaic, each with a different instrument. UNESCO listed it in 1997. Guided tours run through the day when no rehearsal is on, and concerts continue year-round.

What you actually see

• The inverted glass dome - a stained-glass skylight hanging into the hall.
• The eighteen muses - ceramic and mosaic figures around the stage.
• The proscenium sculpture - Catalan song on one side, Wagner on the other.
• The glass walls - a hall lit by daylight through most of its structure.

When to go

Year-round; tours run daily but pause for rehearsals, and concert evenings offer the hall in use, which is a different experience. Booking ahead is necessary for both, particularly in summer.

Honest expectations

Tours are timed, guided and crowded, following a fixed route with limited time in the auditorium. Photography is restricted in parts. A concert gives more time in the hall but usually at night, when the daylight effect is lost.

Nearby

The Born quarter and the Picasso Museum are a short walk; the Gothic quarter lies south.