Barcelona is always in constant evolution and reinvention. Especially since the Olympic Games of 1992, which promoted the great renovation of the city, lots of spaces and buildings have been transformed and redefined. ShBarcelona offers you a selection of 5 renovated spaces that you can’t miss in your time in Barcelona.
- Palo Alto
Palo Alto: Carrer dels Pellaires 30
2. Las Arenas
Las Arenas bullring opened in 1900 to host bullfighting events in a large venue. The building was completed in Neo-mudejar style (Moorish Revival architecture, typical of some Modernist buildings) and was also the place for speeches, shows, boxing events or even the Republican headquarters during the Spanish Civil War. The last bullfight event took place in 1977, and Las Arenas was almost demolished in the 80’s to build a pavilion for the Barcelona fair. It was finally preserved and bought in 1999 for the Sacresa group to build a shopping centre. The construction work was stopped and continued several times, until 2011, when the shopping centre opened. The architects preserved the façade and had to lift it with a big structure. They also added a dome with a deck and an adjacent building.
Las Arenas contains shops and restaurants, cinemas, a gym and it also hosts the Rock Museum. The most interesting thing to do in Las Arenas, apart from admiring the historical façade, is to go up to the deck and enjoy the panoramic views of the area. A piece of advice: don’t pay for the lift, you can access the deck through the escalator inside the shopping centre!
Las Arenas: Gran Via de Les Corts Catalanes, 373-385
3. The Moritz Factory
Moritz is a historical beer in Barcelona. Louis Moritz arrived from Alsace in 1851 and started producing his own beer in the Raval area. In 1864, he bought the building and opened the brewery in Ronda Sant Antoni. He died in 1920 leaving the company to the family, who continued with the business and ran it during the 50’s and 60’s. The company dissolved in 1978, but after some legal issues returned in 2004 and it’s now very present all over the city. The Sant Antoni brewery underwent a transformation conceived by the famous architect Jean Nouvel. It took 10 years and 30 million euros, but the factory finally reopened in 2011. The architect kept the 150 years old walls and the cement tanks from the 20’s, and integrated them into the new design, combining the old elements with modern ones (like glass walls). A tip: don’t miss the toilets, in the basement!
Moritz Factory: Ronda de Sant Antoni, 39 – 41
4. El Clot Park
made with the old arches of the workshop.
El Clot Park: Carrer dels Escultors Claperós
5. Born Centre Cultural
Born CC: Plaça Comercial 12
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