Exploring the layers of Montjuïc
Discover Montjuïc hill in Barcelona, from its prehistoric origins to its modern-day significance.
Our Valentine’s Day stroll took us through Montjuïc, a hill in Barcelona near the port of Zona Franca. A somewhat peculiar choice, considering the history of the place, but one that meant a lot to both of us as avid readers. The hill has been inhabited since what we conventionally refer to as prehistoric times, and traces of this presence have been rediscovered throughout its history of occupation:
The oldest evidence of human habitation on Montjuïc is the jasper workshop in the Morrot area. While the presence of prehistoric tools made of Montjuïc jasper at sites in the Barcelonès and Baix Llobregat regions has been reported since ancient times, the workshop on the hill was not located until the major transformations made for the 1992 Olympic Games. During an archaeological survey at the foot of the castle, the workshop was identified to the north of the hillside overlooking the port.
The name of the hill, Montjuïc, from historical evidence, refers to the “Hill of the Jews” in medieval Catalan due to the remains of a Jewish Necropolis found on one of its faces:
The Jewish necropolis deserves special attention. This came to light during excavations carried out in 1949. It is located on the northeast side of the hill and was in use from at least the eleventh to the fourteenth century.
Montjuïc was also used to build Barcelona, as the hill served as a quarry for many years, providing stones for constructing various buildings, including the Basilica of Santa Maria del Mar. A group of workers known as “bastaixos” carried the stones on their shoulders from Montjuïc to El Born, as depicted in the engravings on the doors of the Basilica, echoing the history described in Ildefonso Falcones’ novel, The Cathedral of the Sea.
Since my first encounter with the Barcelona formed in my mind while reading The Shadow of the Wind, this hill, especially the Castle, has aroused a morbid fascination. This is because the Montjuïc Castle was a site of imprisonment and summary executions of political prisoners during the Spanish Civil War and Franco’s dictatorship.
In fact, the Castle served as a military/political prison long before, but the way Zafón portrayed it sparked a mixture of curiosity and disgust for the place. However, visiting this space and learning about the intricate history of resistance within its walls led me to develop a new perspective on what Montjuïc Castle represents. As an old friend used to say,
The past is not what happened, but what we remember and how we remember it.
The Castle was declared a Cultural Asset of National Interest (BCIN) in 1988. In 2007, after much controversy, it was finally handed over to the Barcelona City Council as a municipal space, being recovered for civilian, social, and cultural uses, especially in tribute to former President of the Generalitat de Catalunya Lluís Companys and the educator Francesc Ferrer i Guàrdia, both executed at the Castle.
Returning to the tourist aspect of this text, from any part of the city, you can reach the vicinity by public transportation, which is very well organized. To get to the top of the hill, you can either walk, which I don’t recommend as it will take time and a lot of effort, or take the 150 bus from Plaza Espanya to the Castle. “But Ana, why not walk?” Because it’s going to take time and demand a lot of effort. We walked around the Castle for about 2 hours, so it’s best to avoid fatigue. However, the most exciting way to ascend the hill is by cable car, which costs 15 euros. Buying the ticket in advance is advisable to avoid queues, as in any other tourist attraction.
Regarding tickets, admission to the Castle costs 12 euros, but various discount categories exist. If you are a resident registered with Gaudir Més, admission is free. Another exciting tip, especially if you’re not familiar with the history of the place, is to rent the audio guide, which makes the experience much more immersive.
Despite my lack of enthusiasm for walking up the hill, I recommend walking down and taking time to admire the Jardines del Mirador and Jardines de Joan Brossa. The Ana who grew up in the countryside of Rio Grande do Sul loved the views and the greenery.
Finally, I want to reiterate that I don’t just write for tourism. I write for my loved ones, with whom I would like to share these experiences in loco, and to pay homage to Barcelona. With each passing day, I fall more in love with this city, which has welcomed me so well and has lived up to the expectations my imagination created through literature.
