Poble Espanyol


The Poble Espanyol is an open-air architectural museum in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, approximately 400 metres away from the Fountains of Montjuïc. Built for the 1929 Barcelona International Exposition, the museum consists of 117 full-scale buildings, which recreate Spanish villages. It also contains a theater, restaurants, artisan workshops and a museum of contemporary art.

History

The museum was built for the 1929 Barcelona International Exposition as an exhibit of the architecture and culture of Spain. The idea was promoted by the Catalan architect Puig Cadafalch and the project was realized by architects Francesc Folguera and Ramon Reventós, art critic Miquel Utrillo and painter Xavier Nogués. The four professionals visited over 600,000 sites in Spain to collect the architecture to bring together the main characteristics of the peoples of Spain.

Description

Areas

The Poble Espanyol has replications of 117 buildings representing fifteen autonomous communities of Spain − Andalusia, Aragon, Asturias, Cantabria, Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y León, Catalonia, the Valencian Community, Extremadura, Galicia, the Baleric Islands, the Community of Madrid, the Region of Murcia, Navarre, and the Basque Country. The autonomous communities of La Rioja and the Canary Islands are not represented. The first is not present because it was not a separate region of Spain when the museum was designed and built. The Canary Islands are not represented because the four designers could not travel to them for economic reasons.

Monuments and buildings of the Poble Espanyol

Replicated buildings include:
Building replicaCity/TownRegion
Calle CunaArcos de la Frontera, Cádiz Province
Torre de UteboUtebo, Zaragoza Province
Cangues d'OnísCangas de Onís
Casa Son BergaPalma, Majorca
Caserío Casa ArtecheErandio, Biscay
Casa BarredaSantillana del Mar
El MiradorSigüenza, Guadalajara Province
Puerta de San VicenteÁvila
Palacio de los Golfines de AbajoCáceres
Paço de los FefinhasCambados, Pontevedra Province
NavalcarneroNavalcarnero
Casa de los CeldránMurcia
Las ArcadasSangüesa
La JanaCastellón de la Plana
Monestir Romànic de Sant MiquelVarious spots

Other exhibits and attractions

Although the Poble Espanyol was planned to be demolished when the International Exhibition was over, the museum was preserved because of its great success. The recreated village still contains the streets, squares and facades of the different areas of Spain. The village hosts many different events including gastronomic festivals, concerts in summer, flamenco shows, private events such as weddings, and children's activities.
The Poble Espanyol exhibits more than 30 artisans who regularly work within the village making blown glass, leather, ceramics, jewelry, masks, baskets, and Spanish guitars. They create handmade items which are sold to the visitors.
The Poble Espanyol also contains rides, stores with gourmet products, and restaurants or bars with cuisine from the different regions of Spain.

Museum Fran Daurel

The museum Fran Daurel is situated within the Poble Espanyol. It is a private collection open to the public featuring over 295 works of contemporary Spanish artists including Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí, Joan Miró, Antoni Tàpies, Barceló, Josep Guinovart and Amat. The museum holds paintings, sculptures, tapestries, drawings and ceramics, and a sculpture garden, with 41 large sculptures. The works by Picasso include ceramics from the 1950s and 1960s, where he used both traditional techniques and his own methods.

Theater

The Poble Espanyol has a theater that regularly organizes entertainment for children: theater, dance, music, clowns or puppets. The Barcelona School of Theatre also performs at this theater.

Tablao de Carmen

The Tablao de Carmen was opened in 1988 as an homage to the great dancer Carmen Amaya. The venue is located in the heart of Poble Espanyol, in the same place, where she danced for the King of Spain Alfonso XIII during the opening of the 1929 Barcelona International Exposition. Nowadays the Tablao de Carmen is a popular flamenco theatre-restaurant, offering its visitors one of the best flamenco shows in Barcelona, accompanied by a delicious tapas menu. Tablao de Carmen displays some of the photo legacy of Carmen Amaya. On special occasions visitors can hear the guitar of her husband Juan Antonio Agüero, which is a part of the patrimony of the founder family of Tablao de Carmen.

Activities for children

In addition to shows that take place every week in the theatre, Poble Espanyol has other activities for children: workshops, TOT Puppet Festival, living nativity scenes during Christmas, and family shows throughout the year.