Montjuic Castle is located in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain and has great historical significance. At one time it used to be a military fortress before it was expanded and officially called a castle. It was originally built around 1640, on top of the Montjuic hill. None of the original structure from 1640 remains today.
You can see Montjuic Castle near the port. This castle sits about 173 meters above the sea on the southeastern side of Montjuic mountain. During your visit, you’ll also get to see many stunning views of the city of Barcelona, and beautiful views of the Mediterranean Sea.
Since it’s no longer required to be used as a fortress, the structure is now used for a municipal facility. If you’d like to add it to part of your sightseeing adventures in Barcelona, you can find the Castle at 66 Ctra. de Montjuïc.
History of Montjuic Castle
Today, Montjuic Castle is a place of quiet and tranquility, but its history is loud and unruly. The fortress is a symbol of repression against her citizens, resulting in many civil wars. It’s also representative of the city’s struggles, both internally and externally for many centuries of its history.
In Catalan, the castle is called “Castell de Montjuïc,” while in Spanish it’s called “Castillo de Montjuich.” The basic foundation for the castle was first laid down in 1640. It was progressively built for about a year. In 1641, it proved its worth. The first battle it endured was during the Catalan Revolt. The Principality of Catalonia was challenging Spain’s governance.
The King of Spain at the time, Pedro Fajardo, acted quickly and sent an army of 26,000 men to crush the revolt.
In 1694, fifty years later, more bastions and battlements had been built. This turned the fortress into what could be called a castle today. During the Siege of Barcelona in 1705, the British 6th Regiment of Foot captured the fortress. This led to the siege of Barcelona. Lt. Col. William Southwell became the Governor of the Castle.
Most of the original structure was demolished in 1751. It was rebuilt by Juan Martin Cermeno, a Spanish engineer, and an architect, to fix damage caused by the wars. This is what you see as the current structure today. The castle was finally finished in 1779. Around 1799, improvements were made to the castle’s defenses. 120 cannons were installed on site.
During the times of the Napoleonic Wars, the French Army invaded Barcelona. No lives were lost and no shots were fired, as the Spanish were told not to fight the French.
In its last 650 years, Montjuic Castle played an important part in the history of the city. It became a symbol of submission after the Catalan defeat in 1714. The Montjuic cannons have been used many times over the centuries. Some of the history is a bit dark, with the military having bombed its own citizens at times. The castle also had a prison and torture chamber used for both sides. The military prison was shut down in 1960.
In later history, the castle played a major role in the civil war from 1936 to 1939. During the late 20th century, a military museum was set up on site.
In 1960, the castle was given back to the city and used as an army base. In 1963, a Military Museum was established inside the Castle. It was open to the public and worth a visit. Back then you could see many army uniforms and military equipment within glass display cases. It was inaugurated by Francisco Franco in June 1963. Its official name was the “Military Armour Museum”.
Sadly, it’s no longer open, though there are other exhibitions to see.
Recent History of Montjuic Castle
In 2007, the government gave Montjuic Castle to the Barcelona City Council. After many discussions, it was decided to turn it into a municipal facility, while still retaining its heritage.
In 2010, the museum was closed. The City Council began restoration, which included preserving the look of the castle, and doing waterproofing of the roof and watchtower to prevent further damage.
There are plans to set up some cultural centers on site. Perhaps they’ll reopen the military museum in the future.
Today, Montjuic Castle now belongs to all the citizens of Barcelona.
What’s to See Inside the Museum
There used to be a military museum, but that has since closed. But there are two exhibitions you can still see inside the castle. These are included in the admission fee to the grounds.
One of the exhibitions in the castle comprises many rooms. This explains the history of the castle and contains archeological finds from prehistoric days to medieval times, and beyond.
The second exhibition is devoted to the imprisonments, tortures, trials, and executions that happened here. There are also some old tombstones dating from an 11th-century Jewish cemetery on the mountain.
The Outdoor Castle Grounds
There’s plenty to see outside on the castle grounds. As you travel around the castle, you’ll see plenty of bushes, green grass, and fragrant flowers. Many of the old fortifications have been planted with parterre gardens now. These were built to cover the many ditches and the large moat that used to be present.
To enter Montjuic Castle, you’ll cross grounds that used to be the former moat. Now the moat is gone and a lovely green garden, or parterre (level garden), has been planted in its spot.
From the castle grounds, you’ll see a spectacular 360-degree view of the city below. At the foot of the castle is also an airy walking path, called the Cami Del Mar, which will take you around and give you nice views of the sea and the city.
Close to Mirador Station are the Jardins del Mirador, lovely gardens with a nice view of the city. If you head further downhill, you can see the Jardins de Joan Brossa, which are landscaped gardens. This garden is located on what was once an amusement park. Here you’ll see many plants from the Mediterranean, including palms, cypresses, and pines. The kids can have fun on the swings.
How to Get to Montjuic Castle
You can start by heading to the Montjuic funicular (train station) at Parallel Station on the Barcelona Metro, that will take you to the Montjuic Cable Car Station.
To get to Montjuic Castle you’ll first have to head to the Montjuic Cable Car Station. This is where you can take a lift up the mountainside. You’ll disembark at the top, where it’s a short walk to the castle entrance.
There are also stairs leading up the side of Montjuic hill to the castle if you don’t want to pay for train or cable car. Both are included together in one fee but you can just pay for the cable car trip too if you’ve arrived on foot or by cab.
Hours of Operation for Montjuic Castle
While you can see Montjuic Castle for miles, you may wish to head into its grounds. It’s open year-round so you won’t have to worry about summer or winter hours. But it does have shorter hours from October 1st to March 31st from 10 am to 6 pm, and extended hours from April 1st to September 30th from 10 am to 8 pm.
Tickets & Tours
You’ll find that visiting Montjuic Castle is going to be one of the more affordable parts of your stay in Barcelona.
No trip to Montjuic Castle is complete without a guided walking tour. A guided tour will provide a better experience about the history of the castle. It’s best to book your tickets online, so you can avoid lineups, and disappointment, particularly if you only have a short visit to the city.
If you go on Sundays, you can get free entrance, but it won’t include the tour. Adults and children pay the same fee of €5, very young children are free. The castle is also free after 3 pm, and free all Sundays.
If you have mobility issues or very young children, it’s highly recommended you take the cable car. The cable car trip is €12.50 roundtrip, but there are options for only one way. If you don’t want to take the cable car, note that there are dozens of steps. You may wish to plan your visit after a relaxing day, as you’ll be getting a workout walking around the Montjuic Castle site.
Montjuic Castle does have a website, so you can find answers to all your questions there.
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Plan Your Visit to Montjuic Castle Today
If you’re planning on staying in Barcelona for a few days, during your trip to Spain, do add a trip to Montjuic Castle.
Do go for the entire experience. Purchase a cable car ticket for an exciting ride up Montjuic mountain, and do buy admission to enter the castle grounds and see the exhibitions. Pick up a brochure so you have a map of all the sights and don’t miss out on anything.
You’ll enjoy walking around the grounds, viewing the old fortress, and enjoying the spectacular 360-degree views of this lovely and tranquil setting.
