Visit to the imposing Montjuic Castle:Once an army base,military prison and weapons museum commanding stunning panoramic views of the catalan capital city Barcelona,cruise ships & the harbour.

In the forenoon of 5/9/22, We visited the majestic Montjuic Castle reaching the top using the Gondola amidst great panoramic views of the city below & while returning on foot enjoying the beautiful park & gardens on the way back.The iconic Castle offers an eagles eye view of Barcelona city, cruise ships & the commercial port.The castle’s entry fee is €5, & we believe that it was money worth the investment with respect to the experience gained.The museum tells the history of the Castle in an interesting way through interactive videos.In all,the visit to the Castle & nearby surrounding attractions was a magical experience. The exhibition halls are numerous, and loaded with information. A History buff can spend an entire day here. For visitors like me who are pressed on time, the exhibitions provide an overview of the historical turbulence associated with Catalonia, and the sufferings of the Catalans during various conflicts. The Barcelona harbour & Cruises can be viewed from here in its entirety. They have a nice cafe with very efficient and polite staff.

Montjuïc Castle is an old military fortress, with roots dating back from 1640, built on top of Montjuïc hill in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain .Standing on a vantage point 173 metres above the port, Montjuïc Castle commands stunning views of the city. Now a peaceful place, the memory of this fortress endures in Barcelona as a symbol of repression but also of the city’s struggles during different periods in its history. The top of Montjuïc is the ideal place for a bastion of defence, with 360º views of the city below. However, this military enclave wasn’t built until the Reapers’ War in 1640. In 1652, the fortress, which stands on the site of a watchtower, came under royal ownership and, some 50 years later, was one of the key defence points in the War of the Spanish Succession, between 1705 and 1714.

In the middle of the 18th century, the military engineer, Juan Martín Cermeño, was commissioned to restore the castle which had been badly damaged during the war, and its current appearance dates from this time. The castle has launched bombing raids on the city on a number of occasions and it has also been used as a prison. On 15th October 1940, the president of the Catalan government, Lluís Companys, was executed by firing squad at the castle. The castle was used as a military prison until 1960 when it was given back to the city and used as an army base. Three years later, Franco opened a weapons museum in the castle. In 2007, the castle came under the ownership of Barcelona City Council and, as a result, now belongs to all the citizens of Barcelona.

The green Montjuïc (213 metres) is the most famous hill in Barcelona. Because of the 1929 World Fair in Barcelona, palaces, pavilions, parks, botanical gardens, sports stadiums, and exhibition rooms were built on the hill. Some of those buildings still remain today and serve as museums.

HISTORY :
The foundation stone for the basic fortification was laid out in 1640. A year later, in January 1641, the fort saw its first battle, during the Catalan Revolt when the Principality of Catalonia challenged Spain’s authority. On orders from the King of Spain, Pedro Fajardo, heading an army of 26,000 men, proceeded to crush the revolt. The Spanish recaptured several cities, but they were defeated at the Battle of Montjuïc by Catalan, led by Francesc de Tamarit. At that battle, Colonel Shane O’Neill or known in Spain as Prince Juan O’Neill, died leading his regiment during the Battle of Montjuic near Barcelona, dying from a musket-ball wound to his chest near the town of Castelldefels. In his honor, the King of Spain granted the Colonel the death title of Viscount Montjuïc.

Fifty years later, in 1694, new bastions and battlements were erected and the fortress became a castle. In the Siege of Barcelona (1705) the fortress was captured by the British 6th Regiment of Foot led by Lt.-Col William Southwell, paving the way for the siege of Barcelona itself. Southwell was afterwards made Governor of the castle.

The fortifications are now extensively planted with parterre gardens .The old fort was however demolished in 1751 by the Spanish engineer and architect Juan Martin Cermeño, creating the current structure, still standing. The final shape of the castle took form during 1779 and 1799, when major construction works took place in order to improve the castle and accommodate the needs. It was also during this time that the castle was equipped with 120 cannons.

During the Napoleonic Wars, the French Army entered Barcelona, and, on orders from Napoleon, they also captured the castle without firing a shot as the troops guarding the castle were ordered not to fight the French. In the last 350 years Montjuïc Castle has played a decisive role in the history of Barcelona, becoming a symbol after the Catalan defeat to Spain in 1714, date that has become of significant importance. Since then the Montjuïc cannons have bombarded the city and its citizens on various occasions & Montjuïc has been used as a prison & torture centre repeatedly for three centuries. In the late 19th century, Montjuïc was synonymous with barbarism based on the torture of anarchists and others imprisoned there.

The castle is infamous in Catalan history books because of its role in the civil war from 1936 to 1939, when both sides of the conflict imprisoned, tortured and shot political prisoners at Montjuïc,among them Lluís Companys, who was the president of the Generalitat of Catalonia during the Spanish Civil War. Companys was executed upon orders from the Spanish State at Montjuïc Castle in 1940.

Museum installation :

In the 20th century, the castle became a military museum. In June 1963, Francisco Franco inaugurated the Military Armor Museum, the official name given to the institution. In April 2007, the government transferred the castle to Barcelona City Council. Following discussions over the next months, the castle became a municipal facility. Subsequently, in 2010 the museum was closed and the City Council started a project of restoration and waterproofing of the roof and a watchtower. The current plans for the castle include L’Espai de la Memòria, El Centre d’Interpretació de la Muntanya de Montjuïc, and cultural activities.

CABLE CAR :

The castle can be accessed by the Montjuïc cable car, a gondola lift that has its upper station near the castle entrance and connects, via the Montjuïc funicular, with the Barcelona Metro at Paral·lel station. The Montjuïc Cable Car is a gondola lift in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. The cable car runs from a lower terminus adjacent to the Montjuïc Park upper station of the Montjuïc funicular, and climbs higher up the Montjuïc hill to a terminal near the Montjuïc Castle on the summit of the hill. At its midpoint, the line executes a 90 degree turn and the cabins pass through Mirador station, although only down-bound cabins stop at this point.
The cable car was originally put into service in 1970, replacing a former upper stage of the Montjuïc funicular. As built, it used a fleet of open cars. It was closed between October 2004 and May 2007, for a complete overhaul in order to increase capacity. At the same time the open cars were replaced by 55 new closed cabins .The cars slow to a crawl as they pass through the station to allow passengers to board or exit. Two cars are equipped with the facility to carry wheelchairs. The line is operated by Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB) .Access to the castle is also available from the top funicular station via the 150 bus .

The route starts at Parc de Montjuïc, where the cable car goes directly to Castell de Montjuïc without making any stops. On the return route, the Montjuïc Cable Car stops at Mirador de l’Alcalde. This stop is optional, but highly recommended to relax in the Miramar Costa i Llobera, Cinto Verdaguer and Joan Brossa gardens, with the best views over Barcelona. The return route ends in Parc de Montjuïc. However, if you like walking, you can get off at the Mirador stop and continue walking to Parc de Montjuïc.

Park Montjuic Stop :From this stop you can visit some of Montjuïc Mountain’s main cultural attractions: Miro Foundation, the National Art Museum of Catalonia, Poble Espanyol and Barcelona Ethnological Museum. You will also be very close to the Olympic Stadium , the historic site of the Barcelona ’92 Olympic Games.

The Montjuïc circuit: 

Its a former street circuit located on the Montjuïc mountain in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. The circuit was also the venue for the Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix from 1950 to 1968, and then hosted the event on even-numbered years until 1976. The last Formula One Grand Prix was held there in 1975.

MONTJUIC PARKS & GARDENS :

Montjuïc’s large, natural park is the best site for getting refreshed enjoying nature ,history and culture together, as it is full of splendid gardens and cultural facilities.

Nature, culture and sport :

There are lots of gardens on this big, green, city lung where you can walk, rest, play, do sport or just enjoy nature. The Jardí Botànic lays out its collection of Mediterranean plants on steep slopes that provide a great viewpoint. You can also enjoy the plants and views in the Jardins de Mossèn Costa i Llobera, featuring cactus, and the Jardins de Mossèn Cinto Verdaguer,where the numerous species means there are flowers in bloom all year round. The Jardins de Laribal, with their surprising waterfalls, hide the popular Font del Gat, a fountain where Barcelona folk went to picnic on Sundays in the past. And the Jardins Joan Brossa, among the newest gardens, open out into a refreshing woodland park, with musical cushions, games and zip lines here and there to amuse the kids. Dotted with cultural and sports facilities, such as the Miró Foundation, CaixaForum, Bernat Picornell Swimming Pools and the Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium, Montjuïc offers culture, nature and history all in one. The Magic Fountain (Font Màgica) and Spanish Village (Poble Espanyol) are two of the sights that most appeal to visitors in an enormous natural space full of hidden corners waiting to be discovered.

VIEWS OF BARCELONA CITY AND THE PORT FROM THE CASTLE:

Apart from the visits to the exhibition halls & the museum ,the views of the city ,the port & the cruises offered from top of the historical Montjuic Castle are simply breathtaking.

My dear readers may kindly point out any incorrect information in my above writeup needing any corrections! I am truly indebted to Wikipedia & for the invaluable information on the subject !Happy Reading !