JOURNEY TO THE CENTRE OF BARCELONA

BARCELONA FISH

Barcelona's golden fish sculpture, known as Peix, is one of many pieces of public art found in and around the city. The piece sits in the Port Olimpic at the base of a large skyscraper, the Hotel Arts, one of the tallest buildings in the city.

Renowned architect Frank O. Gehry was commissioned to build the piece for the 1992 Summer Olympics, which were held in Barcelona and brought the city to the attention of the world. It faces the sea and measures 35 by 54 meters (about 114 by 177 feet). It is made of stone, steel, and glass. Its copper-colored shiny metal plates sparkle in the sunshine and make the sculpture a real eye catcher. The sculpture can be seen from several of Barcelona's beaches.

Like this sculpture, many of Gehry's works have been influenced by the basic form of the fish. He's also designed a line of jewelry and household items using the same fish motif.

MAGIC FOUNTAIN

The Font Magica or Magic fountain is a large fountain built in 1929. When the fountain is active, it constantly changes color and shape. The fountain was part of a project built for the 1929 Universal Exhibition. The exhibition took place on Montjuic, a hill just southwest of Barcelona's city center.

The project, designed by the Catalan engineer Carles Buïgas i Sans consisted of a series of cascades and fountains between the Palau Nacional the main exhibition center on the Montjuic  and the Placa d'Espanya at the foot of the hill.

The project took one year to complete. The most spectacular part was the monumental Magic fountain. It was originally intended to show people what could be achieved with filtered electrical light.

After many years of disuse, the fountain was in a bad state, but it was restored for the 1992 Olympic games, which were held on the same hill.

During the summertime on selected evenings, when the fountain is activated, it attracts hundreds of visitors who watch the spectacular display of light, water and music. 

At the same time, the Palau National is illuminated, providing a beautiful background. The show runs for about thirty minutes. The start and end date depend on the time of the year, but the best time to see the fountain is at sunset.

Sources  :
                        www.wikipedia.org
                        www.traveleye.com