(English) Secret places in Barcelona: the Castle of the Three Dragons
Barcelona is one of those cities that can be defined as a treasure trove of Spanish architecture. On its streets and squares you’ll spot a multitude of palaces and castles that make up the open-air museum that is this city.
In today’s blog post, we’re discussing one of the earliest examples of Catalan modernism architecture, the Castle of the Three Dragons.
Origins and history of the Castle of the Three Dragons
In the mid-19th century, the city of Barcelona was expanding at a tremendous rate and the central government wanted to show off the city as an international symbol. For that very reason, they decided to hold the 1888 World Exhibition in the Eixample district and in the Parc de la Ciutadella.
With this idyllic spot, it was hoped they could attract a whole host of national and international visitors, so they set about the task of building a hotel and restaurant with Lluís Domènech i Montaner put in charge.
The famed architect accepted the challenge and created a hotel, which was very sadly destroyed at the end of the World Exhibition, as well as a restaurant, which we know today as the Castle of the Three Dragons.
The Castle of the Three Dragons in Parc de la Ciutadella
Since 1888, we’ve been able to gaze upon the majesty of this castle in Parc de la Ciutadella. Its opening was marked anecdotally by the president of the organisation; it was chaired by King Alfonso XIII at just two years of age.
The castle, since its construction, has had more detractors than supporters. They accused Domènech of having forgotten his task to build the restaurant, the whole reason he was commissioned, so for this reason the construction was named ironically after the medieval romantic drama, “the castle of the three dragons”, considered something of pure amusement rather than a great literary work.
At HCC Hotels, we aim to make your stay truly unforgettable, where you can discover the history behind the main tourist spots of our city during your trip. Don’t hesitate to ask us where you should visit or head over to our blog to learn more about the stories of these historic places.
Categories: barcelona
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