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Barcelona offers a wide range of interesting options all year round and opens its doors to everyone. Make the most of the sunshine to go for a stroll and take a dip in the sea on one of the city’s accessible beaches. Experience Gaudí’s nature with your hands, add a sign-language tour or an audiodescribed show to your plans… Do you need any more ideas? You’ll find them with the SEARCH FACILITY or on the SUMMARY for accessible places of interest!

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Font Màgica

Font Màgica

The Montjuïc Magic Fountain welcomes you to the mountain that is one of the city's must-see sights. It is home to some of the city's iconic attractions, such as the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya, the Fundació Joan Miró, CaixaFòrum, the Palau Sant Jordi sports arena, the Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium, Montjuïc Castle, the Poble Espanyol and the Botanical Gardens.

It is Barcelona's biggest ornamental fountain and was built for the 1929 International Exhibition. But why is it considered magical? Well, if you see it at night, with its spectacular display of lights and cascading water, you'll soon understand.

The Montjuïc Magic Fountain is located at the end of what was the exhibition's main avenue, Avinguda Reina Maria Cristina, in front of the Palau Nacional. It forms the centrepiece to a series of monumental cascades, fountains and water jets that line the avenue, and was designed by the engineer and lighting specialist, Carles Buïgas. His project sought to transform the avenue into a stunning night-time spectacle of water and light. The fountains were driven by high-power electric motors and included the latest technological innovations to pump out large volumes of water. The fountains soon became a world-renowned visitor attraction.

This feat of “magical” engineering uses a combination of 120 rotating coloured prisms, with 4,760 light bulbs, to achieve 7 billion shades of colour that emerge through the 19 water jets in the centre of the fountain and the ones around the sides. The prisms are operated by motors, brakes and a speed-reduction system to achieve the different permutations of colour. Music was added to the mix in 1971 and made the Magic Fountain even more popular. The fountain was partly repaired in 1992 for the Olympic Games and completely refurbished between 1997 and 1998. In 2011, the fountain became fully sustainable and now uses recycled water in order to leave a more plentiful supply of drinking water. It is lit by low-energy LED bulbs.

This intricate technological sophistication comes together in a stunning display of light, water and music that amazes the spectators who come to see it. At the end of Barcelona's main festival, La Mercè, the fountain takes centre stage with the spectacular Piromusical: a huge firework display that accompanies the ballet of water, light, colour and music and transforms Montjuïc into a magical blaze of light, thrilling locals and visitors alike.

Even if you visit the Montjuïc Magic Fountain when there is no display scheduled, you won't be disappointed, as it boasts wonderful views of the city from Plaça Espanya to the slopes of Tibidabo.

Temporarily without water due to drought

General details


Address: Plaça de Carles Buïgas, 1 (08038). Barcelona
Phone: 010
Web site: www.barcelona.cat
Opening time: 1st April to 31st May & 1st to 31st October: Thursday to Saturday, from 9pm to 10pm.
1st June to 31st September: Wednesday to Sunday, from 9.30pm to 10.30pm.
1st November to 31st March: Thursday to Saturday, from 8pm to 9pm.




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Accessibility details


The Magic Fountain sound and light show on Montjuïc is a great attraction for people of all ages, no matter their disability.

The show attracts a lot of people so we recommend that the visually impaired and wheelchair users arrive early at the start of the show so that they can find a place with good visibility.
Visual impairment
Although the show is highly visual, it is well worth attending for the sound of the water combined with the music.
Guide dog
Hearing impairment
The show is very visual so it is highly recommendable for deaf and hearing impaired persons.
Motor impairment
There are steps leading up to the fountain at the front but there are alternative routes via long, steeply sloping ramps. The accessible route is in front of the Mies van der Rohe Pavilion.

The fountain can be seen perfectly from the Avinguda de Maria Cristina, which is flanked on either side by a row of water jets which enhance the water, light and sound show.

Last update: 30/06/2023

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