The CaixaForum is a 'former modernist textile factory, converted into a cultural space. Numerous temporary exhibitions are held within its rooms, and thanks to its privileged location near Plaça de Espanya, the CaixaForum is ideal for a visit dedicated to the Montjuïc area.
History of the CaixaForum
It was the industrialist Casimir Casaramona to want to set up a textile factory at the foot of MontjuĂŻc, and in 1910 commissioned the architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch, one of the most representative exponents of Catalan modernism, to design and build a newly designed factory. The result, inaugurated in 1913, was a typical ensemble of modernist industrial architecture, in which the typical Catalan vaults can be recognized, combined with ceramic and artificial stone decorations.
Puig i Cadafalch endowed the joint with a characteristic neo-gothic aspect, with very accurate details, such as pinnacles and square towers.
The factory, the largest building built by the Catalan architect, fell into disuse over the years, and in 1940 was transformed into a national police barracks. In 2002 the building was acquired by the La Caixa banking group, to make it a cultural center, starting the renovation works that converted the old factory into the current CaixaForum. Inside there is a space dedicated to Catalan modernism.
Temporary exhibitions of the CaixaForum for 2021
The CaixaForum hosts a large number of temporary exhibitions throughout the year:
- Land of dreams (20 September 2016 - 8 January 2021): through the large format photographs taken by Cristina GarcĂa Rodero, the first Spanish photographer to work with the famous Magnum agency, the exhibition aims to give a voice to the women of the Anantapur region, in India, to highlight their ability to transform the communities where they live.
- A Thyssen never seen before (4 November 2016 - 5 February 2021)It is the first time since the Thyssen-Bornemisza collection was bought by the Spanish state in 1993 that such a quantity of works have been exhibited outside their museum in Madrid. The list of authors is absolutely top-notch: Bellini, Rubens, Rembrandt, Canaletto, CĂ©zanne, Pissarro, Picasso and Chagall.
- Art and Cinema - 120 years of exchanges (16 December 2016 - 26 March 2021): the mutual influences between art and cinema are analyzed starting from a selection of works from the Cinémathèque française in Paris, characterized by their exceptional diversity, able to demonstrate the innovative role of cinema for the other arts.
- The pillars of Europe. The Middle Ages in the British Museum (10 March - 18 June 2021): an exceptional collection of medieval works from the British Museum in London, with the aim of building an illustrative path that can explain a period as convulsive as the European Middle Ages.
Useful Information
How to reach us
The CaixaForum is located in Avinguda Francesc Ferrer i GuĂ rdia, about 400 meters from Plaça de Espanya (metro lines 1 and 3). Arrived on the Plaça, head towards the MNAC, in Avinguda de MarĂa Cristina, arrived at the foot of the staircase leading to the Font Mágica take the street on the right after a few meters you can already see the CaixaForum. With the Bus TurĂstic you can get off directly at the CaixaForum stop on the red line.
Working Time
The CaixaForum is open every day, from 10:00 to 20:00. In July and August, every Wednesday, the opening is extended until 23pm.
tickets
Buy tickets from the official website
Admission to the temporary exhibitions of the CaixaForum costs € 3,80. Children under 16 and holders of the Barcelona Card are entitled to free admission, while holders of the Ruta del Modernisme Card are entitled to a 25% discount.
