Hivernacle del Parc de la Ciutadella

Erected in 1888 for the Barcelona Universal Exposition, the Hivernacle is the work of Catalan architect Josep Amargós i Samaranch, one of the finest examples of cast-iron architecture in the city. Designed as an ornamental greenhouse in the brand-new Parc de la Ciutadella, the building has in fact rarely fulfilled its original botanical purpose: from the late 19th century it served in turn as a plant depot, then, from 1907, as an aviary where birds and reptiles roamed semi-free beneath its glass arcades. The interior decor, entrusted to modernist artist Alexandre de Riquer, adds an Art Nouveau touch to this industrial structure. After decades of repurposed uses — concerts, canary shows, performances for the Grec festival — and a long period of neglect, the Hivernacle reopened in December 2023 following a restoration that returned it to its 1888 appearance. It remains today a rare testament to 19th-century Catalan ironwork, even though it no longer holds a permanent plant collection.