Horta-Guinardó
In the north-east of Barcelona, the Horta-Guinardó district—the city’s third largest—spreads out across the valleys and slopes of the foothills of the Serra de Collserola. Its 11 neighbourhoods have two things in common: their rural past—a large part of the district occupies what was once the former municipality of Sant Joan d’Horta, an independent village until 1904—and steep inclines. The hilly terrain of the district, which didn’t begin to develop until the ‘50s thanks to an influx of migrants from the rest of Catalonia and Spain, disconnects it from the hustle and bustle of the centre and offers spectacular views of the city and the Mediterranean Sea.
We recommend climbing up to the viewing points distributed throughout Els Tres Turons Park: El Coll, El Carmel and La Rovira. The most famous is the Turó de la Rovira viewpoint, situated on one of the former anti-aircraft batteries installed during the Spanish Civil War, from where you can enjoy magnificent panoramic views of Barcelona. The district is home to other pleasant green spaces such as Collserola Park and the Labyrinth Park, the oldest park in the city created in 1791, which stands out for its Neo-classical garden replete with a pond and a labyrinth made from cypress-tree hedges. At its centre is not a Minotaur but rather a statue of Eros, the Greek god of love.
The district’s history is age-old—the first records of human settlements in Vall d’Horta, now known as Vall d’Hebron, date back to 965—and the former village of Sant Joan d’Horta gave rise to what is today the Sant Genís dels Agudells neighbourhood, formed around its Romanesque church from the tenth century. The area has historically been known for the abundance and quality of its water, which accounts for its thriving clothes washing industry, at its peak in the nineteenth century. Vestiges from the time still remain, such as the pretty Carrer d’Aiguafreda (Horta neighbourhood). Another successful business was the sale of water from the Font d’en Fargues spring—situated in the neighbourhood that bears its name—which is attributed with healing properties. To get a feel for the former village, we recommend strolling around Plaça d’Eivissa and its surrounding area, which have managed to preserve the original structure of Horta’s old town.
The district’s rural past can be seen in the numerous country houses that still stand, albeit reconverted for other uses. Some unmissable examples include Can Cortada (now a restaurant), Can Baró (a public college), Can Fargues (the local music school), and Can Soler (a school of floral art since 2010).
The legacy of the 1992 Olympic Games can still be felt in Vall d’Hebron, the newest part of Horta-Guinardó. A pavilion was built in the neighbourhood to host tennis, volleyball and archery competitions, in addition to a velodrome for track cycling. Alongside it is the Visual Poem urban sculpture by Joan Brossa, which takes us on a reflective journey from birth through to death.
The lower part of the district is home to the neighbourhoods of El Guinardó and El Baix Guinardó, both of which boast green spaces such as Les Aigües Park, Príncep de Girona Gardens, Frederica Montseny Gardens and Guinardó Park, which has incredible views of Barcelona. El Guinardó is also home to a unique architectural wonder: the former Hospital de Sant Pau i la Santa Creu, a Modernist-style complex that housed a hospital, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Finally, literature fans have an extra reason to visit El Guinardó, as it is the setting of the novels of Juan Marsé, a great writer hailing from Barcelona who grew up in an area he himself describes as: ‘A damned neighbourhood of knackering ups and downs’.
Nearby plans
Related plans
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