Venetian Towers facts for kids

The Venetian Towers, with the Tibidabo mountain in the background.

St. Mark's Campanile in Venice, which inspired the towers.

The Venetian Towers are two tall, impressive buildings in Barcelona, Spain. People often call them Torres Venecianes in Catalan. You can find them standing on either side of a wide street called Avinguda de la Reina Maria Cristina, right where it meets a big square called Plaça d'Espanya.

These towers are 47 meters (about 154 feet) tall! Each one has a square base. They are built with different materials: the bottom part is made of artificial stone, the middle part is red brick, and the top has a fancy viewing area with columns, also made of artificial stone. A pointed copper roof sits on top. The design of these towers was inspired by the famous St. Mark's Campanile in Venice, Italy.

Why Were the Towers Built?

The idea for the Venetian Towers came from a city plan in 1907 by Léon Jaussely. They were designed by an architect named Ramon Reventós [ca]. The towers were built between 1927 and 1929. This was part of a big project to get the area ready for the 1929 Barcelona International Exposition, which was like a huge world's fair. Ramon Reventós also helped with other important buildings for the exhibition, like the Greek Theatre and the Spanish Village.

The main job of the towers was to look grand and mark the entrance to the exhibition area. This area is now known as Fira de Barcelona. They also marked the start of a long avenue that leads up to the Palau Nacional, a large building on Montjuïc hill that now holds the National Art Museum of Catalonia.

Can You Go Inside?

When they were first built, people could go inside the towers and climb the stairs to the viewing areas at the top. However, they are usually closed to the public now. For a while, the western tower held equipment that helped control the lights of the Magic Fountain of Montjuïc, which is about 350 meters away. The eastern tower had sirens for emergencies. This old equipment was taken out during repairs in 2013 and 2014.

The city council of Barcelona protects the towers as important local buildings. After the big restoration work, the towers were opened to the public for just two days in October 2014. This was the first time since 1929 that people could visit them!

Repairs and Upkeep

When the towers were first built, they used materials that were not meant to last forever. This was common for buildings made for temporary events like the 1929 exhibition. Because of this, the towers have needed several repair and restoration projects over the years to keep them in good shape.

• In 1984 and 1985, workers repaired the towers and replaced their roofs, which were originally made of slate.
• In 2009, a check-up found problems with the stone parts of both towers. Because of this, nets were put around the viewing areas to catch any pieces that might fall off.
• Starting in September 2013, the towers went through a big restoration project that cost a lot of money. This work was finished in January 2014, and it allowed the safety nets to be removed.

See also

In Spanish: Torres venecianas para niños