The Sants-Montjuic district is the largest in the city, with an area of 2,090 hectares, and third in terms of
population, with more than 180.000 inhabitants
The district covers the southern part of the city, joining the two former Districts II and IV, as well as different
areas of Zona Franca. It is a diverse area that includes the wonderful Montjuic Park (one of the biggest,
open, leisure and cultural spaces in the city, as well as an important green lung) the Zona Franca (industrial
area), and the port of Barcelona.

NEIGHBORHOODS

EL POBLE SEC: AT THE FOOTHILLS OF MONTJUIC
History & Architecture
Located in the northern Montjuic foothills, bordered on four sides by Lleida street, the sea, Paral·lel avenue
and the hills, in the beginning Poble Sec was a farming territory between the mountain and the city walls
defined as a military security perimeter around it.
This area was urbanized in the second half of the 19 th century and was the result of the fusion of three plots:
les Hortes de Sant Bertran, l'Eixample de Santa Madrona and the França.
In fact, this neighborhood was the first “eixample” or “ensanche” carried out in Barcelona, even before
Cerdà's, famous area (now called “The Eixample”) constructed after the demolition of the ancient city walls in

1854. Poble-sec is a modest neighborhood, which has a working-class origin, and a place that has received
      waves of immigrants in different periods of its history. Even today the neighborhood is home to a wide variety
      of nationalities.
      Because of its humble origin, Poble Sec is not well known for its architecture; except for a few interesting
      buildings, but it certainly is a peaceful and charming, modest neighborhood. Blai Street, a pedestrian-only
      promenade, offers a wide range of small restaurants, bars and cafes, and the Plaza Sortidor is a great place
      to have a drink in the sun.
      The gentrification process – a reality in most European cities today – has converted formerly modest areas,
      such as Poble Sec, into attractive and interesting places to live and invest.
      Points of Interest & Landmarks
       Palau de l'Agricultura: One of the biggest palaces built for Universal Exhibition, hosted by Barcelona
      in 1929, it was designed by Josep Maria Ribas i Casas and Manuel Maria Mayol i Ferrer. Part of it was
      demolished after the Civil War, but was rebuilt in 1991 as a cultural center. It houses two of the most
      important cultural associations in Catalonia: El Mercat de las Flors, a center for the movement arts, and
      the Teatre Lliure, one of the most prestigious theater companies in Barcelona. (C/ Lleida 59)
       Fecsa-Endesa Building: currently is one of the headquarters of the electric company Red Eléctrica
      Española. Using an old industrial building as a base, a new building was constructed while maintaining
      parts of the old structure. (Av. Paral·lel 55)
       Montjuic Park: this is one of the main parks and green spaces of the city, occupying an area of around
      450Ha where you will find a range of gardens and attractions. The oldest rests found in the hill date
      back to the 3 rd and 2 nd Centuries BC. The castle at its top was built in 1751 and it served for both defend
      and attack the city, and as prison several times, the last one during Franco's dictatorship on 20 th century
      when many political prisoners were executed by firing squad and buried on one of the sides of the hill.

There is also a Medieval Jew Cemetery which dates back to the 11 th century and is the largest one in
Europe. The park is very well-known for the 1929 International Exhibition when large areas where
urbanized and several gardens were designed which currently are an important part of the soul of the
park. Here you will also find the Fundación Joan Miró, the MNAC Museum, the Botanical Garden, the
Mies Van der Rohe Pavillion, the Teatre Grec, several facilities built for the 1992 Olympics and many
other attractions including a modern cable car that goes up to the Castle where you will enjoy some of
the prettiest views of the city.

Pros: Calm neighborhood with fresh air. Close to the Montjuic Park, the main port of Barcelona, and the City
Center. It has many cultural and sporting facilities. Good accessibility from and to Barcelona by car, taking
the Ronda Litoral. Easy connection to the airport by car or bus. Reasonably priced rent and real estate,
although prices have gone up a bit during the last few years as the neighborhood has become more popular.
Cons: Metro stations are set only along the Paral·lel avenue. The streets that go from Paral·lel to Passeig de
l'Exposició run uphill. Large supermarkets can be found only at the lower part of Poble Sec.

LA MARINA DE PORT: ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN
History & Architecture
Though few are aware, it is most likely here that the first Roman City was built, before it was eventually
moved to the Northern side of the Montjuic hill, where the founding point of Barcelona is currently said to be.
The territory was an agricultural area that was named La Marina de Sants. In the final years of the 18 th
century, industrial activities began to be established there due to the large expanses of open land and water
availability.
In 1846, a law was passed forbidding the building of factories in the city of Barcelona, so entrepreneurs were
persuaded to move to the peripheral areas, such as this one. In the beginning of the 20 th century, the
gardens and other green areas, farms, and fishing village, were progressively replaced by a more industrial
landscape.
The Paseo de la Zona Franca is the backbone around which this area is arranged and the main thoroughfare
linking the different small neighborhoods, such as Port, Can Clos, Polvorí and the Ferrocarriles Catalans.
This area is next to the Zona Franca industrial zone, and borders el Prat de Llobregat (where the Barcelona
airport is located), and is in the process of fast urban renewal.
Different types of architecture are grouped together, from new contemporary works like the La Fira building,
designed by the internationally-known architect, Toyo Ito, to modest, one-story traditional homes. However,
between these two extremes, the architecture in this area consists mainly of 4-to-15-story housing units,
either individual or built in groups, built sometime from the second half of the 20 th century until the present.
Points Of Interest & Landmarks
 La Fira Barcelona: a building of contemporary design, which hosts large Barcelona trade fairs and
other events.
 Human Rights Gardens: a public green space.

Pros: it is close to the Montjuic Park and its many cultural and sporting facilities. Close to and with an easy
and quick access to the Barcelona airport. Subway Line 10s serves the two metro stations in the
neighborhood, Foc and Foneria. It is a calm area away from crowds. Currently there are affordable rent and
real estate.

Cons: it still is not a fully developed area and it is far from the city center. There is not a good metro system.
It is next to heavily industrial areas.

LA MARINA DEL PRAT VERMELL: THE CREATION OF A NEW NEIGHBORHOOD
History & Architecture
The history of this neighborhood is similar to that of the Marina del Port neighborhood in that it started as an
agricultural area towards the beginning of the 19 th century. After 1846, when Barcelona passed the law which
forbade the building of new factories inside the city, this peripheral areas became an attractive option.
The name of this area, “prat” (in Catalan), or “prado” (in Spanish), means “field” or “meadow”, an allusion the
green areas surrounding the factories. These fields were used by the textile factories to hang fabrics out to
dry after being dyed red, or “vermell” in Catalan. After the year 1860, this area entered a period of crisis, and
so was converted into an area for large industrial enterprises.
Various urban interventions saw the building of low income housing throughout the 20 th century. In 1955,
SEAT, the main Spanish car-manufacturer, established its headquarters there and built a surrounding
neighborhood for its workers, hence reinforcing the neighborhoods working-class character.
Recently, in this area, new and modern facilities including the new Fira Barcelona (major trade fair grounds
and venue), large urban renewal projects, such as “Business District D38”, and government housing
projects, have been planned to transform the area from one of primarily industrial activity, into one where
housing and economic endeavors will be compatible.
Points Of Interest & Landmarks
 Montjuic Park: this is one of the main parks and green spaces of the city, occupying an area of around
450Ha where you will find a range of gardens and attractions. The oldest rests found in the hill date
back to the 3 rd and 2 nd Centuries BC. The castle at its top was built in 1751 and it served for both defend
and attack the city, and as prison several times, the last one during Franco's dictatorship on 20 th century
when many political prisoners were executed by firing squad and buried on one of the sides of the hill.
There is also a Medieval Jew Cemetery which dates back to the 11 th century and is the largest one in
Europe. The park is very well-known for the 1929 International Exhibition when large areas where
urbanized and several gardens were designed which currently are an important part of the soul of the
park. Here you will also find the Fundación Joan Miró, the MNAC Museum, the Botanical Garden, the
Mies Van der Rohe Pavillion, the Teatre Grec, several facilities built for the 1992 Olympics and many
other attractions including a modern cable car that goes up to the Castle where you will enjoy some of
the prettiest views of the city.
 Cemetery of Montjuic: officially called the Southwest Cemetery, it covers the southern side of the
Montjuic hill. Opened in 1883, and designed by architect Leandro Albareda.
 Llobregat lighthouse.

Pros: part of the neighborhood is close to the Montjuic Park and its many cultural and sporting facilities.
Affordable rent and real estate. Proximity to Barcelona airport. Plans to urbanize the entire area and build
11.000 flats part of which will be free-market and another part subsidized housing.
Cons: it still is not a developed area and it is far from the city center. There is not a good metro system. It
has heavily industrial areas.

SANTS: FROM THE OLD INDUSTRIAL CORE TO HIGH SPEED TRAINS

History & Architecture
The neighborhood of Sants, with its origins as a village along the old Royal Way leading to Madrid, is the
most important urban center of the district of Sants-Montjuic. It was a rural area until Sants began to be
developed in the final years of the 19 th century, when a new main road was built.
Circa 1850, Sants began to make quick economic progress, coinciding with the building of large factories
and the railway. The old main Sants road attracted many of the retail stores that were leaving Barcelona
because of its high taxes.
The old rural core of Sants transformed into an important industrial center, incorporated into Barcelona in

1897. However, it remained true to it’s origins as a working-class neighborhood.
      Presently, Sants is a central and dynamic part of the city, where one of the most important nodes of
      Barcelona’s public transportation network is located: Sants Estació, the main train station. The station is a
      crossing point between subway and train lines, including high speed lines that will connect Barcelona with
      the rest of Europe.
      Meanwhile, Sants continues to hold its traditional festivals and celebrations, such as the “Fiesta Mayor”, a
      tribute to San Bartolome, the patron saint of the neighborhood. Events last for one week, including diverse
      public activities carried out in the streets, where neighbors and foreigners can interact together.
      Sants isn’t quite the city center, but is located in the first surrounding, very close to the “Eixample Esquerra”
      (the left side of the “Eixample” neighborhood). Along its main streets, you’ll witness heavy urban activity,
      which becomes diluted as you make your way onto some of the smaller streets and alleyways that
      characterize the area, with older and smaller buildings. As the traditional urban core and a very well-located
      area, Sants has several main public transportation routes (buses, subway, trains) throughout. As is true with
      the rest of the Barcelona, Sants is home to diverse types of activities and enterprises, including retail stores
      and such public facilities as hospitals, schools, gyms, etc. It’s not a trendy neighborhood, but more
      traditional, with non-ostentatious restaurants, bars, and shops.
      Points of Interest & Landmarks
       Parc de l’Espanya Industrial: a park, housing units, and a school built on the grounds where formerly
      a large textile factory, “La España Industrial Sociedad Anónima”, stood.
       Public spaces along the streets Avinguda Josep Tarradellas and Gran Via Carles III
       Cotxeres de Sants: a civic center and public facility, which hosts an array of different cultural and
      social activities. Located in an old, restored industrial complex, made up of three buildings.
       Plaça dels Paisos Catalans: an innovative but controversial (because it is such a large space that was
      not given a good use for the people of the neighborhood and it was looked at as a waste of resources)
      square, designed by the Catalan architect Albert Vilaplana in 1983

Pros: It still is a neighborhood like those of the good old days. There are many buildings with beautiful
decorative elements and many small streets with little traffic. It has what is considered the longest
commercial street in Europe: Carretera de Sants. Easy access to the universities in Diagonal. Quick exit from
Barcelona. The main railway station (Sants Estació) is on this neighborhood. Good connection to the city
center with several metro stations. More affordable real estate prices,
Cons: a bit far from the city center. Some buildings are of a humble construction.