Incorporating one of the most important medieval art
collections in the world, the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (MNAC)
is housed in the majestic Palau Nacional, built in 1929. The high point
of the museum is the Romanesque art section, consisting of the painted
interiors of churches from the Pyrenees dating from the 11th and 12th
centuries. There is also the Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection, with works
from the Gothic period to the Rococo; the Cambó Bequest, with works by
the likes of Goya and Zurbarán; and a collection of works by Catalan
artists from the early 19th century to the 1940s.
Palau Nacional, Parc de MontjuÏc Metro Espanya 93 622 03 76
www.mnac.cat
Open 10am–7pm Tue– Sat, 10am–2:30pm Sun Adm:
€8.50; con €6 (valid for two days within one month; free first Sun of
the month; includes audioguide, available in several languages)
Guided tours by appointment DA
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The Cambó Bequest and the Thyssen-Bornemisza Collections are on the
main floor. On the first floor are the Modern art galleries, along with
the photography and numismatics collections.
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On the first floor there is a
top-notch restaurant in impressively elegant surroundings. There’s also a
great café in the Oval Room.
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There are spectacular city views from the entrance to the huge glass foyer.
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Top 10 ExhibitsMurals: Santa Maria de Taüll The
well-preserved interior of Santa Maria de Taüll (c.1123) gives an idea
of how incredibly colourful the Romanesque churches must have been. The
symbolism concentrates on Jesus’s early life, with scenes of the Wise
Men and John the Baptist. Frescoes: Sant Climent de Taüll The Taüll interior, is a melange of Byzantine, French and Italian influences. The apse is dominated by Christ in Majesty and the symbols of the four Evangelists and the Virgin, with the apostles beneath. Crucifix of Batlló Majesty This
splendid, mid-12th-century wooden carving depicts Christ on the cross
with open eyes and no signs of suffering, as he has defeated death. The Madonna of the Councillors Commissioned
by the city council in 1443, this work by Lluis Dalmau is rich in
political symbolism. It reveals the head councillors, supported by
saints and martyrs, kneeling before an enthroned Virgin. Cambó Bequest Catalan
politician Franscesc Cambó (1876–1974) bequeathed his enormous art
collection to Catalunya; two large galleries contain artworks from the
16th to early 19th centuries, including Titian’s Girl Before A Mirror (c. 1515). Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection A
small but fine selection of Baron Thyssen-Bornemisza’s vast collection.
Among the magnificent paintings are Fra Angelico’s sublime Madonna of Humility (1433–5) and a charmingly domestic Madonna and Child (c.1618) by Rubens. Ramon Casas and Pere Romeu on a Tandem This painting depicts the painter Casas and his friend Romeu, with whom he began the bohemian tavern Els Quatre Gats . Confidant from the Batlló House Among the fine Modernista
furnishings are some exquisite pieces by Antoni Gaudí, including this
undulating wooden chair designed for confidences between friends. Woman with Hat and Fur Collar Picasso’s
extraordinary depiction of his lover Maria-Thèrèse Walter shows him
moving beyond Cubism and Surrealism into a new personal language, which
would become known simply as the “Picasso style”. Numismatics The
public numismatic collection dates back to the 6th century BC and
features medals, coins (including those from the Greek colony of
Empuries, which had its own mint from the 5th century BC), paper money
and 15th-century Italian bills.
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