Els 4 Gats, Barcelona — Visitor Guide & Things to Do Nearby

Els 4 Gats opened on June 12, 1897, in the Casa Martí building designed by Josep Puig i Cadafalch in 1896. This legendary cafe was inspired by Le Chat Noir cabaret in Paris and became a cultural powerhouse in Barcelona's artistic circles. The name 'Four Cats' is a Catalan expression meaning 'only a few people' or 'oddballs,' reflecting the bohemian spirit of the establishment. Founded by Pere Romeu with crucial support from painters Ramon Casas and Santiago Rusiñol, and critic Miquel Utrillo, Els 4 Gats became the epicenter of Barcelona's modernist movement. When a young Pablo Picasso was just 17 years old, he held his first solo exhibition at Els 4 Gats in 1899 and designed the menu cover. Picasso wasn't the only luminary to frequent the establishment; Antoni Gaudi and sculptor Julio González also spent time here. The cafe published a literary magazine that served as a gateway for Catalan modernist ideas to reach the wider public. Though it closed in 1903, Els 4 Gats was restored and reopened in 1978, and underwent further restoration in 1991. Today, it remains a touchstone of Barcelona's artistic heritage.