Columbus Monument, Barcelona, Ghid vizitatori și ce de văzut în apropiere

The Columbus Monument is a tall iron column topped by a bronze statue of Christopher Columbus, standing at Plaça del Portal de la Pau in Barcelona, where La Rambla meets the waterfront. It is one of the best-known landmarks in the city, and you can ride a lift inside the column to a small lookout beneath the statue.

The story behind it

The monument was the idea of Barcelona's mayor, Francesc Rius i Taulet. He wanted it as the crowning point of the works that reshaped the city's seafront for the Universal Exhibition of 1888. The design is by the architect Gaietà Buïgas. The spot was chosen with care: it sits right in front of the port, at the junction of the lower end of La Rambla and Passeig de Colom.

Paying for it caused a good deal of argument at the time. A public subscription was first opened so that the monument could be built from private donations. The gifts did not come close to covering the cost, so Barcelona City Council stepped in and took over the financing.

What to look for

• Look up at the statue of Columbus at the top of the column, with his arm stretched out towards the sea.
• Walk round the base and take in the sculpted figures and reliefs that decorate it, which are easy to miss if you only photograph the column from a distance.
• Notice the small hemisphere just under the statue's feet, which is the lookout reached by the lift inside the column.
• Turn around at the foot of the monument to see the start of La Rambla running inland and the harbour opening out on the other side.

Tips for your visit

• You only need about 15 to 20 minutes to see the monument from the outside. Allow extra time if you want to go up, as there may be a queue.
• You can go up inside the column by lift for a view over the city and port. Check current opening hours and ticket arrangements before you go.
• Early morning or late afternoon is more pleasant, with softer light and fewer crowds than the middle of the day.
• It is a natural starting or finishing point for a walk: La Rambla runs north from here and the old harbour area is right beside you.

See it on a quest

Rescue in Barcelona passes the Columbus Monument as one stop on a longer walking route through the area. You reach it on foot, the app tells you about the place as you arrive, and you solve a puzzle based on what is in front of you. It is a paid quest, and one ticket covers the whole group, so you can start whenever suits you, with no guide and no fixed departure time.