Albéniz Palace

The Albéniz Palace, also known as the Albéniz Mansion, is a palace located on the mountain of Montjuïc, just behind the National Palace, inside the Joan Maragall gardens. It was built for the 1929 Universal Exhibition to house the Spanish Royal Family during the event.

However, since another residence of the Royal Family was also the brand new Pedralbes Royal Palace, the Albéniz Palace was later used to accommodate many other monarchs and royal personages. Today, it is home to various famous personalities, but it also remains the official residence of Their Majesties during their visits to Barcelona.

The structure of the palace, which is entirely made of stone and brick, is in the Catalan style of Noucentisme and was inspired by the Royal Palace of La Granja de San Ildefonso and the Monastery of San Lorenzo del Escorial in Madrid. It was designed and built by the royal architect Juan Moya.

The palace is located inside Joan Maragall gardens, which is home to a variety of Mediterranean and exotic plants and was designed by the French landscape artist Jean-Claude Nicolas Forestier. It contains beautiful outdoor sculptures and fountains.

In the 1970s, the palace was renovated and its interior was enriched with the works of Salvador Dalí. The name of the palace was given in the 1930s in honour of the great Catalan musician Isaac Albéniz.