Montjuïc Historic Sensorial Botanical Garden

About Historic Sensorial Botanical Garden

Barcelona's first botanical garden, Jardí Botànic Històric, was created in a dis-used Montjuïc quarry for the Barcelona 1929 World Exhibition.

Note: The historic botanical garden is a separate garden to the Montjuic (modern) Botanical garden.

Montjuïc Historic Botanical Garden History

The 1929 International Exposition provided an opportunity to integrate Mount Montjuic into Barcelona's urban fabric. The plan was to transform the mountain into a large urban park, the second in the city after Ciutadella Park.

As a consequence of having to quarry large amounts of stone to build the Palacio National for the Universal 1929 International Exposition a number of stone quarries were left over after construction was completed. One of these quarries was transformed into an outdoor Greek Theatre and these two quarries were transformed into Botanical Gardens.

As part of preparations for the Expo, Pius Font i Quer, a Catalan Botanist, was commissioned to build a botanical garden. In 1930, with more determination than money, Font i Quer began to assemble a remarkable collection of endemic and rare plants, mainly originating from the Iberian peninsula, the Balearic Islands and Morocco.

In 1940, Antonio de Bolòs y Vaireda, a Catalan Botanist, took over as director of the Botanical Garden, introducing new collections of plants from the Pyrenees and the Balearic Islands. In the same year, the Institute Botanic was transferred to the Garden. Thanks to the work of Font i Quer and the Municipal Board of Natural Sciences Museums, the Institute Botanic now boasted the most outstanding herbaria and the best specialist botanical library in Catalonia.

The Historic Botanical Garden was officially opened to the public on 17 July 1941. Despite all the difficulties encountered at the time, some of the rarest plants from North Africa and Spain were successfully grown there. Thanks to the efforts made by the Garden, the perennial Menorca Loosestrife (Lysimachus minoricensis) was saved from extinction. Now grown in many botanic gardens, this species was reintroduced to natural habitats in 1954, the year that Antonio de Bolòs began and announced the first replanting in the Iberian peninsula of a species that was extinct in its natural habitat.

In 1986, the need to construct an access route to the new Montjuïc Olympic facilities seriously affected the stability of the vertical walls, and the Garden was closed. Later, restoration and consolidation works were carried out and garden was re-opened to the public in October 2003.

Since November 2004, Barcelona Metropolitan Area (AMB) has managed maintenance of the whole site.

Image Gallery for Historic Sensorial Botanical Garden

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Visiting Historic Sensorial Botanical Garden

The Historic Botanical Gardens are a FREE entry, gated park space.

Because it is enclosed by steep slopes and situated on Montjuïc's shady side, cold air accumulates at its lowest levels. As a result, temperatures can be up to four degrees colder at the bottom than in the upper areas of the garden. This favours the growth of Euro-Siberian plant species typical of colder climates.

Montjuïc Historic Botanical Garden Opening Hours

• November, December, January: All days 10:00h to 17:00h
• February, March: All days 10:00h to 18:00h
• April, May, September, October: All days 10:00h to 19:00h
• June, July, August: All days 10:00h to 20:00h

• Note: last admission half an hour before closing time
• Closed: 1st January, 1st May, 24th June & 25th December

What to take with you for Historic Sensorial Botanical Garden

The Historic Sensorial Botanical Garden has step free access and most of the paths are gentle ramps.

I recommend taking a water bottle because there is no drinking water fountain inside this garden. However there is a cafeteria kiosk next to MNAC.

Day Trip Rucksack

Small 10L day trip and museums rucksack

0.8L water bottle

Reusable, refillable 1L water bottle.

Emergency Poncho

Small folded lightweight Water proof poncho for emergencies

Picnic Blanket

170 x 140 cm

Getting to Historic Sensorial Botanical Garden

Address: Avenida dels Montanyans 26, Barcelona. 08038

Montjuïc Historic Botanical Garden can be reached by bus or by walking.

• The Barcelona Bus Touristic Red Route Stops in the Montjuïc Olympic Zone in front of the Olympic Stadium. From here it is a 200m walk to the Historic Botanical Gardens folowwings sings towards MNAC. Alternatively the MNAC stop on the red route can also be used . Just follow signs for the Olympic Staduim.


• The TMB 150 bus stops at the Montjuïc Olympic Stadium. From here it is a 200m walk to the Historic Botanical Gardens folowwings sings towards MNAC.


• Walking 1.2km from Plaza España on TMB Metro on the green (L3) and red (L2) lines. Walk towards MNAC Palau nacional building. You can use the escalators to ascend or descend the different terraced levels. When you get to the last terrace area the escalator to go up the MNAC can be found to the right of the terrace level walking past a patio bar. Walk down the right side of MNAC building and the gate entrance is next to an escalator.
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• Walk from TMB Metro Foc on the light blue (L10) line following Carrer de Foc to the stadium (1.6 Km) then follow signs towards MNAC walking a further 200m.


• Walk from Montjuïc TMB Funicular station along Avenida d'Estadí (800 m) and follow signs for MNAC when you pass the Olympic Stadium.