Pavilion Mies van der Rohe

The Pavilion is one of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s seminal Works and a key point of reference in XX-century architecture. The famous German Pavilion was designed for the 1929 Barcelona International Exhibition and reconstructed in 1986 on its original site. Its innovative architectural structure marked a radical change in the layout of space and greatly influenced the development of modern architecture. Furthermore, the Pavilion exhibits the Barcelona Chair, also designed by Mies van der Rohe, along with a bronze reproduction of Georg Kolbe’s sculpture Morning. The Fundació Mies van der Rohe veils for the conservation of the Pavilion. When you visit Barcelona you have to visit this beautiful building.

Price:

General public: 4,75 €
Students: 2,60 €
Under 16: free
Anual subscription: 8 €

The Pavilion is one of the most emblematic works of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and a benchmark of 20th century architecture. The famous Pavilion was built for the 1929 Barcelona International Exhibition and disassembled after it's closure the following year. Half a century later, seeing it's significance in terms of Contemporary Architectural History, the Barcelona City Council, with Oriol Bohigas as the head of the Urban Planning Department, decided to reconstruct it.

Ignasi de Solà -Morales, Cristian Cirici and Fernando Ramos were the architects in charge of the research, design and reconstruction of the Pavilion, on the same ground on which it was originally built. This work got underway in 1983 and finished in 1986, the year of the building's inauguration.

The building reflects the philosophy of structural simplicity, in the creation of free interior spaces and in the use of basic and elegant materials, such as marble, glass and steel. The Pavilion exhibits the Barcelona Seat, an icon of contemporary design, and which Mies van der Rohe designed especially for the building, as well as a bronze replica of George Kolbe's sculpture 'Amanecer'.

The materials

The materials used for the construction of the Pavilion: glass, steel, and four distinct types of marble (Roman travertine, green Alps marble, ancient Greek green marble and Atlas Onyx). Of the four marbles, the one which clearly defines the image of the building is the travertine marble with which the exterior walls and entire paving are made.

The originality of Mies doesn't lie in the novelty of the materials used, but rather in the ideal of modernity which they express through the rigor of their geometry, from the exactness of their pieces and the clarity of their assembly.

The Barcelona Seat

Mies van der Rohe designed the Barcelona Seat especially for the Pavilion, made from leather and metal tubing, and became an icon of modern design as it continues to be today. It is considered a marvel of comfort and plasticity.

George Kolbe Sculpture

The sculpture is a bronze replica of a sculpture by George Kolbe, a contemporary to Mie. It is located at one end of the the small pool and at the point where not only does it reflect in the water, but also in the marble and the glass, giving the impression of multiplying in the space. It’s undulating silhouette contrasts with its very rectangular and geometric surroundings.

Transport

• Metro: España L1 y L3Bus: Plaza España, 13 and 50.
• Bus Turístic: parada CaixaForum - Pabellón Mies van der Rohe.
• Barcelona City Tour: stop nº 10 / CaixaForum - Pabellón Mies van der Rohe.

Visiting times

Every day from 10:00 to 20:00.

Entrance fee

• Individual: 4, 75 €
• Students: 2, 60 €
• Under 16’s free
• Yearly season ticket: 8 €

Discounts

• Bus Turístic 20%
• Barcelona Card 20%
• Barcelona City Tour 20%

New from 25th of February 2012

Free guided visits for visitors on Saturdays.

• 11:00h English.
• 11:45h Spanish.
• 12:30h Catalan.

Location

• Av. Francesc Ferrer i Guàrdia 7, Parc de Montjuïc
• T: +34 93 423 40 16
• F: + 34 93 426 37 72
• [email protected]

More information at http://www.miesbcn.com