Montjuïc Castle commands a strategic view over Barcelona and its port, but its history is also one of military repression and political imprisonment. The star-shaped fortress began during the Catalan Revolt and was repeatedly altered as the city’s rulers changed.
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From this high point, the harbor and city spread below the fortress, making its military purpose immediately clear. Montjuïc’s first fortification was built in 1640 during the Catalan Revolt, around an older watchtower. The castle took its present star-shaped appearance after eighteenth-century renovations by military engineer Juan Martín Cermeño.
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UpgradeQuick facts
- The first fortification dates to 1640.
- Its present form reflects eighteenth-century work by Juan Martín Cermeño.
- Lluís Companys was executed at the castle in 1940.
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