Page 183 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Spain

FUR THER AFIELD  181

4 Monestir de near Tibidabo mountain (see
Santa Maria de p182). A glass-sided lift swiftly
Pedralbes reaches the top of this 288-m-
(944-ft-) tall structure standing
Baixada del Monestir 9. Tel 93 256 34 on the summit of a 445-m
34.  Reina Elisenda or bus 22, 63, (1,460-ft) hill.
64, 78. Open Apr–Sep: 10am–2pm The tower was designed
Tue–Fri, 10am–7pm Sat, 10am–8pm by English architect Norman
Sun; Oct–Mar: 10am–2pm Tue–Fri, Foster for the 1992 Olympic
10am–5pm Sat & Sun. 8 by appt. Games. Needle-like in form,
Closed 1 Jan, Good Friday, 1 May, it is a tubular steel mast on
24 Jun, 25 Dec. & (free first Sun of a concrete pillar. There are
month, every Sun from 3pm and for 13 levels. The top one has an
under 16s; combined ticket with the observatory with a powerful
Museu d’Història de Barcelona (see
p150) also available). 7 ground floor telescope, and a public view ing
only. ∑ monestirpedralbes.bcn.cat platform with a 360-degree
view encompassing Barcelona,
Approached through an arch the sea and the mountains.
in its walls, the monastery of
Pedralbes still has the air of a
living enclosed community. This 6 Museu Blau
is heightened by its furnished Plaça Leonardo da Vinci 4–5, Parc
cells, kitchens, infir mary and del Fòrum. Tel 93 256 22 00.  El
refectory. But the nuns of the Maresme Fòrum. @ 7, 36, 43, 99,
Order of St Clare moved to an Madonna of Humility, Monestir de Santa H16. Open 10am–7pm Tue–Sat,
adjoining build ing in 1983. The Maria de Pedralbes 10am–8pm Sun. & free first Sun of
monastery was founded in 1326 month, every Sun from 3pm, under-
by Elisenda de Montcada de Life of the Virgin, both painted 16s. 7 ∑ museublau.bcn.cat
Piños, fourth wife of Jaime II of by Ferrer Bassa in 1346, when
Catalonia and Aragón. Her tomb Elisenda’s niece, Francesca Museu Blau is the city’s science
lies between the church and Saportella, was abbess. museum with a collection that
the cloister. On the church side is more than 100 years old.
her effigy is dressed in royal Exhibited across two floors are
robes; on the other, as a nun. 5 Torre de Collserola 3 million specimens in the fields
The monastery is built around Carretera de Vallvidrera al Tibidabo. of mineralogy, palaeontology,
a cloister. The rooms encircling Tel 93 211 79 42.  Peu de Funic ular, zoology and botany. Previously
the cloister include a dormitory, then Funicular de Vallvidrera & bus located in the Parc de la
a refectory, a chapterhouse, an 111. Open times vary; check website Ciutadella (see pp158–9), the
abbey and day cells. Artworks for latest information. Closed 1 & 6 museum is now housed in the
and liturgical ornaments, pottery Jan, 25, 26 & 31 Dec. & 7 Parc del Fòrum in a modern,
and furniture are on display. ∑ torredecollserola.com innovative building designed
The most important room in by architects Herzog & de
the monastery is the Capella In a city that enjoys thrills, the Meuron. The same team also
(chapel) de Sant Miquel, with ultimate ride is offered by conceived the per ma nent
murals of the Passion and the the communications tower Planet Life exhibition, which is
a fascinating journey through
the history of life on earth. The
Barcelona v Real Madrid
Biography of the Earth section
Més que un club is the motto of Barcelona FC: illustrates the evolution of life
“More than a club”. More than anything else from the first microbes to the
it has been a symbol of the struggle of Catalan present day, while Earth Today
nationalism against the central government in comprehensively details the
Madrid. To fail to win the league is one thing. variety of life forms sharing the
To come in behind Real Madrid is a planet. Independent “Islands of
complete disaster. Each season the Science” are spaced throughout
big question is which of the two
FC Barcelona Planet Life, which focus on
teams will win the title. Under the specific topics, such as sexuality
Franco regime in a memorable
episode in 1941, Barça won 3–0 at home. At the and genetics. There are also
temporary exhibitions, a Media
return match in Madrid, the crowd was so hostile
that the police and referee “advised” Barça to prevent Library and a Science Nest
trouble. De moralized by the intimidation, they lost for children up to age 6 at
11–1. Loyalty is paramount: one Barça player who weekends, where images and
left to join Real Madrid received death threats. Real Madrid sound effects recreate different
natural surroundings.

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