Barcelona

A tall monument

At the crossroads between La Rambla, Passeig de Colom and the Port de Barcelona rises an iron column topped by Cristòfor Colom welcoming visitors. The monument in honour of the man who discovered America was inaugurated for the 1888 Universal Exposition, and marked the end of the work to redesign the Barcelona port and coastline. A 60 m high column and 233 tonnes of iron make up the pedestal for the 7 m tall statue

Discover the views

What is really impressive is the tower’s viewpoint, which you get to via an internal elevator. The 360º panoramic views of the city allow you to see the Gothic Quarter to the north, with its historical buildings like the cathedral and Santa Maria del Mar, Les Rambles and even the domes of the Sagrada Família; looking to the south you can see Montjuïc mountain and the Olympic Ring; if you turn to the east, you can see the Fòrum and the towers at the entrance to the Port Olímpic, even Frank Gehry’s golden fish; and if you look to the west there is Collserola and the magical mountain of Tibidabo.

The square where the Mirador de Colom tower is located is called Portal de la Pau, and it is a memorial to the end of the Second World War, but the fame of the explorer’s statue is so great that the square has lost its real name: everyone knows it as Plaça Colom.

The statue of Columbus is one of the city’s icons. Trying to guess where the finger is pointing is a real challenge, and having your photo taken with the lions that flank the entrance gates, a tradition.