Torre Glòries: Unrepeatable views and a must-see light show

Glories Tower (formerly known as Agbar Tower) is 144 meters high bullet-shaped skyscraper made of concrete and glass, which you can find in the Poblenou district on Avinguda Diagonal street, near Pl. Glòries (hence the name the tower got with its new owner in 2017). By the way, this is where the Spanish urban planner Ildefons Cerdà planned the imaginary center of Barcelona in the 19th century.

The Torre Glòries tower is unmissable on the modern Barcelona skyline

Despite its youth, Torre Glòries has become one of the symbols of Barcelona and you can find it on many postcards and tourist materials. Today, we would hardly be able to imagine the view of the city panorama without this building.

What awaits you next: The history of Torre Glòries, Hyperview Barcelona interactive exhibition, Lookout Mirador torre Glòries, Cloud Cities Barcelona artwork, Night visit, What to see in the area, Interesting facts about Torre Glòries, Buying tickets >

Where did the Torre Glòries tower in Barcelona come from?

The building was built according to the design of a famous architect Jean Nouvel and its ceremonial opening was attended by King Juan Carlos I of Spain in September 2005. You will appreciate its beauty and sophistication mostly at night, when her glass coat lights up with a whole spectrum of colors.

A must-see: At night, Torre Glòries shines with all its colors!

The tower itself was built as the headquarters of the company Barcelona waters (hence the original name Torre Agbar), which in Barcelona takes care of water pipes. Thanks to this, a part of the building where a long-term exhibition dealing with Barcelona's water management was located was also publicly accessible for a time. 

The tower has changed hands several times since its opening. The current one bought it in January 2017 from the Hyatt hotel chain, which planned to rebuild Torre Agbar into a luxury hotel. However, it came to nothing and for now it looks like the offices will remain in the tower, as it has been until now. 

You can't miss this skyscraper in the city

Today it is Torre Glòries, reminiscent in its shape of the famous London "cucumber" (i.e. a skyscraper 30 St Mary Ax), after a complete reconstruction of the top floor, is open to the public again. And a look inside is really worth it! You will find a unique exhibition here Hyperview Barcelona, observation deck Mirador Torre Glòries or maybe an art installation Cloud Cities Barcelona.

The unique Hyperview Barcelona is more than a boring exhibition

The tour begins on the first basement floor of the building where he is hiding the original Hyperview Barcelona exhibition space. It is characterized by the unofficial slogan "view without windows" and thanks to it you will find yourself in a completely different world. It will allow you to get to know and understand Barcelona more as a living, complex and evolving organism than as a modern metropolis existing only due to the will of man. It literally envelops your senses with a dynamic combination of art, music, technology, expert information and audiovisual production.

In Hyperview Barcelona you can explore, for example, the surface of the Barcelona sea

Hyperview Barcelona has 4 parts – separate, yet interconnected. None could exist without continuity with the others. First you a kaleidoscope of diverse views Prologue will get acquainted with the architectural, graphic and natural nature of Barcelona. Playful exposition of Barceloneses using detailed origami-style paper models by Joan Sallas and Xiaoxian Huang, they introduce you to all kinds of living creatures that inhabit Barcelona.

Hyperview Barcelona will present the living creatures that inhabit this city

Total 27 meters long and 4 meters high projection Atmósferas shows the beauty of the elements including the sea, wind and clouds over Barcelona. It takes you as close to them as possible. The Ritmos holographic installation explores the pollution of Barcelona using the metaphor of a living organism that breathes and lives like a human. Your entire experience of a remarkable trip through Hyperview Barcelona is enhanced by the musical compositions of Sirena by the composer duo Maria Arnal and John Talabot.

Mirador Torre Glòries: a view like no other

Another captivating experience awaits you in the top dome of the Torre Glòries skyscraper. On the 30th floor and at a height of 125 meters, there is the observation area Mirador Torre Glòries. In a few seconds, an elevator will take you inside and you will find yourself in a huge, hard-to-describe “aquarium” made of glass, steel and concrete. The combination of its unique design, location between heaven and earth and the view from it creates a truly magical viewpointwhich you will enjoy most with the sunset.

Enjoy a 360° view of Barcelona from the Torre Glòries lookout

Thanks to the wonderful circular view, you can see all of Barcelona from the Mirador torre Glòries. You can take pictures of the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, a nearby temple Sagrada Família, the "Olympic" hill of Montjuïc a the Collserola massif with a telecommunications tower.

Buy tickets to the viewpoint >>>

Cloud Cities Barcelona, ​​an art installation you can experience

However, that is still not all of the attractions in Torre Glòries. They pay for the imaginary cherry on the cake at Mirador torre Glòries Cloud Cities Barcelona artwork by Tomás Saracen. The dimensional installation with an area of ​​130 square meters, suspended from the highest point of the building, underlines the uniqueness of the place with its complexity, playfulness and innovation.

Cloud Cities Barcelona unique art installation

Cloud Cities Barcelona uses the concept of clouds to reflect on the interconnectedness of all living beings in time and space and on the importance of environmental protection. With his concept, he goes even further – he places man, the city and the planet Earth in the wider plan of one cosmic entity powered by existential energy.

In addition, installing Cloud Cities Barcelona will allow you to become part of it and stretch through its corners. At that moment, the viewer becomes part of the experience created by the author. It can be said that the "cloud city" really absorbs you, but also entertains and inspires you. It is no coincidence that the space is complemented by an offer of stimulating reading.

The basis of the Cloud Cities Barcelona installation consists of 113 cloud "pillows" made of 1 panels, which are connected by a huge metal web made of a total of 200 tensioned cables. With a length of 9 km, these cables would stretch over half the length of Barcelona's famous Diagonal boulevard. The functionality, strength and stability of the structure is ensured by 000 connecting parts and 6 anchor points.

Who is Tomás Saraceno, author of Cloud Cities Barcelona?

Tomás Saraceno, the author of this fascinating work, was born in Argentina. His projects are characterized by the pursuit of natural metaphors, an emphasis on the sustainability of civilization's impact on the planet, and connections to local communities, scientists and institutions. It seeks and explores the possibilities of balance between human life, technological development and biological diversity.

Saraceno has exhibited in a wide range of prestigious galleries, museums and other art institutions. His works have appeared in the Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, 2012), Museo de Arte Moderno (Buenos Aires, 2017), Palais de Tokyo (Paris, 2018) or The Shed (New York, 2022). More on his studio's website

Do you want to enjoy the tower the most? Come here under the cover of darkness!

If you want to enjoy Torre Glòries the most, go there after dark. Officially, the "light show" is on from 20:00 to 23:00 (in winter), or from 21:00 to midnight (in summer). During this time, its surface is illuminated by 4500 independent, computer-controlled lights. They are hidden under the facade of a skyscraper and in a moment they are able to create breathtaking and unprecedented shapes on its surface (and what about during New Year's celebrations).

The main entrance to the Mirador torre Glòries viewpoint

Due to the dimensions of the building, I recommend watching everything from a sufficient distance (e.g. from a flat on Pl. de Santiago Pey) and walk around the building itself in peace only in daylight. 

What else do you have to see around the Torre Glòries skyscraper?

If you are going to see Torre Glòries, here are some of my other tips for places to see nearby. All of them are located literally a few steps from the skyscraper.

• Museum of Design (Museu del Disseny de Barcelona), website – an arts and crafts museum with a lot of nice things from the field of fashion, industrial or graphic design.
• Flea market Mercat dels Encants – a huge flea market where you can find everything from clothes to vinyl to electronics. It is all located in an interesting building with a really unique roof. 
• Westfield Glories, website – a giant shopping center where you can find various shops and restaurants. I personally recommend (and love!) Honest Greens for a quick lunch.
• Gran Clariana Park – a relaxation zone full of greenery with a wonderful children's playground, which you will especially appreciate if you You travel Barcelona with the kids (map)
• WeWork Glòries – a coworking center and a space from which you can work if, like me, you need a background for working remotely (map)

Interesting facts about Barcelona's Torre Glòries

• At 144 meters, Torre Glòries is the third tallest building in Barcelona (after Hotel Arts and Torre Mapfre - both are 154 meters tall).
• It has 30 floors, concealing open-space spaces without internal beams
• Its surface, which covers 52 glass panels that play a total of 744 color shades at night
• The largest part of its total area of ​​50 square meters is occupied by offices (693 square meters) and technical facilities (30 square meters).
• The construction follows current ecological trends such as natural ventilation, savings in the use of commercial water or friendliness towards cyclists.

Attraction name:	Torre Glòries (tower), Mirador torre Glòries (viewpoint)
Address:	Avinguda Diagonal, 209 (map)
Transportation:	Metro line L1, Glòries station Tram T4, Glòries stop
Opening hours:	April 1 - October 14: Every day 10:00 - 21:00 October 15 - March 31: Every day 9:30 a.m. - 18:30 p.m. December 24 and 31 open 10:00 - 15:00 Closed on December 25 and January 1
Entrance fee:	Mirador Torre Glories Adults: €15 Seniors 65 or children 5-17: €12 Children under 5: free Family (1 adult + 2 children): €30 Family Plus (2 adults + 2 children or 1 adult and 3 children): €40 Mirador Torre Glories + Cloud Cities Barcelona Experience Adults: €25 Seniors 65 or children 12-17: €22 This attraction is for over 12s only Buy tickets online >>>
More information:	https://www.miradortorreglories.com/