Christopher Columbus Monument in Barcelona - discover a secret that most tourists overlook

At the very end of the famous class La Rambla you will find a 60-meter monument from 1888 dedicated to the famous navigator Christopher Columbus. According to legend, he stopped at this very place in Barcelona on his way back after discovering America and along with information about the New World he also brought here some Indians from the Caribbean...

The Columbus Monument contains a vantage point that most tourists don't know about…

However, this building has one secret that most tourists overlook: it is not just a cast-iron column with an almost eight-meter statue of Columbus at the very top; in a dome beneath the conqueror's feet because there is an observation deck, from which you can admire the beauty of Barcelona from a bird's eye view. And in my opinion it is one of the best views of the city!

What will you see around the monument?

Even before entering the interior of the column, you can inspect its exterior: the base of the column and the statue of Columbus itself are decorated with scenes and reliefs representing events from his life. In addition to these, here are links to 4 well-known Spanish provinces: Catalonia, Aragon, León and Castile.

The base of the monument is guarded from all directions by 8 lions and each of them bears the coat of arms of one of the Spanish provinces. 

Columbus's effigy at the very top holds a sheet of nautical charts in his left hand, and his right hand points out to sea towards the shores of America.

How to get to the viewpoint?

If you head towards the monument from the sea, you will come across a red sign and stairs to the underground. These will lead you to a slightly darkened area where there is a ticket office connected to a souvenir shop and a small wine cellar. I recommend classic buy tickets online and just prove yourself with them when entering. You will then be directed by the staff a little around the corner, where there is an elevator that will take you to the viewpoint. 

You will not miss the entrance to the monument - it is well marked

Sometimes you will have to stand in line for the elevator, because it is - like the lookout - really small. It can accommodate 4 people including the elevator operator. And expect to be a bit of a squeeze on others. If you have claustrophobia, better avoid this monument... :-) 

A slightly claustrophobic elevator that shuttles between the base and the lookout

The elevator takes you up to a height of about 30 meters in 50 seconds, and once its doors open, you can enjoy a 360-degree view of Barcelona. 

What will you see at the top of the Columbus Monument?

When I learned a long time ago that the monument included an observation deck, I couldn't believe it. I thought to myself: how is it possible that there is a viewing platform somewhere, when the column is not wide at all and there is not much space for it at the top... When I went to this attraction after some time, I was quite surprised. 

View from the Christopher Columbus monument in Barcelona

The first surprising thing was that the lookout ring is much larger than it appears from below. When you get off the elevator, you can walk around the monument. I expected that you would only look in one direction and that it would not be possible to move freely there.

So the second surprising thing for me was that you can look at Barcelona from all sides and get a much better picture of the city and its layout: on the north side you will see Gothic quarter, Cathedral or maybe La Rambla boulevard; on the south side you can admire Montjuic hill, to the right of it stretches the National Palace with Olympic Park; to the east you have the sea together with harbor and beaches; to the west you will again see the Collserola Nature Park with its peak Tibidabo. (All these things are nicely described and documented above the lookout windows, so you will definitely get your bearings quickly).

A bird's eye view of the lower part (this time broken) of La Rambla

Speaking of windows, if you'd like to take some photos up there, I recommend trying to open them and put your hand with a camera or phone through them – it's possible, just be careful not to fall! :-)

The observation deck itself can hold, in my estimation, so maximum 8-10 people and due to the small width of the space, you will have to walk behind without the possibility of overtaking.

You can stay at the viewpoint as long as you want, but I think 10 minutes will be enough for most people here. Then you have to call the operator to come to you in the elevator and take you down. 

My tip: If you are going to move around the Columbus Monument with children, you can go to sightseeing cruise on the sea on Golondrinas boats, which is anchored just a few steps from this monument.

It's worth it?

If you have limited time to visit Barcelona and at the same time do not plan any other place to admire Barcelona from above (see my Top 5 places with amazing views of Barcelona), definitely go for it! The price is more than reasonable and seeing the whole city from such a vantage point is not for everyone. Thanks to the view, you will also get a better idea of ​​the entire city.

View from the observation deck at the Columbus Monument

And if I can recommend something, try to go here outside the peak, so that you don't have to squeeze with others at the top, but there were as few of you there as possible. The ideal time for me is first thing in the morning...