Barcelona Pavilion by Mies van der Rohe: History, Architecture, and Tickets

Barcelona Pavilion History

German Pavilion at the 1929 World Exposition

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe Pavilion was built as a German pavilion for the International Exposition that took place in Barcelona in 1929. It was used to host the German delegation and was supposed to symbolize the progressive democratic character of Weimar Germany and the successful recuperation of the country after the First World War.

The international Exposition was a key event for the city, a moment when the city attracted the attention of other European countries and received a grand quantity of visitors. The first International Exposition took place in 1888 and played a crucial role in the development of the city. It was a great step forward for the city in both economic and technological fields. So in 1929 a new edition of the event was arranged in order to showcase new technological advances and promote the image of Catalan industry.

The International Exposition assumed an important investment into the remodeling of the whole area downhill and uphill the Montjuic Mountain.

The van der Rohe Pavilion was installed down the hill, after the end of the exposition in 1930 it was disassembled and later on reconstructed in its original form on the top of the hill.

The Role of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe in Modern Architecture

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe was a German-American architect and industrial designer, one of the pioneers of modern architecture. During the Weymer republic he served as a director of the Bauhaus, a German school of art and architecture. But with the rise of Nazism to power, the Bauhaus School was banned and closed as the representative of the modern style which Nazism stood against, and van der Rohe moved to the United States. There he took a post of the director of the Illinois Institute of Technology.

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe was searching for a new form of art that would reflect the features of his era, same as Gothic style or classicism did before. And he came up with a new, minimalistic approach, where the structure is only a frame to the open space that flows without obstacles. The materials that he was using, such as industrial steel and large sheets of glass, were supposed to bring attention to the interior spaces. It was the architecture called “architecture of skin and bones”.

The whole process of searching and finding that van der Rohe was part of, ended up with the establishment of a new style, that totally reflected the spirit of modern times, and whose motto can be defined as “less is more” or “God is in the details”.

Reconstruction of the Barcelona Pavilion in the 1980s

Mies van der Rohe Pavilion is considered a hit of modern architecture, one of the most important works that symbolize the appearance of the new style. After the exposition, the German state, which was living through hard times, was not able to conserve the structure. The materials were partially sold and partially sent back to Germany. And still over time the importance of the Pavilion as a key structure in the history of art has been admitted, and Barcelona authorities decided to reproduce it in its original form.

The project was initiated in the 1980s and the pavilion was officially inaugurated in 1986. In the reconstruction the architects used the original materials and design.

Mies van der Rohe Pavilion Architectural Features Being an icon of the modern style, Mies van der Rohe Pavilion boasts the following features:

• Minimalist design
• Open plan
• Use of high-quality materials
• “Floating roof”
• Reflections and transparencies
• Independent walls
• Integration with the nature

Mies van der Rohe Pavilion Architectural Features

The Pavilion’s Minimalist and Open Space Layout

The building showcases the concept of open plan and spatial continuity characteristic of the modern style. The design is a great example of simplicity and constructive rigor. It totally reflects the idea of "less is more" promoted by Mies van der Rohe. The pavilion also shows the influence of Neoplasticism, Japanese architecture and Suprematism, other architectural ideas, that van der Rohe used to experiment with in his works.

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe Famous Structures

Apart from the pavilion that one can easily visit in Barcelona, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe also designed some other buildings that formed part of the history of art. Among them are the Seagram Building, a skyscraper in New York City, a one-room glass house in Plano, Illinois, Villa Tugendhat in Brno, Czech Republic, Neue Nationalgalerie, museum in Berlin and some more.

Visiting the Barcelona Pavilion

How to Buy Barcelona Pavilion Tickets

You can buy the tickets online to get the best deals and avoid queuing. Check out our product section and choose the best available offer.

The prices are:

• General entrance 8€
• Students 4€
• Children till 16 years Free
• First Sunday of each month Free entrance

Mies Pavilion Location and Opening Hours

The Pavilion opens every day of the week. The schedule vary according to the season:

March to October from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm November to February from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm

The Pavilion reserves the right to change the opening times, make sure you check the actual schedule for the day of your visit.

The Mies van der Rohe Pavilion is located at Avinguda de Francesc Ferrer i Guàrdia, 7, in Barcelona.

The Pavilion is a 10 minutes walk from Plaza Espanya metro station (line 1 or 3).

You can also take a touristic bus and descend at the stop called “CaixaForum - Pavelló Mies van der Rohe”. The pavilion is going to be right in front.

What to Expect During a Visit to the Pavelló Mies van der Rohe

The Pavilion is now open to the public. What can you see during your visit? You can explore the building itself, especially if you are interested in the history of architecture, or at the contrary search to understand the importance of the era over art. You will also see the furniture designed by van der Rohe and Lilly Reich, his partner in this work. Among others there is a famous “Chair of Barcelona”, meticulously planned and worked through in order to become a symbol instead of being just a piece of furniture.

There are also some other artists installations on display, that you can see during your visit, such as de Antoni Muntadas, Enric Miralles and Benedetta Tagliabue, Jeff Wall, Jérôme Schlomoff, Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster and Jens Hoffmann…

Get an audio guide and listen to the explanations made by the professional architecture. Discover the importance of this modest building for the whole industry and art!