Arc de Triomf, Triumphal arch at Passeig de Lluís Companys, Barcelona, Spain.
Arc de Triomf is a neo-Mudéjar arch at Passeig de Lluís Companys in Sant Pere, Santa Caterina i la Ribera, Barcelona. The structure rises nearly 30 meters (about 98 feet) in red brick and combines limestone details with majolica decorations across its surfaces.
Josep Vilaseca designed the arch in 1888 as the main entrance to the Barcelona World Fair on the site of a former fortress. The structure was completed months before the opening and linked the city with the new exhibition grounds in Parc de la Ciutadella.
The monument takes its name from the triumphal procession into the World Fair and displays friezes showing crafts, farming, and commerce across the city. Stone bats mounted on the pillars refer to King Jaume I, who ruled Barcelona during the 13th century.
The arch stands at the end of Passeig de Lluís Companys and is accessible via Arc de Triomf metro station on lines L1 and L5. From there, a wide pedestrian promenade leads directly onward to Parc de la Ciutadella.
The 49 coats of arms of Spanish provinces decorate the voussoirs and form an encyclopedic mosaic of the country at the time of the World Fair. The architect chose the neo-Mudéjar style deliberately as an alternative to classical stone triumphal arches, aiming to highlight local building tradition.
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