Cine Monumental, Film archive and cinema in El Raval, Barcelona, Spain
The Filmoteca de Catalunya is a film archive and cinema in the El Raval neighborhood of Barcelona, Spain. It occupies a modern building with a stone facade, a large central arch, and a vertical sign reading "FILMOTECA" and "MONUMENTAL", and inside there are two screening rooms, exhibition spaces, a film library, a bar-restaurant, and a bookshop.
The institution began in 1963 as a branch of the Spanish Filmoteca in Barcelona, and in 1981 it was transferred to the Catalan government and became the Filmoteca de Catalunya. After moving through several venues, it opened its current headquarters in El Raval in 2012, while its conservation and restoration center was established in Terrassa in 2014.
Locals often call the place "la Filmo", and its ground-floor bar, La Monroe, has become a meeting point for film lovers in the neighborhood. The film library and the bookshop are open to everyone, and the regular screenings of classic and Catalan films draw a mix of students, retirees, and cinema enthusiasts.
The building sits near the Rambla de les Flors and the Liceu opera house, a short walk from Liceu and Paral·lel metro stations. Visitors can drop by during opening hours to see an exhibition, browse the film library, or catch a screening, but it is best to arrive early for popular shows since entry is not allowed once a film has started.
The building's facade still bears the name "Palacio del Cine" and the word "Monumental", a reminder of the old cinema that once stood on this spot. Inside, the film library holds a collection of vintage cameras and cinema objects donated by Delmiro de Caralt and Pilar de Quadras in 1924.
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