Demolition Marks Start of Major Overhaul
The transformation of Fira de Montjuïc is now visibly underway, with the dome of Pavilion 4, also known as Rius i Taulet, recently demolished. The removal, carried out using heavy machinery over recent weeks, signals a permanent shift in the site’s landscape, according to reports from Betevé. This demolition clears space for the new Multifunctional Palace, a project set to feature 20,500 square metres of exhibition space across two floors. Fira de Barcelona states the new building will connect to Avinguda Maria Cristina via a landscaped footbridge exceeding 2,000 square metres. The first phase of redevelopment is scheduled for completion by 2029, coinciding with the centenary of the 1929 International Exhibition.
Pavilion 2 Becomes Community Sports Centre
Work began in September 2026 on the first phase of converting Pavilion 2 into the new Poble-sec Municipal Sports Centre, as confirmed by the Barcelona City Council. The project, with a budget of nearly €3 million, will adapt 3,450 square metres of interior space to create two multi-sport courts. These courts will support handball, basketball, futsal and volleyball, complete with wooden sports flooring and appropriate markings for training and competition. Additional facilities will include a new entrance lobby, storage areas, a first-aid room, toilets and service zones. Completion of this phase is expected in spring 2027. A second phase will follow, adding changing rooms, spectator stands and other essential infrastructure.
The project responds to a long-standing demand from local organisations and residents in Poble-sec.
Italy Pavilion Set for Removal
The so-called Pavilion of Italy, a structure erected in the 1980s near Font Màgica and Plaça Carles Buïgas, is also scheduled for demolition. The building, often criticised as an urban eyesore, will be removed under a project budgeted at over €900,000 and expected to take three and a half months. The city council confirmed the structure must be gone by 2027, making way for future developments within the reimagined Montjuïc fairgrounds.
Primary sources: barcelona.cat, Ayuntamiento de Barcelona, ajuntament.barcelona.cat, Barcelona City Council. Reported by N.C, metropoliabierta.cat, contractaciopublica.cat, beteve.cat, firabarcelona.com, 20 Minutos Barcelona.
