CCCB

Views of Barcelona from a lofty vantage point are always special. At the Sala Mirador in the CCCB, located on the top floor, you can behold Barcelona through a glass façade from an unusual vantage point: the sea, Raval and Gothic quarters, Montjuïc, Tibidabo and Collserola Tower stretching out before you. Magnificent panoramas of the city of Barcelona from the centre’s most iconic space. Open on various Sundays throughout the year. Check specific dates.

The CCCB is located on a site with a long history, as it once was the location of a 12th-century church that later became the monastery of Montalegre in the 13th century and a Jesuit seminary in the 16th century. In the 18th century, a military barracks and correctional facility was installed here. Finally, in the year 1802, King Charles IV of Spain authorized the creation of a charitable establishment, the Casa de Caritat (Almshouse), in order to provide shelter for the most disadvantaged members of society. Over time, the Casa de Caritat came to fund itself and obtained income from very diverse sources. In the year 1868, responsibility for the establishment was transferred to the Barcelona Provincial Council as a result of the Public Charity Law of 1853. In contrast, during the short period of the Republican Catalan Government (1932-1936), the Casa de Caritat came under its exclusive jurisdiction and major improvements were introduced during this period, especially in the treatment of inmates and secularisation of teaching staff. The Casa de Caritat ceased to function in the year 1957, when it was moved to new premises that were inaugurated in the Vall d’Hebron district (Llars Mundet).

CCCB offers all visitors free access to two very different and interesting archives. The CCCB Archive is a space for consultation with over 10,000 multimedia references on key subjects from culture to contemporary thinking. It constitutes the CCCB’s documentary collection and has been created by the centre’s talks, exhibitions, festivals, concerts and publications. The Xcentric Archive is the CCCB’s archive of experimental film, a meeting point for the viewing and interpretation of key films, with over 1,000 titles from prominent creators. It has a screening room with a capacity for twelve people and an area for individual consultation.

The Laie CCCB bookstore covers the entire available collection of CCCB publications, as well as sections on contemporary art, architecture, design, critical thinking, history, literature, visual culture and contemporary music. Visitors can find artist editions, contemporary design items and experimental music CDs.