The Torre Glòries, as the Torre Agbar is now known, has become a beautiful landmark, especially when it is illuminated at night.
The tallest building in the city today was built as "Torre Agbar". The word "Agbar" is made up of the Castilian Aguas de Barcelona or Aigües de Barcelona in Catalan. Aguas de Barcelona is the municipal water company which today belongs to the Grupo Agbar. The holding consists of a total of 220 companies serving several sectors of the urban infrastructure.
The Torre Glòries was built by the Grupo Agbar and houses its headquarters. Since water is the focus of the Augas de Barcelona, the tower represents a water fountain that constantly changes its appearance. Depending on the incidence of light, the tower changes its colours - the coloured aluminium sheeting that reflects the light consists of 40 different colours of high gloss. In front of this layer the wall is clad with thousands of glass louvres that serve as a sunscreen and can be inclined at various angles to guarantee a maximum reflection of solar energy. The space between the façade layers allows a natural circulation of air in the building.
Torre Glòries
The Torre Agbar was designed by the French architect Jean Nouvel in association with the company b720 Arquitectos from Barcelona. It is said that Nouvel was inspired by the organic forms of Gaudí’s buildings in Barcelona and by the hills of the Montserrat. The building is often compared to a geyser reaching the sky above Barcelona.
At this moment, the Torre Agbar is the highest building in Barcelona. Only the Sagrada Familia will surmount it once the construction works are over - the building regulations in Barcelona do not allow any other building to be taller than the Sagrada Familia.
You can visit the viewing platform of the office building. From up there you will experience a unique view of Barcelona, the sea and the Conserolla massif. You can book tickets here.
The illuminated tower is particularly impressive at night. During the lighting, the 4,500 illuminated panels constantly change their colors. This spectacle is interesting from any point from which you can see the skyscraper if you are not too close to it.
Schedule of illumination:
In 2013, General Aguas de Barcelona sold the building to investor Emin Capital, who wanted to operate a Grand Hyatt hotel in it. Several restaurants should be built in the building and the viewing platform should be made accessible to the public.
However, the city administration did not give a building permit for a new hotel. The building was then sold on to investor Merlin Properties in January 2017 for "only" €142 million. The sale price is €108 million below the price that Emin Capital had paid for it at the time. The former Torre Agbar seems to have become a slow seller as Torre Glòries.
The city of Barcelona has applied to host the European Medicines Agency (EMA). Due to the political uncertainties in October 2017, Barcelona did not get the contract for the authority.
Parts of the building are now rented out as offices, Merlin will probably convert and modernize it and expand the Torre Agbar into a large office building.
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Surroundings
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Address
Plaça de les Glòries
Arrival
Metro: Glòries (L1) /Tram Glòries (T5)
Parking nearby
Opening times
Admission from 10:00 to 20:00 possible every half hour
Tips for the visit of Torre Glòries
You can book tickets to visit the viewing platform here. The Torre Glòries is particularly beautiful when viewed from a distance when it is dark and the tower is illuminated.
If you are traveling by double-decker bus, you can get off here and visit the Design Museum as well as the Torre Glóries. Both sights are definitely worth a visit.
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