Today, Poblenou is one of Barcelona’s most surprising and dynamic neighborhoods – an open-air laboratory of innovation, creativity, and design – but it was once the industrial heart of the city.
In the 19th century, Poblenou was known as the “Catalan Manchester”: its textile and knitwear factories powered the local economy. After a long period of decline, the neighborhood experienced a true revival with the urban project known as “22 Arroba”, which transformed old warehouses and factories into spaces for tech companies, start-ups, universities, and research centers.
Walking through its streets, you can feel a fascinating balance between past and future: colorful murals and contemporary architecture coexist with red-brick buildings, reminders of its industrial past.
The symbol of this new identity is the Torre Glòries, the skyscraper designed by Jean Nouvel that rises over Plaça de les Glòries Catalanes. Its unmistakable shape and shimmering lights can be seen from many parts of the city and mark the entrance to the modern district.
Right next to it stands the Design Museum of Barcelona (Museu del Disseny de Barcelona), a geometric, minimalist building that houses collections of decorative arts, fashion, graphic design, and industrial design. The exhibitions trace the evolution of Catalan and international style, with a strong focus on innovation and sustainability. It’s the perfect place to discover how design has shaped everyday life – from household objects to icons of modern taste.
Just a short walk away is the Mercat dels Encants Vells, literally the “Market of Old Charms.” Its origins date back to the 14th century, when peddlers would display their goods in the open air. Today, it is an ultramodern covered market topped by a spectacular mirrored roof reflecting lights, colors, and movement. Among stalls of antiques, vintage items, books, clothes, and all sorts of curiosities, you’ll feel a lively, authentic, deeply Barcelonian atmosphere.
Poblenou is also a neighborhood to be experienced: its streets are home to artists’ studios, galleries, coworking spaces, design cafés, and creative hubs born inside renovated industrial buildings.
An interesting fact: As you walk through Poblenou, you’ll notice that between modern buildings, old brick chimneys still rise into the sky – the remains of 19th-century factories. Instead of demolishing them, the city chose to preserve them as symbols of its industrial past. Today, these towers stand among cutting-edge architecture and creative spaces, reminding everyone that in Barcelona, innovation is always rooted in respect for history.
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