The Montjuïc Communications Tower ( ca, Torre de Comunicacions de Montjuïc, ), popularly known as Torre Calatrava and Torre Telefónica, is a

telecommunication Telecommunication is the transmission of information by various types of technologies over wire, radio, optical, or other electromagnetic systems. It has its origin in the desire of humans for communication over a distance greater than that fe ...

tower A tower is a tall structure, taller than it is wide, often by a significant factor. Towers are distinguished from masts by their lack of guy-wires and are therefore, along with tall buildings, self-supporting structures. Towers are specifi ...

in the

Montjuïc Montjuïc () is a hill in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Etymology Montjuïc translates to "Jewish Mountain" from medieval Latin and Catalan, and remains of a medieval Jewish cemetery have been found there. Some sources suggest that Montjuïc ...

neighbourhood of

Barcelona Barcelona ( , , ) is a city on the coast of northeastern Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within ci ...

Catalonia Catalonia (; ca, Catalunya ; Aranese Occitan: ''Catalonha'' ; es, Cataluña ) is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a '' nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy. Most of the territory (except the Val d'Aran) lies on the nort ...

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

. It was designed by

Santiago Calatrava Santiago Calatrava Valls (born 28 July 1951) is a Spanish architect, structural engineer, sculptor and painter, particularly known for his bridges supported by single leaning pylons, and his railway stations, stadiums, and museums, whose sculp ...

, with construction taking place from 1989 to 1992. The white tower was built for

Telefónica Telefónica, S.A. () is a Spanish multinational telecommunications company headquartered in Madrid, Spain. It is one of the largest telephone operators and mobile network providers in the world. It provides fixed and mobile telephony, broadba ...

to transmit television coverage of the 1992 Summer Olympic Games in Barcelona. The tower is located in the Olympic park and represents an athlete holding the

Olympic Flame The Olympic flame is a symbol used in the Olympic movement. It is also a symbol of continuity between ancient and modern games. Several months before the Olympic Games, the Olympic flame is lit at Olympia, Greece. This ceremony starts the Olymp ...

. The base is covered with

trencadís ''Trencadís'' (), also known as pique assiette, broken tile mosaics, bits and pieces, memoryware, and shardware, is a type of mosaic made from cemented-together tile shards and broken chinaware. Glazed china tends to be preferred, and glass is so ...

, Gaudí's mosaic technique created from broken tile shards.

Sundial

Because of the tower's orientation, it works also as a giant sundial, which uses the Europa Square to indicate the hour.

External links

Montjuic Telecommunications Tower, Barcelona
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Montjuic Tower at Factoría Urbana: Photos and technical information about the tower
1992 establishments in Spain 1992 Summer Olympics Buildings and structures in Barcelona Communication towers in Spain Inclined towers Neo-futurism architecture Santiago Calatrava structures Sants-Montjuïc Towers completed in 1992 Towers in Catalonia {{Catalonia-struct-stub

Sundial

See also

External links