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Montjuïc Castle extends its hours for Barcelona's solar eclipse
Montjuïc Castle will extend its opening hours on Wednesday, 12 August so that Barcelona can view the partial solar eclipse from one of its best-known viewpoints. The site will remain open until 21:30 and last entry will be at 21:00, when the phenomenon will be reaching its final stage.
Admission will remain at the usual prices: €12 standard, €8 reduced, and free entry for under-16s. Each visitor will receive approved glasses to observe the Sun safely, accompanied by instructions on how to use them correctly.
Conventional sunglasses, even if they are dark, are not suitable for viewing an eclipse. Smoked glass, X-rays and homemade filters must not be used either, since looking directly at the Sun without appropriate protection can cause serious injury to the retina.
The castle terrace will host a special activity with limited places and advance online booking. A guide will explain how the eclipse occurs and what will be visible from Barcelona, which lies outside the band in which the Sun will be completely hidden.
Access to the terrace is not adapted for people with reduced mobility, a condition worth taking into account before booking. The event will also depend on the weather, since cloud cover could make observation difficult or impossible.
The eclipse will be visible from Barcelona during the afternoon and will reach its most notable moment close to sunset. The low position of the celestial body makes it especially important to find a spot with a clear horizon, an advantage offered by Montjuïc's height over much of the city.
Until 20:00, visitors will be able to combine the observation with a visit to the castle's permanent and temporary exhibitions. Afterwards, attention will shift towards the terrace and the western profile of the sky, where the Moon will gradually cover part of the solar disc.
The afternoon will leave an unusual image over Barcelona: residents and visitors looking towards the same point from the top of Montjuïc, wearing special glasses and with the city spread out at their feet as the Sun approaches the horizon.