Citadel of Barcelona

[2] Although its fortifications were dismantled in the mid-19th century, some of its original buildings still remain, including its arsenal, today the Palau del Parlament de Catalunya, the seat of the Catalan Parliament.

The rest of the site was converted into the city's main central park, the Parc de la Ciutadella, by the architect Josep Fontserè in 1872.

In 1718, the captain general of Catalonia, Francisco Pío de Saboya y Moura, Marquis of Castel-Rodrigo, commissioned Verboom to design a new neighbourhood for the inhabitants who had lost their houses.

[7] Although, by 1841, the city's authorities had already decided to destroy the fortress, which was hated by Barcelona's citizens,[1] the citadel was restored two years later under the regime of Maria Cristina.

By 1869, with the political climate liberalised enough to permit it, General Prim decided to turn over what was left of the fortress to the city and some of the remaining buildings were demolished.