A corner of greenery and freshness on Muntaner Street
The Gardens of the Julio Muñoz Ramonet Foundation deserve a visit, especially during the hottest months.
In addition to the Renaissance-inspired house designed by Enric Sagnier at the beginning of the 20th century, what was once the home of businessman Julio Muñoz Ramonet has a garden that is open all year and that, when it is hot, is a refuge of greenery and water right on Muntaner Street. Have you seen it yet?
If you have visited, you will possibly want to return, and if not, you can come close to this small secret treasure of the city any day of the year between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m., since this is the fixed schedule of the premises, which you will access for free.
This summer you will not be able to visit the inside of the building, but you can indeed wander around the gardens, a small urban oasis originally designed by Jean-Claude-Nicolas Forestier, the French landscape architect who was the author of a large part of the landscaping of the Montjuïc mountain and who introduced into the city the concept of the Mediterranean garden.
On the estate on Muntaner Street, then the home of Ferran Fabra i Puig, second Marquis of Alella and first owner of the house, a garden was structured with three terraces, with a central one with a fountain. That first design was reinterpreted in the 1950s by the illustrator and garden designer Joan Mirambell i Ferran, who gave it the appearance it has now, with a characteristic play of levels.
A pond, a pergola, sculptures by Josep Dunyach and by Josep Cañas i Cañas... The space, as you will see, is a delight, if you like tranquility. You will hear birds such as magpies or great tits while you walk among laurels, wisterias, clivias, cast-iron plants, and Japanese cherry trees, among many other plant species that grow in the ground or live in the water, because the pond also houses many aquatic plants. If you have kids and are looking for a cool place to spend the afternoon, this is a good possibility.
If you do not yet know the gardens of the Julio Muñoz Ramonet Foundation, come to see them on Muntaner Street, but first, consult the website of the place.