Barcelona, barri a barri A living atlas of the 73 neighbourhoods

Horta-Guinardó · 40

Montbau

Montbau is a housing estate planned in 1957 by the Patronat Municipal de l'Habitatge on the slope of Collserola and built in phases from 1958 (the second from 1961); the second phase doubled the density first foreseen, and the white terraced houses were added at the top.[1][2][3][4]

Begin at the Pla de Montbau, the square with the sculpture 'Ritme i projecció'. The streets of the neighbourhood carry the names of arts and artists, and the blocks were built in two phases at different densities.[1][2][3]

In 1957 the Patronat Municipal de l'Habitatge approved a general plan to ease the housing shortage caused by the influx of immigrants. The estate was built in phases from 1958 (the second from 1961), with about 1,300 homes planned along the rationalist lines of the CIAM.[1][2][3]

The second phase doubled the density first foreseen, and between 1964 and 1968 a group of single-family houses by Joan Bosch i Agustí, the casetes blanques, was built on the highest part.[1][2][3][4]

Montbau (neighbourhood 40) highlighted. Other neighbourhoods in Horta-Guinardó: el Baix Guinardó, el Guinardó, Can Baró, el Carmel, la Teixonera, Sant Genís dels Agudells.

Where the name comes from

Etymology: disputed[1]

The name of the neighbourhood is believed to come from the local relief name torrent de Montbau (Montbau stream), older than the housing estate.[1]

Montbau lies at the foot of the Collserola range, above the Ronda de Dalt and Passeig de la Vall d'Hebron. Part of its territory is inside the Collserola natural park; the housing estate covers about 31 hectares. To the east is the Mundet campus and to the west the Vall d'Hebron hospital complex.[1][2]

Before the neighbourhood

In medieval times the whole area between the Tres Turons and the Collserola range was the Vall d'Hebron, land of the monastery of Sant Jeroni. The present territory of the neighbourhood had belonged to the former municipality of Sant Joan d'Horta; it was land of estates such as can Barret and can Frares, with some more modest houses of tenant farmers and service workers.[1]

How the streets were made

The first phase was designed by Guillermo Giráldez, Pedro López-Iñigo and Xavier Subias; the second by the municipal architects Josep Soteras, Pedro López-Íñigo, Manuel Baldrich and Bonet Castellana.[1][2][3]

The casetes blanques, on the upper slope, adapt to the gradient with stairs and passages running under the houses, forming bridges. They were designed in 1963 and completed in 1968.[1][4]

Dates that changed it

  1. 1957 The Patronat Municipal de l'Habitatge approves the Montbau plan.[1][2][3]
  2. 1958 The foundation stone of the estate is laid; a second phase begins in 1961.[1][2][3]
  3. 1964–1968 The casetes blanques by Joan Bosch i Agustí are built on the upper slope.[1][4]
  4. 1976 The first Mostra d'art de Montbau is held during the annual neighbourhood festival.[1]
  5. 1985 Metro line 3 reaches Montbau, which is its terminus until 2001.[1]
  6. 2025 The City Council announces the Pla de Barris 2025-2028 for the mountain neighbourhoods, Montbau among them.[5]

People and collective life

Giráldez, López-Iñigo i Subias

The architects Guillermo Giráldez, Pedro López-Iñigo and Xavier Subias designed the first phase of the estate.[1]

Joan Bosch i Agustí

The architect of the casetes blanques, designed in 1963 and completed in 1968 on the upper part of the neighbourhood.[1][4]

Francesc Barret i Druet

In 1851 he acquired the farmhouse of can Gelabert, where the second phase of Montbau now stands, and built gardens, small temples, ponds and water features there.[1]

Institutions

Campus Mundet

On the east side of the neighbourhood, the campus occupies the former Llars Mundet, a charity. It houses the University of Barcelona's faculties of Psychology and Education, a geriatric residence and schools.[1][6]

Ciutat sanitària de la Vall d'Hebron

West of the neighbourhood is the Social Security hospital complex: the Hospital Universitari de la Vall d'Hebron, the Hospital Sant Rafael and the CAP Sant Rafael.[1][6]

What can still be seen

Les casetes blanques

A group of white single-family houses with stepped terraces, designed by Joan Bosch i Agustí; stairs and passages running under the houses form its weave.[1][4]

Palau de les Heures

A mansion with a garden, also known as Casa Gallart, at Passeig de la Vall d'Hebron 171-181. It is a local cultural heritage asset by August Font i Carreras, with gardens by Adrià Piera, and today is ceded to the University of Barcelona.[7][8]

What disappeared

Can Barret

The estate of can Barret, with gardens, small temples, ponds and water features, occupied the site of the second phase of Montbau.[1]

The neighbourhood today

In 2026 Montbau had 5,353 residents, 26.0 residents per hectare, a mean census-section income of €22,919 in 2023, an area of 205.5 hectares, and 21.1% of residents held non-Spanish nationality.[9][10][11][12]

Non-Spanish nationality (2026): 21.1%

What is changing

In March 2025 the City Council announced a Pla de Barris 2025-2028 that includes Montbau, la Teixonera, Sant Genís dels Agudells and les Planes in a mountain-neighbourhoods plan: interventions focus on public space and the inequalities caused by the terrain, with better accessibility and lifts to overcome changes in level. We have not found an official progress report on what has been carried out in Montbau as of October 2026.[5]

What the guides leave out

A neighbourhood more forest than blocks

Part of Montbau's territory lies inside the Collserola natural park; the housing estate of the late 1950s, where people live, covers about 31 hectares.[1][2]

Streets named after arts and artists

Montbau's streets are named after arts, such as Arquitectura, Escultura, Música, Poesia or Dansa, or after artists, such as Vayreda or Domènech i Muntaner.[1]

Read it on foot

Start: Montbau (L3)[1] · End: Jardins del Palau de les Heures[7][8]

Walking (excluding stop time): 10 min · 770 m · Estimated visit (with stops): 42 min

The geometry follows the pedestrian network between the three marked points, but it has not been verified as step-free. This neighbourhood has steep gradients: check steps, lifts, works and access conditions before setting out. The approach from public transport is not included in the stated distance.

Montbau (neighbourhood 40) highlighted. Other neighbourhoods in Horta-Guinardó: el Baix Guinardó, el Guinardó, Can Baró, el Carmel, la Teixonera, Sant Genís dels Agudells.

1
Pla de Montbau
Pla de Montbau
Find the sculpture 'Ritme i projecció' by Marcel Martí i Badenes, then read the nearby street signs: Poesia, Vayreda and Domènech i Muntaner are names of arts and artists.[1]
Montbau was planned in 1957 and built in phases from 1958 (the second from 1961). The streets of the neighbourhood are named after arts and artists.[1][2][3]
Coordinates
41.43074, 2.14288 · OpenStreetMap
2
Campus Mundet (Avinguda d'Arturo Mundet)
Avinguda d'Arturo Mundet
720 m · 10 min
Walk along Avinguda d'Arturo Mundet: the university faculties, a geriatric residence and schools share this campus.[1][6]
The campus occupies the former Llars Mundet, a charity that gives it its name. It houses the University of Barcelona's faculties of Psychology and Education.[1][6]
Coordinates
41.43696, 2.14272 · OpenStreetMap
3
Jardins del Palau de les Heures, Vall d'Hebron
Passeig de la Vall d'Hebron 171
40 m · 1 min
Look at the palace façade, more than 80 metres long, and find the terracotta that presides over it: an allegory of Les Heures (the ivy) by Josep Campeny.[7]
The mansion was commissioned in 1894 from August Font i Carreras, with gardens by Adrià Piera. It is a local cultural heritage asset and today is ceded to the Universitat de Barcelona.[7][8]
Coordinates
41.43634, 2.14143 · OpenStreetMap

Sources for this page

Dates, figures and historical claims are linked to the records used for this page.

  1. [1] Viquipèdia (2026). Montbau. Accessed: 2026-10-03.
  2. [2] Ajuntament de Barcelona (2010). Montbau: una aproximació al barri (January 2010). Accessed: 2026-10-09.
  3. [3] Ajuntament de Barcelona — La Virreina (2023). Exhibition catalogue (Montbau chronology, pp. 16-17). Accessed: 2026-10-09.
  4. [4] Arquitectura Catalana (Col·legi d'Arquitectes de Catalunya) (2026). Habitatges unifamiliars del Polígon Montbau. Accessed: 2026-10-03.
  5. [5] VilaWeb (2025-03-25). Barcelona desplega el pla de barris amb 315 actuacions previstes fins al 2028. Accessed: 2026-10-03.
  6. [6] Universitat de Barcelona (n.d.). Facultat d'Educació — La Facultat. Accessed: 2026-10-09.
  7. [7] Viquipèdia (2026). Palau de les Heures. Accessed: 2026-10-03.
  8. [8] Diputació de Barcelona (n.d.). Palau de les Heures. Accessed: 2026-10-09.
  9. [9] Ajuntament de Barcelona — Open Data BCN (2026-01-01). Padró municipal d'habitants (pad_mdbas) — població per barri. Accessed: 2026-07-17.
  10. [10] Ajuntament de Barcelona — Open Data BCN (2021). Densitat de població per barri. Accessed: 2026-07-17.
  11. [11] Ajuntament de Barcelona — Open Data BCN (2023). Renda disponible de les llars per persona. Seccions censals. Accessed: 2026-07-17.
  12. [12] Ajuntament de Barcelona — Open Data BCN (2026-01-01). Població per nacionalitat i sexe. Barris. Accessed: 2026-07-17.

Last reviewed: 3 October 2026 · 12 sources consulted

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