The Font Màgica was built for the 1929 International Exhibition by engineer Carles Buïgas, who managed to choreograph thousands of jets of water with coloured light using the technology of the day — a feat that seemed close to magic to its first audiences. It still performs, sending plumes of illuminated water rising and falling in time to music, with the floodlit Palau Nacional and the cascade of fountains above forming a grand backdrop.
The free shows run on weekend evenings for much of the year (with a reduced schedule in winter), and they draw big, good-natured crowds who gather on the steps of Plaça d'Espanya to watch. Arrive early for a spot on the terraces, and stay for the finale, when the fountain switches through its full range of colours. It is unashamedly spectacular, and a fine way to end a day spent among the museums of Montjuïc.