Glòries Tower

Since 2005, an ultra-modern building has towered into the Barcelona sky with a bizarre shape that, depending on who looks at it, resembles a cucumber, a phallus, a suppository, a bullet or a rocket about to take off: it is the Torre Gloriés, known to most as the Torre Agbar after the water company Aguas de Barcelona of which it is the headquarters.

This high-tech skyscraper is reminiscent of other futuristic constructions such as the 30 St Mary Axe in London and the Revolution Tower in Panama. Its elongated pointy shape has fired the imagination of those who look at it, but according to statements by its creator, French architect Jean Nouvel, the tower’s shape is a tribute to the Montserrat reliefs that surround Barcelona and emulates a geyser of water rising towards the sky.

The Agbar tower is the third tallest building in Barcelona, which did not make Nouvel happy, who protested about the height limits imposed on him.

Neither the people of Barcelona nor the tourists are complaining: both love this futuristic building, which has now become part of the urban landscape and which at night is illuminated with spectacular light effects thanks to 4500 LED devices operated by a computerised system capable of projecting more than 16 million colours.

Offices or hotels?

Visible from several points of the city, the Glories tower is now a characteristic element of the Barcelona skyline. Its future, however, is uncertain: recently purchased by an American group, it could become a luxury hotel or perhaps remain an office building as it is now. It will certainly remain in the hearts of anyone who has seen it, from a distance or up close.

Curiosities and numbers

• The tower has 38 floors, four of which are underground. Inside are offices, meeting rooms, an auditorium, cafeterias and a large car park.
• It was built according to the principles ofbio-dynamic architecture, seeking to adapt to the environment and reduce pollution. Thanks to the efficiency of the technologies used, the LED devices with which the light images on the walls are created can remain active for one hour at a cost of only EUR 6.
• The walls of the tower, made of concrete, glass and aluminium in different shades, change colour depending on the season and daylight.
• The construction of the building took about six years, from 1999 to 2005.
• The Agbar Tower is one of the buildings climbed by Alain Robert, a French climber nicknamed ‘The Human Spider’.
• From the windows of the Agbar Tower you can see the Sagrada Familia, one of the tallest buildings in Barcelona and one of the most visited tourist attractions.

Tickets and opening hours of the Glòries Tower

Unfortunately, the Torre Agbar cannot be visited inside because as an office building it is not open to tourists. It is lit in the evening hours, usually starting at 19:00 in winter and 21:00 in summer and until 21:00 or 23:00 in winter and 23:00 or 24:00 in summer.

However, it is possible to climb up to the observation deck Mirador Torre Glòries and from there admire a 360° panorama of the city.

How to get to the Glòries Tower

The Agbar Tower is located in Sant Martí, a residential area close to PobleNou. If you want to admire it up close, the easiest way to get there is to take metro line L1 and get off at the Glòries stop: from there it’s only a three-minute walk to the Agbar Tower.

Alternatively, you can reach it by tourist bus: the Agbar Tower is one of the stops on the eastern route.