Tibidabo

Tibidabo
Sagrat Cor church, atop the mountain
Elevation	512 m (1,680 ft)
Location
Tibidabo Location in Barcelona
Location	Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
Range	Serra de Collserola
Coordinates	41°25′21″N 2°07′07″E / 41.42250°N 2.11861°E / 41.42250; 2.11861Coordinates: 41°25′21″N 2°07′07″E / 41.42250°N 2.11861°E / 41.42250; 2.11861
Climbing
Easiest route	Tibidabo funicular railway

Tibidabo (Catalan pronunciation: [tiβiˈðaβu]) is a mountain overlooking Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. At 512 metres (1,680 ft), it is the tallest mountain in the Serra de Collserola. Rising sharply to the north-west, it affords spectacular views over the city and the surrounding coastline.^[1]

Overall view of the church and amusement park

The summit of the mountain is occupied by the Sagrat Cor church and adjacent Tibidabo Amusement Park. The Torre de Collserola telecommunications tower is a short walk away. All three are prominently visible from most of the city of Barcelona. Designed by Enric Sagnier, the church took 60 years to construct and is topped by a sculpture of the Sacred Heart of Jesus by Josep Miret Llopart.

The Red Aeroplane of Tibidabo

The Tibidabo Amusement Park, near 7 Ha big, was built by the entrepreneur Salvador Andreu and opened in 1899. Two years later in 1901, the Tramvia Blau tram and the Tibidabo Funicular cable railway began operations. The park is one of the oldest in the world that is still functioning. Most of the original rides, some of which date to the turn of the 20th century, are still in use. Prominent amongst these is the 1928 Red Aeroplane ride, a single car carousel giving the impression of flight above the city, a novelty at the time. Riders board a replica of the aircraft that first flew from Barcelona to Madrid. The park was featured in the Woody Allen film, Vicky Cristina Barcelona.

Tibidabo can be reached via the Tibidabo Funicular, which was the first of its kind in Spain, and by the Tramvia Blau or road. The Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona minibus service 111 connects it to Vallvidrera village and the upper station of the Vallvidrera funicular.^[2]

Origin of name

The name derives from the Latin Vulgate Bible verses:

• "…et dixit illi haec tibi omnia dabo si cadens adoraveris me"^[3] — "And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me" (Matthew 4:9);
• "…et ait ei tibi dabo potestatem hanc universam et gloriam illorum quia mihi tradita sunt et cui volo do illa"^[4] — "All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it" (Luke 4:6).

This phrase, meaning I will give to you, was said to Jesus by the devil as they looked down from an exceedingly high mountain upon all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them. The name of Barcelona's hill thus refers to the popular tradition that it was in fact the exceedingly high mountain itself. The phrase Tibi dabo forms part of the inscription in the central dome of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, although in that case it was drawn from Jesus' words to St. Peter in Matthew 16:19.

Panorama

A panoramic view of Barcelona from Tibidabo

See also

• List of mountains in Catalonia

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tibidabo.