Barcelona · Spain
Pont del Bisbe
A practical guide to the Pont del Bisbe in Barcelona: why it looks medieval but dates from 1928, where to find the skull with the dagger, how to get the classic photo and when to go without crowds.
Worth the five minutes it asks for, especially once you know it's a 1928 fiction. Knowing that makes the photo more interesting.
The Pont del Bisbe is the neo-Gothic stone bridge that crosses Carrer del Bisbe between the Palau de la Generalitat and the Casa dels Canonges, and one of the most photographed corners in Barcelona. It looks 14th century. It opened in 1928.
Our experience
We got there at 14:45 on Wednesday, May 27, on the walk through the Gothic Quarter that we started at Plaça de l’Àngel. We gave it the five minutes it asks for: the photo from the south, finding the skull under the arch and moving on to Plaça de Sant Jaume. The idea of the route was to see the real Roman remains side by side with the 1920s Gothic, and this bridge is the best example of the second. The full route is in our arrival in Barcelona.
A bit of history
The architect Joan Rubió i Bellver, who worked with Gaudí on Park Güell and the Sagrada Família, proposed in the 1910s and 1920s to “re-Gothicize” the area around the cathedral: tear down the buildings that weren’t Gothic and put up medieval-style ones for the 1929 Exposition. The city rejected the plan. Only this bridge was built, inspired by the Bridge of Sighs in Venice.
Under the arch, Rubió left a skull pierced by a dagger. The legends multiplied: that it was his revenge on a city that mocked his plan, that anyone who looks at it while leaving Barcelona will never come back, or that if someone pulls out the dagger the city will fall. The simplest explanation is that the skull is a classic Gothic motif, and Rubió stayed true to that vocabulary.
What to see, in order
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The view from the south
Stand at the corner of Carrer del Bisbe and Plaça de Sant Jaume and look north: the arch sits centered between the high walls. It's the classic photo.
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The skull with the dagger
Stand right underneath and look up, near the keystone of the arch. It's small and worn; even guided groups walk by without seeing it.
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The grotesque faces
Where the arch springs there are monster heads in the style of medieval gargoyles. Their exaggerated, geometric features give away the 1920s.
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The tracery windows
The sides of the walkway have Gothic stone tracery. It's pure decoration.
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The view from the north
From the cathedral side the composition reverses. It works if the south side is crowded.
Tips we wish we’d known
Tips
- The good photo is taken from the south, from Plaça de Sant Jaume, looking toward the cathedral.
- For the skull, your phone's zoom is enough.
- One legend says that to undo the bad luck you have to walk backward under the arch while looking at the skull and make a wish.
Do
- Keep your bag zipped and in front while you wait for your photo: the fake-petition crews work this street.
- Continue to the cathedral to the north or to Plaça de Sant Jaume to the south; both are two minutes away.
- Notice the Gothic facade of the Palau de la Generalitat facing Carrer del Bisbe.
Don’t
- Don't pay the photographers who offer to take your picture with the bridge: they charge €5–10 after the click.
- Don't sign up for the ten-minute "mystery tour" that starts here: they tell you one legend and leave.
- Don't feel cheated when you learn it's from 1928: that is exactly the story.
Frequently asked questions
When was the Pont del Bisbe built?
It opened on April 23, 1928. Joan Rubió i Bellver designed it as part of the work for the 1929 International Exposition.
What does the skull on the Pont del Bisbe mean?
Nobody knows for sure. The legends talk about the architect's curse; the simplest reading is that it's a memento mori, a common motif in Gothic art.
What does the bridge connect?
The Palau de la Generalitat with the Casa dels Canonges, which today is the official residence of the Catalan president.
How much does it cost to see?
Nothing. It's on a public street, open all day.