Accommodation near Tibidabo Barcelona

Tibidabo

Tibidabo (Catalan pronunciation: [tiβiˈðaβu]) is a mountain overlooking Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. At 512 meters 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.

There is an amusement park, a telecommunications tower (Torre de Collserola), and a Catholic church, the Temple de Sagrat Cor, at the top, all of which are visible from most of the city. 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 amusement park is the oldest in Barcelona and still has most of the original rides, some of which date to the turn of the 20th century. The park was featured in the Woody Allen film, Vicky Cristina Barcelona.

Tibidabo can be reached by funicular railway, bus, bicycle, or car. The railway, built in 1901, was the first of its kind in Spain.

Origin of name

The name derives from the Latin Vulgate Bible verses:

• "…et dixit illi haec tibi omnia dabo si cadens adoraveris me" — "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" — "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.