Canaletes

This fountain built in 1892 has witnessed thousands of celebrations and carries a legend that anyone who drinks from its water will fall in love with the city and return again. At the top of La Rambla, near Plaça de Catalunya, stands the Font de Canaletes, an ornate cast iron fountain designed by Jaume Rodelles with four water spouts topped by the city shield and crowned by a four armed lamp post.

The name Canaletes dates back to the 14th century when water channels called canaletes brought fresh water through the medieval city walls to supply the old town. The original 18th century fountain flowed from a tower that was demolished in 1862, and the current structure replaced it three decades later. Since the 1930s, this fountain became the gathering spot for FC Barcelona fans celebrating victories.

The tradition started when supporters rushed here after matches to read results posted on a blackboard outside the sports newspaper La Rambla, which had offices directly in front of the fountain. When the newspaper closed in 1939, fans kept returning to Canaletes, creating a ritual that continues with thousands gathering here after every major win.