Parc del Laberint d’Horta

Here lies the city's oldest garden, where a centuries old maze of towering cypress hedges has tested the resolve of nobles and dreamers since 1791. Tucked into the foothills of the Collserola mountains in the Horta district stands Parc del Laberint d'Horta, an 18th century masterpiece that began as the private fantasy of Marquis Joan Antoni Desvalls i d'Ardena. This enlightened nobleman wanted something extraordinary on his estate, so he commissioned Italian architect Domenico Bagutti to design a neoclassical garden unlike any other.

The crown jewel is the labyrinth itself, a 750 meter maze of precisely trimmed cypress walls inspired by the ancient Greek myth of Theseus. Those who navigate its winding paths and reach the center find their reward: a statue of Eros, god of love, standing as a symbol that finding your way through confusion leads to something worth discovering. For nearly 180 years, this marvel remained a secret pleasure garden for the Desvalls family and Catalan nobility who gathered here for entertainment and philosophical reflection.

The family donated it to the city in 1967, and it welcomed its first public visitors in 1971. Access is now limited to 750 people at any time to protect the fragile historic plantings and sculptures depicting Greek mythological figures scattered throughout the terraced gardens.