For skateboarders, this is not an isolated place. The most prominent place to skate in the world is MACBA. It’s a connection point of the world of skaters. Brazil, Colombia, US, China, Russia, Norway meet up inside Spain (not inside Spain but inside Catalunia for the politically correct). The place is loaded with a super long ledge, a 5 stair, a big 3 block and some other fancy obstacles. Macba is the starting point of Skateboarding in Barcelona.
For another central spot, have a look at ''Paral-lel the skateboarding spot''.
For a not so central spot, have a look at ''Fondo plaza Barcelona''
It's a museum - in two ways
This place is a contemporary art museum. Not only the building with paintings and stuff, the skaters too are contemporary art. They are inspired by current drifts in skateboarding and performs this on MACBA.
Why is it so popular?
It has a comprehensive flat ground and a lot of quite fine objects to ride on. It feels astonishing to be in this place. You have some awesome typical Barcelona buildings on one side and the very modern design of an art building on the other. Young people flap around here and drink beer and smoke various things.
It wasn't always so popular
It wasn’t always so popular. Before it was Sants in west-Barcelona that was the meeting spot. It is also popular because it has other skate spots close to it. Like Universitat, Auditorium, and Paral-lel.
Is it overrated?
Some years ago I didn’t grasp why it is such a favorite meeting place. I didn’t think it deserved it in a way. Like you don’t believe Rihanna deserves to be as famous as she is. If you think about it it is not only about the singing. It is also the capacity to not become a super diva, manage pressure, constantly be nice to fans, being capable to perform a concert when she doesn’t feel like it and so on. On top of that comes all the hate from people like me trying to drag her down.
The MACBA spirit
It is not only about the quality of the spot itself, it’s also about the convenience of the place. That alliance creates the spirit of the place. I believe it is so popular because of the spirit. As we know, the spirit is not so easy to observe.
The snowball effect
When it becomes a little known it sort of comes more attention to it. Like a snowball effect. When you start to observe a street artist people suddenly becomes very interested because they see that other people are proving with their presence that this is interesting. Come to Spain, come to Catalunia, come to the most notorious place to skate.
The skate scene of Barcelona loses a major part of information when someone doesn't mention MACBA.
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The author
Kai Bonsaksen
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