Few cities come to mind immediately when you think of Edgar Allan Poe. Barcelona, probably not either. But you need only follow the trail of some of his great obsessions—death, science, mystery, or the infinite—to discover places that seem to belong to the world of the great master of Gothic literature.
And they really do exist. Some are found among funerary sculptures, beneath the stands of an old anatomical amphitheater, or behind the walls of a cypress maze. They even inspire an immersive experience in Barcelona today that brings some of his most famous stories to life.
19 December 2026 17:00 + more dates
Fàbrica Moritz Barcelona
Here are five places in Barcelona that show why Edgar Allan Poe’s universe fits in here much better than it seems.
Poblenou Cemetery
If you had to choose a single place that fits Edgar Allan Poe’s imagination, it would be this one. Opened in 1775, the Poblenou Cemetery was the first to be built outside the city walls and is, without a doubt, one of the most fascinating cemeteries in Barcelona, preserving impressive mausoleums and funerary sculptures.
The most famous is *The Kiss of Death*, a 1930 sculpture in which a winged skeleton kisses a young man at the moment of his death. It is one of the cemetery’s most iconic images and also one of the most unsettling in Barcelona.
📍Av. d’Icària, 204, Sant Martí
Royal Academy of Medicine of Catalonia
The Royal Academy of Medicine of Catalonia houses a late 18th -century anatomical amphitheater where generations of doctors learned anatomy by observing dissections. Its wooden bleachers surround the central table just as they did more than two centuries ago, creating an unforgettable scene.
📍Carrer del Carme, 47, Ciutat Vella
Palau Güell
Unlike the luminous facades we usually associate with Gaudí, the interior of the Palau Güell is dominated by dim light. The large central hall rises beneath a dome dotted with small points of light that evoke a starry sky, while stone, wood, and wrought iron create an atmosphere that seems straight out of a Gothic tale.
📍Carrer Nou de la Rambla, 3-5, Ciutat Vella
Horta Labyrinth
Getting lost is also part of the charm of the Horta Labyrinth, Barcelona’s oldest historic garden. Its cypress maze, inspired by classical mythology, turns a simple stroll into a game of uncertainty that wouldn’t seem out of place in one of Poe’s stories.
It is currently closed for restoration work.
📍Passeig dels Castanyers, 1, Horta-Guinardó
Fabra Observatory
Built in 1904 on the slopes of Collserola, the Fabra Observatory has been observing the Barcelona sky for over a century. In addition to housing one of Spain’s most important historic telescopes, it continues to combine scientific research, public outreach, and nighttime tours.
It may come as a surprise to find an observatory on a route inspired by Edgar Allan Poe. But in 1848, a year before his death, the writer published *Eureka*, an essay dedicated to the origin and structure of the universe. It’s one of his lesser-known facets and the reason why this place also has a place in his imagination.
📍Camí de l’Observatori, s/n, Sarrià-Sant Gervasi
