Barcelona’s Ciutadella del Coneixement: A New European Research Hub
Barcelona, May 22, 2026 – The constitution of the Institutional Commission for the Ciutadella del Coneixement (Citadel of Knowledge) signifies a major leap towards creating a new research and innovation hub in Barcelona. This ambitious project, backed by a 500 million euro investment, aims to establish Barcelona as one of Europe’s most relevant scientific centers. The new governance body will facilitate shared projects and streamline the coordination of various facilities, with over 2,000 research professionals expected to be working there by 2030.
The commission’s formation comes at a crucial time, as ten research and scientific dissemination projects, forming the future Ciutadella del Coneixement, are already underway and in various stages of execution.
Major Construction Projects Underway
This year will see the commencement of construction for three research buildings on the site of the former Mercat del Peix (Fish Market). The main building, PRBB Ciutadella, spanning over 23,000 square meters and representing a 140 million euro investment, is slated for completion in 2028. It will house various research fields, with a focus on frontier medicine.
This facility will accommodate the entire Barcelona Biomedical Research Institute, half of the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia, and several research groups from the Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology and the Centre for Genomic Regulation. All these research centers are part of the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST).
Also at the former Mercat del Peix, the new building for the Institute of Evolutionary Biology, a joint initiative by CSIC and UPF, will begin construction at the end of May, with a budget of 18.3 million euros. Concurrently, work will proceed on the Ágora Barcelona for the Welfare of Society, also a UPF project, costing 21.3 million euros, with additional funding from the Generalitat.
Furthermore, this year, plans are in motion to draft the executive project for the CSIC biosciences building, which will be erected on the former State Mobile Park site, with an investment of 63 million euros. This building will host the Institute of Molecular Biology of Barcelona and the Biomedical Research Institute of Barcelona, potentially bringing together over three hundred people and some forty research groups.
New Life for Historic Ciutadella Buildings
Beyond new constructions, efforts are also focused on transforming the four historical buildings that form the heritage and scientific core of the Ciutadella del Coneixement. These buildings are in the final stages of rehabilitation: the Castle of the Three Dragons, the Hivernacle (Greenhouse), the Umbracle (Shade House), and the Martorell Exhibition Centre.
Rehabilitation work on the exterior of the Castle of the Three Dragons is already in progress, with an estimated cost of 8 million euros. Upon its completion in the second quarter of 2027, an additional 37 million euros will be invested in interior renovations to transform the castle into a dynamic space open to the public. Soon, the rehabilitation of the Umbracle (1.7 million euros) and the Martorell Exhibition Centre (7.65 million euros), which already functions as a museum, will commence. In the Hivernacle, which still retains some of its original use, work to address structural issues and restore both the interior and exterior has been completed, costing 2.5 million euros.
State Public Library and New Zoo by 2030
Last October, the Ministry of Culture began construction of the State Public Library in Barcelona on a plot of over 5,000 square meters, ceded by the City Council and adjacent to Estació de França. This project boasts an investment exceeding 82 million euros and a usable area of over 16,000 square meters spread across eight floors. It is set to become the second-largest library in Spain, after the National Library of Spain.
A 60 million euro investment is earmarked for the transformation of the Barcelona Zoo. The objective is to convert it into a new reference point for global biodiversity preservation, creating new areas and experimental proposals to enhance learning and awareness experiences.
Recently, construction began on a new promenade that will connect the Vila Olímpica neighborhood with the Ciutat Vella district, improving access to the various spaces within the Ciutadella del Coneixement. This work has a cost of 13 million euros, adding to the series of actions being developed to improve green spaces and irrigation infrastructure throughout the park (8 million euros).
All these initiatives underscore Barcelona’s commitment to fostering a vibrant ecosystem of knowledge, research, and innovation, while also enhancing the city’s cultural and environmental offerings for its residents and visitors alike.
