Ceramic mural "La Rotonda dels Transports"

Ceramic mural called "La rotonda dels transports". The work is located in the circular underground vestibule that connects the Catalunya metro station with the Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya station, and which is also accessed from La Rambla and Plaça de Catalunya.

The mural consists of a set of six panels made with ceramic stoneware pieces.

The authorship belongs to a group of professors and students from the Escola Massana, as indicated by the signature on the mural. The work is undated but corresponds to the inauguration of the vestibule in the late sixties. The theme of the work revolves around means of transportation. Various types and chronologies of vehicles are represented. Upon closer inspection, it can be appreciated that each vehicle is accompanied by a name and a date, usually indicating the inventor or the name of the means of transport and the year of its appearance.

Panel 1: Trevithick steam locomotive 1800, named after the inventor of the road locomotive Richard Trevithick; a submarine Haydon (or Donhay?) 1893, unidentified device; Victoria Point steam locomotive 1889 (?), unidentified device; Duryea car 1893, by Franck and Charles Duryea, inventors of the first gasoline-powered automobile in the United States; a paddle steamer Explorer 1857, named after the steamship built to explore the Colorado River; a Sikorsky helicopter 1910, by Igor Sikorsky, pioneer in the invention of helicopters.

Panel 2: Coutelle balloon 1795, by Jean-Marie-Joseph Coutelle, captain of the first company of balloons of the French Republic.

Panel 3: Leonardo da Vinci helicopter 1515, based on the aerial screw invented by Leonardo da Vinci.

Panel 4: Hama aircraft (date not found), after Francesco Lama de Terzi, who conceived the Flying Ship around 1670.

Panel 5: Stephenson locomotive 1830, in reference to George Stephenson responsible for the first passenger line between Liverpool and Manchester in 1830; aeronaut Henson 1845, by William Henson who was the first to patent an aircraft with engines, propeller, and fixed wing; Monturiol submarine 1860, by Narcís Monturiol, inventor of the first manned submarine called Ictíneo; an aircraft (illegible name and date), probably the dirigible La France created by Charles Renard and Arthur Constantin Krebs in 1884; Gurney car 1829, by Golsdsworthy Gurney, the first to build a steam car.

Panel 6: Mayflower paddle steamer (date not found), probably the steamship built in 1887; Michaux bicycle 1855, by Pierre Michaux one of the inventors of the pedal bicycle; Blanchard balloon 1785, by Jean-Pierre Blanchard first to cross the English Channel in a balloon in 1785; Batiscafo submarine (date not found), after the apparatus designed in 1947 by Auguste Piccard; Jenatzy car 1899, by Camille Jenatzy racing driver first to exceed 100 km/h with the car La Jamais Contente; Stephensons steam locomotive 1825, by George Stephenson responsible for the first public railway line in 1825; another Stephenson steam locomotive 1825, by the same George Stephenson inventor of The Rocket locomotive, one of the first with a 0-2-2 wheel arrangement; high wheel bicycle Renard 1878, by Victor Renard, builder of a "penny-farthing" bicycle with a 3-meter wheel, probably one of the tallest.

Period: 1966 creation; 2003 restoration; 2025 restoration

Authors: Escola Massana. Project: Francesc Albors. Execution: Maria Bofill, Elisenda Sala, with the collaboration of: Manuel del Río, N . Llenas, Ester Palomer and Carme Llobet. Ceramistes.