Finding Les Tres Xemeneies that looks like Bender from Futurama in Barcelona

© Images by Hiatus.Design

Les Tres Xemeneies (The Three Chimneys) is one of Barcelona’s most distinctive industrial landmarks, originally part of the Fecsa-Endesa power station. Built in the early 20th century, the site played a key role in the city’s industrialisation before eventually shutting down. Today, it stands as a relic of Barcelona’s past, transformed into a dynamic space for street art, skate culture, and urban creativity. The three towering chimneys, which we can’t help but think resemble Bender from Futurama, dominate the skyline near Poble-sec and Montjuïc, making it a visually striking part of the city’s identity.

The surrounding Parc de les Tres Xemeneies has become a legal graffiti zone, attracting local and international street artists who continuously reinvent the walls with bold, thought-provoking murals. It’s also a major hub for skaters, thanks to its open concrete layout, and serves as a gathering point for creatives and alternative communities. Over the years, the site has featured in music videos, fashion shoots, and urban photography projects, embodying Barcelona’s mix of industrial heritage and countercultural energy.

Les Tres Xemeneies reflects the city’s ability to repurpose its industrial past into something fresh and culturally significant, much like the transformation of Poblenou into the 22@ innovation district. It’s a place where history, rebellion, and creativity collide—a testament to Barcelona’s ongoing fight against gentrification and its passion for self-expression.

 

Whether you’re drawn to its gritty aesthetic, its role in the city’s creative scene, or just the fact that it reminds you of everyone’s favourite wise-cracking robot, it remains a must-see cultural landmark.


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Chris Shirley MA FRGS

About the Author:

Chris is the founder of Hiatus.Design, a mission-driven branding and website design company that works with clients all over the world.

Over the course of his life, he has travelled to more than 60 countries across six continents, earned two Guinness World Records, completed the legendary Marathon des Sables, summited Mont Blanc and unclimbed peaks in Asia, become a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society (FRGS), rowed across the Atlantic Ocean and obtained a Masterʼs degree in Business Management (MA).

https://www.hiatus.design
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