Construction of Barcelona's new Telecommunications Tower began in February 1990 and it was brought into operation in July 1992 on the occasion of Barcelona hosting the XXV Olympiad.

The tower is located in the Collserola mountain range which runs parallel to the Mediterranean Sea and forms the western boundary of the city. The site of the tower, Turo de la Vilana, is 445 metres above sea level and the construction rises a further 268 metres from this height.

The complex comprises of the tower and an auxiliary building which houses services for the installations. The tower itself consists of three parts; a concrete shaft, just 4.5 metres in diameter, with a height of 205 metres; a tubular steel mast of 38 metres and, bringing the tower to its full height, a 45-metre stretch of latticed steel.

The Public Viewing Deck, 560 metres above sea level, affords excellent views taking in the city and its environs, the Mediterranean Sea and the Catalan hinterland. The viewing deck is reached from inside the mountain by means of an elevator which travels up the outside of the concrete shaft. The elevator is glazed to permit panoramic viewing and takes the public to the observatory in under two minutes.