With it’s heady mix of culture, beaches, history, architecture and night-life Barcelona is one of Europe’s top tourist destinations. The tourist boom started in 1992 when the city hosted the Olympic Games and embraced the opportunity to promote and reinvent itself.
Cobi – Barcelona’s 1992 Olympic Mascot
No Olympic Games would be complete without an Olympic mascot. Rio had Vinicius, Los Angeles Sam, Atlanta Izzy and London had Boris Johnson on a zip-line.
Barcelona’s mascot was called Cobi and was designed by Javier Mariscal. Cobi is a cartoon dog based on the Catalan sheepdog and inspired by the cubist styles of Picasso and Velazquez. The artist designed a version of Cobi for every Olympic sport as well as for Olympic sponsors such as Coca-Cola and Danone.
The character was so popular that Cobi merchandising was one of the main sources of income of the games. During the ’90s a spin-off TV series called The Cobi Troupe appeared on TV in Spain and abroad.
Statue of Cobi in the Vila Olímpica
The bronze statue of Cobi in Barcelona’s Vila Olímpica was inaugurated in 1992, just two weeks before the start of the Olympic Games. Cobi is portrayed dressed in a toga, standing atop a turtle and a lobster, which bears more than a passing resemblance to Gambrinus, the other sculpture by Javier Mariscal, which adorns Barcelona’s waterfront.
Location
Estanque de Cobi, Parc del Port Olimpic s/n, Barcelona
How to get there
The statue is located in the park just behind the Port Olimpic. Nearest metro stop Ciutadella-Vila Olímpica on the yellow line L4.
Other attractions nearby
- Barcelona’s beaches
- Port Olimpic
- Marc
- El Peix (Frank Ghery’s Goldfish)
- David and Goliath
Map
Parc del Port Olimpic s/n, Barcelona
While reading all your posts I had to comment on this one…
I remember myself passing by with a group of friends, a night soon after it was inaugurated. Looking at the statue from distance we though we was carrying a dagger! Of course it was the alcohol we had drunk… We had to enter into the pond and look from closer because we couldn’t believe it.
Anyways, being a ‘Barceloní’, that had to leave his city long ago, I want to thank you for your web and all the information you share in it. One can see it’s been made with love for the city and Catalonia.
Hi Daniel,
Thanks for your comment and for sharing your story.
As you say, the blog’s a labour of love but it’s always good to hear that it’s appreciated.