Barcelona council is finalising restoration plans for two of the city’s most iconic landmarks. Both the Arc de Triomf and the monument to Colom need major repairs after years of deterioration, and the project designs should be ready by early 2026. Right now, safety nets cover both structures to prevent falling debris from hitting passersby.
The Arc de Triomf is in particularly bad shape. According to tender documents, the monument has “serious structural issues” that threaten its integrity. Built for the 1888 Universal Exhibition, the arch has stood for over a century with only minor patch-up work. The sculptural elements made from artificial stone have degraded significantly, and last week firefighters had to inspect the safety nets’ anchor points.
Meanwhile, the Colom monument faces similar problems. The tender documents blame “low-quality materials, the coastal location, and atmospheric conditions” for accelerating the ageing process. The council has done continuous maintenance over the years, including a 2008 intervention to tackle rust issues. However, these efforts haven’t been enough to stop the decline.
Both monuments date back to Barcelona’s 1888 Universal Exhibition era. Architect Josep Vilaseca designed the Arc de Triomf as the exhibition’s entrance gate, whilst Gaietà Buigas created the 57-metre-tall Colom monument. The Colom statue’s original budget was 300,000 pessetes, but it ended up costing over a million by the time it was completed.
The council will determine exact costs and timelines once the project designs are finished. Both restorations look set to be substantial undertakings given the extent of the damage. For now, the safety nets remain in place to protect locals and tourists visiting these historic landmarks.
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