Barcelona City Council has launched a new strategic plan for historical memory (2026-2030), committing €6.7 million this year to establish significant memorial centres at La Model prison and Montjuïc Castle. The initiative, presented on Thursday at La Model, aims to reinforce the right to memory, victim reparation, and democratic education across the city.
The plan will focus on three main pillars: preserving heritage, promoting historical knowledge, and building a "choral and inclusive" memory. Deputy Mayor for Social Rights, Feminisms, and Democratic Memory, Raquel Gil, stated the strategic plan seeks to promote a "plural, inclusive, and transformative memory." She added that it involves institutions and citizens, driving the preservation and dissemination of heritage.
This initiative also aims to centre the experiences and struggles of "historically silenced" groups. These include women, the labour and neighbourhood movements, migrant and racialised individuals, the LGBTQI+ community, and victims of Francoism and terrorism. Education forms a "central pillar" of this public intervention, according to Gil. The City Council's commitment underscores Barcelona's ongoing efforts to confront its complex past. This includes acknowledging periods of repression and violence. The plan seeks to ensure that future generations understand these historical events. It also aims to prevent their recurrence.
La Model Memorial Centre
The proposed Memorial Centre at La Model prison will transform the old Gallery 4 into a democratic memory centre. This project, long under discussion, aims to rigorously and accessibly explain the prison's history. It will become a "benchmark" in human rights and historical memory. La Model, located in the Eixample district, operated as a prison for 113 years, holding political prisoners during the Franco dictatorship. Its closure in 2017 marked a significant moment for the city. Residents have since advocated for its transformation into a public space.
Montjuïc Castle Interpretation Centre
Meanwhile, the Interpretation Centre for Terrorism at Montjuïc Castle will serve as a memorial space. It will recognise and repair victims of terrorism. The centre will feature a permanent exhibition alongside research, dissemination, and educational programmes. Montjuïc Castle, a historic fortress overlooking Barcelona, has a complex past. Its history includes use as a military prison and execution site, particularly during the Civil War and Franco regime. This new centre will specifically address the impact of terrorism. It will also provide a platform for remembrance and education.
Officials expect to open the first rooms of the Montjuïc Castle centre next month. The remaining exhibition rooms will open before the end of the year. However, the timeline for the La Model centre is more complex, with construction potentially extending beyond 2030, Deputy Mayor Gil noted. This long-term vision highlights the City Council's dedication to preserving historical memory for decades to come.
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Originally published by Tot Barcelona. Read original article.
