Barcelona city officials are exploring an unusual strategy to combat crime and anti-social behaviour in the heart of the Gothic Quarter: extending the opening hours of a 2,000-year-old Roman burial site. Local residents champion this proposal, aiming to revitalise Plaça Vila de Madrid, a square plagued by drug dealing and public disorder.

Nestled between the bustling streets of La Rambla and Portal de l’Àngel, the sunken garden of the plaza is home to the Via Sepulcral Romana, a remarkably preserved Roman necropolis dating from the 1st to 3rd centuries AD. Despite its historical significance and central location, the archaeological site remains largely inaccessible, opening for just three hours on Tuesdays and seven hours on Sundays. Consequently, the surrounding public space suffered neglect, becoming a magnet for illicit activities.

A Community-Led Initiative

The Xarxa Veïnal Gòtic, a neighbourhood association, first proposed this change three years ago. They argue that activating the space, by making the necropolis a consistent attraction, would naturally displace criminal elements. “Hundreds of people pass by every day, looking at the tombs from above because the entrance is closed. It’s the world turned upside down,” Carlos de Mingo, a member of the association, told El Periódico.

Mikel Uriondo, the association’s president, believes a combination of regular opening hours and cultural events could transform the area. He states the goal is for the plaza to “be alive every day and not be a dead square,” thus ensuring drugs “have no space.” The problem became particularly acute in recent months with the emergence of a ‘narcolocal’ – an empty property used for selling and consuming drugs. This caused significant conflict before police dismantled it in January.

Partially responding to these concerns, the City Council‘s Ciutat Vella district has already initiated a cultural programme in the plaza. They organise conferences, concerts, and chess games, collaborating with entities like the neighbouring Ateneu Barcelonès cultural centre.

Museum and City Council on Board

The Museum of the History of Barcelona (MUHBA), which manages the necropolis, supports the proposal. The institution confirmed active efforts to extend the site’s hours. “We recognise this is an important space with significant heritage, and we intend to give it more visibility,” a MUHBA spokesperson stated. “We also believe that improving the cultural offering can foster better coexistence in the area.”

The museum also stated it is studying how to make extended hours “economically viable.” The residents’ association even suggested creative solutions like silent, night-time viewings during summer to attract more visitors.

“If we can get more residents, visitors, and school children to frequent it, we create a situation where the plaza is less conducive to incivility and drugs,” added De Mingo.

A Blueprint for Ciutat Vella?

The situation in Plaça Vila de Madrid highlights wider challenges facing Barcelona’s oldest district. This initiative aligns with the city’s broader goals, including the ambitious 10-year plan for Ciutat Vella’s renewal and a recent intensive cleaning operation to tackle grime and odours.

Beyond extending the necropolis’s hours, the Xarxa Veïnal Gòtic also calls for basic infrastructure repairs to “dignify the plaza.” They highlight broken glass in the railings, which has remained for months, and the need for an expanded children’s play area. The district office confirmed issuing a new tender of over €175,000 to replace the railings, after a previous attempt failed. It also plans a comprehensive study on other potential improvements for the square.

Frustrated by the “worrying degradation” of their neighbourhood, residents launched an email campaign to secure a meeting with Mayor Jaume Collboni. Uriondo believes successfully revitalising Plaça Vila de Madrid could model revitalisation for other Gothic Quarter public spaces. “It’s essential that there is something happening every day that invites people to walk, talk, and meet,” he said. “By developing activities and making it a space of coexistence, we win and we push out crime and bad dynamics.”