“This particular one was a business shelter, created with one entrance and a round stone table, to be able to continue meetings during bombing raids.”
shelters’ (Atlas de los Refugios de la Guerra Civil Española en Barcelona), maintained and updated by the city council. The Sant Andreu shelter forms part of a series of shelters in the same area. A few doors away in the basement of a health clinic, a larger shelter lies abandoned, whilst on Gran de Sant Andreu, the shelter at the famous Café Versailles doubled as an underground card den. Neither of these are open for visitors. Meanwhile on the corner of Carrer de Socrates, the casing of a deactivated bomb still lies encrusted in the building facade above a butcher’s shop. The design of La Lira’s shelter gives an insight into life during this period. “This was not meant for long-term shelter,” explained Mariana Iturralde. “This particular one was a busi-
ness shelter, created with one entrance (they normally have two) and a round stone table, to be able to continue meetings during bombing raids.” Despite the war raging on above ground level, for some it was business as usual. When a shelter is discovered, the city’s archaeological institute (Servei d’Arqueologia de Barcelona) surveys the site and evaluates its historical and cultural value. The MUHB has launched several incentives to ‘converse, legislate, index and catalogue’ the air raid shelters of Barcelona. However there is no law to protect them. Many shelters have been demolished or simply overlooked due to urban planning. Just recently, another documented shelter (shelter 722), this time on Carrer de Burgos in the district of Sants, was uncovered during road works. Local neighbourhood associations have asked for a meeting with the city council to discuss the historical significance of the shelter before it is cemented over. Many residents feel it is important to respect and preserve the historical legacy of the Civil War, and one group has taken it upon themselves to create a database that logs air raid shelters, informing the public of their whereabouts. Barcelona Foradada (barcelonaforadada.wordpress.com) has interactive maps showing the shelter locations, characteristics and materials used to make them, giving people the opportunity to witness these haunting spaces of the past, and remember.
BUNKERS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC Bunkers del Carmel Situated on the Turó de la Rovira hill with 360º views of the city. The area can be reached on bus V17. The bunkers are usually freely accessible to the public but are closed until the end of April for maintenance works. Refugi 307 This shelter has three entrances on Nou de la Rambla. Four hundred metres of tunnels include a toilet, water fountain, infirmary and children’s room. Visits can be arranged through www. museuhistoria.bcn.cat Refugio de la Plaça del Diamant (Refugio 232) One of the city’s biggest shelters and one of the best preserved. To book a visit, call 93 219 6134 (from 9.30am to 1.30pm).
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