El Born

El Born, the memory of Barcelona

The Barcelona audio-guided tour has you arrive before the immense metal hall that houses the El Born culture and memory centre. This former market, nicknamed the cathedral of iron and glass, today hosts a permanent exhibition on the Barcelona of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.

The siege of 1714

In the Middle Ages, the very lively area of the Ribera stretched here. But in 1714, during the War of the Spanish Succession and after a siege of fourteen months, Barcelona fell into the hands of Philip V. To better control the Catalans, the king had a whole district razed in order to build an imposing military citadel there. The remains of these destroyed houses, brought to light during the transformation of the market, are today visible in the hall, poignant witnesses to this painful page.

What there is to see

Under the great glass roof, you can contemplate free of charge the archaeological remains of the streets and houses of the former district, brought to light during the works to transform the market into a library. The exhibition recounts the life of Barcelona before 1714 and the memory of its resistance. A place of memory as much as of architecture, El Born invites you to understand a key moment of Catalan history.

Practical information

The El Born culture and memory centre is in the Ribera district, in Barcelona, at the end of the Passeig del Born. Access to the hall and the remains is free; some exhibitions and activities may be charged. Opening hours may vary with the season.

What can you see at the El Born centre?

The archaeological remains of a district destroyed in 1714 and an exhibition on the Barcelona of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, under an iron and glass hall.

What happened in 1714?

After a siege of fourteen months, Barcelona fell into the hands of Philip V, who had a district razed to build a military citadel.