Barcelona

A market that has made history

Built under the Cerdà Plan, the Mercat de Sant Antoni is located in the heart of the neighbourhood of the same name and has always been its backbone. It is divided into three large areas: the fresh food market, the Mercat dels Encants, a flea market selling clothing and accessories, and the Sunday book market. It is a meeting place for local residents and one of the most-visited markets, drawing in large numbers of people every day of the week. What’s more, the iconic Sunday Book Market has made the market a place of pilgrimage for many intellectuals and writers.

Architecture preserved

Designed by the architect Antoni Rovira i Trias in 1882, the iron structure occupying the entire area stands out for its geometric shapes and huge size. 

All the stalls were moved to the Ronda de Sant Antoni in 2007 to make way for renovation work on the market. That work, which began in 2009, led to the discovery archaeological remains from Barcelona's old city wall beneath the market and which can now be seen from an underground passage.

 Officially opened in 2018, the new market has preserved its Modernista structure. It now has four additional underground floors and its facilities have been modernised.