A new space for helping to preserve Gràcia’s historical memory: the Civil War air-raid shelter beneath Plaça de la Revolució de Setembre de 1868, in Gràcia, will be open to the public from 12 August on.

The Gràcia History Workshop – Studies Centre is to run the service for guided tours, which will be held in small groups, last for 30 minutes and cost 3 euros. Bookings can be made during the Festa Major [big annual festival] from the Information Board that will be put up in Plaça del Diamant. For the rest of the year, however, bookings will have to be made by emailing to tallerhistoriagracia@gmail.com.

Air-raid shelter 267 was part of the more than 90 created in the neighbourhood to protect the population when Barcelona was subject to aerial bombings during the armed conflict. The site was closed off in 1939 and re-discovered in 1994, during construction work on a car park.

Only a small part of the original construction remains, roughly 5%, corresponding to a fragment of the corridor, nursing unit and pharmacy. Keeping in mind the parts that have survived, Barcelona’s Archaeology Service and the District of Gràcia have turned them into a museum, putting the emphasis on aspects relating to health, healthcare and hygiene in the city’s air-raid shelters.

The museum conversion inside has been minimal, to conserve the original space. Which is why most of the information panels are located outside the gallery. Besides that, the shelter’s outline has been recreated on the paving on floor -4, so that visitors can appreciate its size.