Symbolic New Home for Democratic Memorial

The Democratic Memorial, the Catalan government body responsible for preserving the memory of the Second Republic, Civil War, Francoist repression and democratic transition, is set to establish its permanent headquarters in Barcelona’s former Model prison. The Generalitat’s Department of Justice and Democratic Quality, led by Minister Ramon Espadaler, and Barcelona City Council are finalising an agreement to install the institution in the historic Eixample site. The official announcement is expected by late September or early October, according to verified sources from both institutions. This move resolves years of instability for the Memorial, which has operated across fragmented locations, including Pau Claris street and the Foc street administrative district, without dedicated exhibition space.

A Site Steeped in History

The Model prison, opened in 1904 and closed in 2017, holds deep symbolic significance. It once held political prisoners including Lluís Companys, Jordi Pujol and Lluís Maria Xirinacs. In 1974, Salvador Puig Antich was executed by garrote vil in the prison’s postal hall under Franco’s regime. Between 1939 and 1955, over 1,600 detainees were taken from the prison to be executed at Camp de la Bota or on-site.

The new law aims to reach future generations with memory, not forgetfulness.

Espadaler, speaking at the prison during a public presentation of the proposed Democratic Memory Law in December 2024, affirmed that the legislation would be built on “respect, tolerance and willingness to agree”, citing Angela Merkel: “Freedom must be reclaimed by every generation.”

The future Democratic Memorial will occupy all three floors of the fourth gallery and part of the panopticon structure. The preliminary design phase is underway, with the draft project expected for delivery in early September 2024, as confirmed by the city council’s press service. This development forms part of the wider ‘Model, batega!’ urban regeneration plan. The initiative, approved in 2022, will transform the entire block, bounded by Entença, Nicaragua, Rosselló and Provença, into a civic hub featuring 120 social housing units, a large urban park, a school (Institut Escola Xirinacs), a sports pavilion, a nursery, assisted living residence, youth space and centralised energy facility. Construction of the school, sports pavilion, groundwater reservoir and energy plant is scheduled to begin in the first half of 2026, with operations expected by the 2027–2028 academic year.

From Temporary Spaces to Permanent Recognition

Since its founding in 2007 via parliamentary law, the Democratic Memorial has lacked stable premises. Its first public venue, at Via Laietana 69, was abandoned due to structural issues and later sold in 2013 for nearly €12 million; it now operates as a hotel. Subsequent temporary sites included Bonsuccés Square and Peu de la Creu street in El Raval, where the former Edicions 62 building proved unsuitable for exhibitions. The current dispersed setup limits public engagement. Efforts to place the Memorial at Montjuïc Castle in 2012 were withdrawn last minute. A planned 2025 site on Ciutat street near Plaça Sant Jaume has seen no progress under President Salvador Illa, with officials stating the building “does not meet conditions” for adaptation. Meanwhile, demands persist for the return of the National Police headquarters on Via Laietana, formerly a Republican-era government building and Francoist detention and torture site, to house memory initiatives. While designated an 'Espai de Memòria', national authorities have refused to vacate it, prompting legal challenges from civil groups who argue its dual use violates international human rights standards.

Primary sources: Ramon. Reported by naciodigital.cat.