After being closed due to the pandemic, free visits to the former prison of La Modelo were allowed again.
This building is one of the most impressive buildings in the Eixample area, which closed years ago due to the rapid growth of the city.
Years ago, the prison took a different direction and became a facility for citizens and a place of historical memory.
If you want to visit the building, you can do so on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays that are not holidays. During these days you will be able to visit without a guide.
But if you want to take a guided tour, you can book directly on the website of La Modelo.
Visits are a means for the building to preserve its function as a memorial space. You can, for example, see the Gypsy Chapel or the remains of a prison that was built in the 19th century.
Another curiosity of the building is its panopticon shape, a type of prison architecture typical of the period. This style made it possible to control almost the entire prison from a single central plaza.
The most striking thing is that from this central square it is possible to observe the entire prison. It is a moment to reflect on how for so many years it was a subhuman compound that impacted the lives of so many people.
You can get to know the building before the arrival of a sports center, social housing or the school that is planned to be built in this area as part of the Model, batega project.
Free visits to the former prison of La Modelo (general public)
If you take the guided tours you can learn in detail the history of this prison, appreciate its architectural uniqueness and its most emblematic spaces.
You can discover one of the most imposing buildings of the Barcelona of 1900 and learn unimaginable details of its controversial history.
During the visit, the specialized guide will take you through the main areas of La Model, one of the most historic buildings in Barcelona.
It will tell you the story of the transformation that the city of Barcelona and its prison population underwent throughout the 20th century.
He will also talk about the ideas that inspired the construction of La Model and its evolution in the midst of all the political and social changes that took place throughout the century.
During the visit you will be able to tour the inmate galleries, the courtyards, the cells and the panopticon room.
It is a striking and imposing building due to its robustness and large dimensions.
At the beginning of each month, it is possible to reserve a place for the following two months.
The management of the guided tours in this former penitentiary is in charge of an external company delegated by the Barcelona City Council.
