Plaça de Sant Felip Neri, Barcelona

Pretty square in Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter which tells a dark tale

The labyrinth of dim and narrow streets that make up Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter will lead you out into endless pretty little squares, one of them being Plaça Sant Felip Neri. The architecture of the buildings surrounding the square is in the medieval Baroque style, dominated by the Church of Sant Felip Neri and the School of Sant Felip Neri. There is an octagonal water fountain in the centre, and leaves from the tall trees float silently to the ground, dancing in the dappled sunlight on their way down.

But this quaint little square wasn’t always so peaceful. If you look closely you can see the walls of the church are pockmarked and tell a dark story. On 30th September 1938 Franco’s troops dropped two bombs on the square, killing a total of 42 people, many of whom were orphans sheltering in the church. After the war Franco used propaganda to cover up his actions, claiming that the marks were from anarchist firing squads. However, in 2007 Barcelona City Council had a small plaque installed to commemorate those who died as a consequence of Franco’s actions.

Plaça de Sant Felip Neri

08002 Barcelona

Plaça de Sant Felip Neri, Barcelona
Plaça de Sant Felip Neri, Barcelona
Plaça de Sant Felip Neri, Barcelona
Plaça de Sant Felip Neri, Barcelona
Plaça de Sant Felip Neri, Barcelona
Plaça de Sant Felip Neri, Barcelona
Plaça de Sant Felip Neri, Barcelona
Plaça de Sant Felip Neri, Barcelona
Plaça de Sant Felip Neri, Barcelona
Plaça de Sant Felip Neri, Barcelona
Plaça de Sant Felip Neri, Barcelona
Plaça de Sant Felip Neri, Barcelona

Opening Hours

Monday:
Open 24 Hours
Tuesday:
Open 24 Hours
Wednesday:
Open 24 Hours
Thursday:
Open 24 Hours
Friday:
Open 24 Hours
Saturday:
Open 24 Hours
Sunday:
Open 24 Hours
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