The La Model prison

Carrer d'Entença, 155

Timetable and prices
Ubication
Events

Opened in 1904, the Model prison was built in keeping with rationalistic trends at the time and for a large part of the 20th century was the most important prison in Catalonia. Its forthcoming demolition will free up space for municipal facilities in the neighbourhood.

A new generation of prisons

The La Model prison was based on the system devised by English thinker Jeremy Bentham, who came up with the idea of the panopticon, a type of institutional building with a central tower that allowed the whole complex to be controlled from a single surveillance point. The architects Salvador Vinyals and Josep Domènech i Estapà were responsible for its construction. Under the Franco regime, it became a symbol of repression: many political and trade union prisoners spent many years in its cells. Prisoners were executed here until 1974. The last was Salvador Puig Antich, one of the last victims of the dictatorship, who was executed by garrotte vil - and it was to him that Barcelona film director Manuel Huerga dedicated the film Salvador.

More than a hundred years of history

The future demolition of the Model prison will free up an area equivalent to one and a half residential blocks for neighbourhood use. That means residents in the Nova Esquerra de l’Eixample neighbourhood will gain a sizeable area for green spaces and municipal facilities, including a nursery school, a day centre for the elderly and a sports centre.

To take a guided tour of La Model you need to book in advance via their website. Open visits are also available on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays (not including public holidays).

- Smoking, drinking and eating are not permitted within the museum enclosure

- Pets are not allowed in La Model, the exception of assistance animals

Urban spaces

  • Eixample

    la Nova Esquerra de l'Eixample
Address:
Carrer d'Entença, 155
Districte:
Eixample
Neighborhood:
la Nova Esquerra de l'Eixample
City:
Barcelona
Getting there

Timetable

Periode Dies Hores Preus
De l'1 setembre al 31 juliol Divendres de 16.00 h a 18.00 h
Entrada Gratuïta
Dissabte de 10.00 h a 14.00 h i
de 16.00 h a 18.00 h
Diumenge de 10.00 h a 14.00 h

La Nit dels Museus 2025:

17 de maig

 de 19.00 h a 01.00 h
De l'1 agost al 31 agost Tots els dies tancat

Tancat

Tot l'any

 De dilluns a dissabte de 10.00 h a 20.00 h
Diumenge de 10.00 h a 14.00 h
Observations

Visites lliures a La Model

(sense guia)

No cal reserva prèvia

El Centre Penitenciari d'Homes de Barcelona La Model va ser projectat pels arquitectes Salvador Vinyals i Sabaté i Josep Domènech i Estapà, i inaugurat el 9 de juny de 1904. Va estar en servei durant 113 anys, que correspondrien als períodes que van des de la Restauració (Setmana Tràgica, Anarquisme, Sindicalisme), fins al Franquisme i la Democràcia.

L'Ajuntament de Barcelona, responsable actual de l'equipament des de l'1 de gener de 2018, continua avançant en la recuperació de l'edifici i la definició dels seus futurs usos.

Per visitar La Model cal fer reserva prèvia al seu web

- No és permès fumar, beure ni menjar dins el recinte

- No es pot accedir a la Model amb animals domèstics, excepte aquells que siguin d'assistència

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