MUHBA Turó de la Rovira

In March 2011, the new Turó de la Rovira heritage space was officially opened, following a restoration and heritage project in a city space that had until then been relatively degraded, isolated and unknown. It contained the remains of an anti-aircraft battery that helped to defend Barcelona from air attacks during the Civil War, as well as traces of the shantytown Canons district, which survived until 1990, and which formed part of the informal city of huts and shacks that was home to 7% of Barcelona’s population until the end of the 1950s.

The hill known as the Turó de la Rovira offers a 360º view of the city, and represents a perfect vantage point from which to look out on all the development and progress that took place on the plain of Barcelona. Originally an abandoned Iberian settlement, the drive to create modern Barcelona transformed the landscape around the Turó into agricultural land for growing carob and almond trees and vineyards. Later on, it became the location for summerhouses and small houses with gardens, while in some parts of the area building materials were extracted (such as the quarry at Can Baró). City services infrastructures were also built here, such as the Barcelona water company reservoir and the telecommunications aerials that can still be seen today.

The Museum's aim has been to highlight all these historical and heritage elements for visitors. It has created an in situ installation of five informative panels, published two urban history guides (Defensa/BCN, 1936-1939 and Barraques/BCN,) and also has been organising guided tours to the site. In addition, the Museum has promoted a methodological reflection that has produced a heritage-based intervention using on archaeological criteria especially for conserving fragile, modern structures.

The work that has been carried out (and which will soon be continued with the restoration of the northern side of the Turó and the preparation of the interior spaces for display) has been rewarded by large numbers of visitors coming to see this unique city space. In 2012, the site was awarded ex aequo the European Prize for Urban Public Space.

MUHBA Turó de la Rovira. The Civil War and Postwar Period

The archaeologic works have shown an unusual aspect of the hill, with the recovery of the Officials' Pavilion, the Troop's Pavilion  and the place of Command of Battery. 
The exhibition «Barcelona to the limit» shows the city under the bombs and the postwar informal city, where slums were the only option for many people.  All this encompasses the impact of the aerial war and shows how cities’ growth accelerated from the beginning to mid 20th century. 

Guide to the centre