It seems unbelievable, but it is so: the man who designed modern Barcelona, the father of those octagonal blocks that define the Eixample and that (almost) everyone admires, Ildefons Cerdà, does not have a great monument in the city he drew. Beyond the commemorative plaque that was placed in January in the house where he lived, the great tribute was pending.
Well, it was about time. Barcelona has put the batteries and plans to settle this historical debt in 2026.
A tribute in a key year
The news has been confirmed by the Councillor for Culture, Xavier Marcé, on Tuesday, November 11. The chosen date is no coincidence: 2026 is the year in which Barcelona will hold the title of World Capital of Architecture UIA-UNESCO. An unbeatable global showcase to finally honor the urban planner who conceived the Eixample as a “smart city” of the nineteenth century.According to Marcé, the City Council already has on the table three artistic proposals from which the final design will be chosen.
The big question now is: where? If Cerdà planned an entire city, finding the perfect corner is a challenge. The councilman of Culture has explained that the chief architect of the consistory, Maria Buhigas, is looking for the location that is “most suitable” to “do justice to Cerdà”.
Those with a good memory will remember that this is not a new debate. Two years ago, it was proposed that the monument be located in Plaça de les Glòries, that great road junction that Cerdà imagined as the true nerve center of his Eixample. However, that plan (which included an international competition) now seems to be on stand-by pending Buhigas’ final decision.
The insistence of a chronicler
This monument is not just a last-minute political initiative to coincide with the capital. It is, to a large extent, the result of the insistence of one of the city’s great storytellers: the journalist and chronicler Lluís Permanyer.
As reported by La Vanguardia, it was the Junts group who took the request to the culture commission, taking up the gauntlet of Permanyer, who has been demanding this recognition for years. The municipal government (PSC) accepted the proposal, recognizing the need for this tribute.