Barcelona is a city of solemn monuments, but also of icons forged on the asphalt, amid the lights of the cabarets and the audacity of the streets. That is why the Barcelona City Council’s decision to finally install a plaque in memory of Carmen de Mairena is not merely an administrative act; it is an act of poetic justice for the neighborhood that saw her become a legend.
After six years of pressure from her closest circle and the city’s LGBTQI+ activists, the city council has given the green light to the recognition. The meeting place could be none other than number 6 Sant Ramon Street in the Raval, the building where the artist lived for decades and which became a place of pilgrimage for those seeking an autograph or simply a greeting from the woman who made rhyme her best weapon of defense.
A Sunday of rhymes and sequins in Sant Ramon
The unveiling of the plaque is scheduled for this Sunday, March 22, at 11:30 a.m. at 6 Sant Ramon Street. The date carries significant emotional weight, as it coincides with the anniversary of her death in 2020, a time when the lockdown prevented the city from giving her the final farewell she deserved. Now, with the open skies of the Raval as a witness, the tribute promises to recapture that festive spirit she always championed.
The event will not be limited to formal institutional speeches. Following remarks from City Hall and Adrián Amaya, at 12 p.m. the celebration will move to the Plaza de la Filmoteca, where there will be various shows and musical performances to give the tribute a festive atmosphere. Rubén, Desiré, and Amaya himself will be in charge of putting the finishing touch on a morning that promises to be as exciting as it is eccentric.
The legacy of the woman who put the Raval on the map
Beyond the laughter and her viral catchphrases, Carmen de Mairena was a key figure in understanding the transformation and resilience of Ciutat Vella. Before becoming the television phenomenon we all remember, she was Miguel de Mairena, a variety artist who suffered repression and the Vagrancy Act during the Franco regime. Her transition and subsequent success made her a symbol of freedom and authenticity in an era when being different came at a high price.
This recognition comes after a campaign on Change.org that gathered thousands of signatures and the support of virtually all LGTBIQ+ associations in Catalonia, from the Trans Platform to the FAGC. With this gesture, Barcelona not only remembers a beloved neighbor but also officially acknowledges that the city’s history is also written with names like Carmen’s—people who chose to live facing the neighborhood rather than turning their backs on reality.
