LET’S LOOK AFTER OUR HERITAGE
Barcelona’s streets are full of art, designed to interact not only with their surroundings, but above all with people. These works take many different forms, from the 15th-century gargoyles on Barcelona’s Cathedral to the Botero cat in the El Raval neighbourhood. They have come to define the city, and now form part of our identity.
Some of them are included in special plans and are listed, but we are working to increase both the inventory of public art and the number of pieces that should feature in the special plans and be duly listed, based on the criteria provided and validated by the Public Art Council.
Public art is heritage and identity, and belongs to all. And we want it to last over time, which is why we’re investing 1,140,000 euros a year in its restoration, maintenance and conservation.
RESTORATION
Careful restoration work is currently being carried out, under programmes aimed at restoring municipal heritage features of exceptional value. There is a master plan in place for all initiatives, and also a project for undertaking the renovation work in each case, as has been done with the Rec Comtal Master Plan, an initiative that aims to dignify and make visible and social value of this medieval ditch, which became a space for socializing of the Barcelona popular classes.
GOOD PRACTICE GUIDES
In order to promote good practice in work undertaken on building exteriors, we have started to publish manuals that provide guidance on how to proceed respectfully and with close attention to quality when carrying out renovation and restoration work, aiming to raise awareness and enhance the value of landscapes, heritage architecture in the broadest sense, and traditional construction techniques.
