Urban Planning, Ecological Transition, Urban Services and Housing

Plaça de Catalunya hosted the ceremony to switch on Barcelona’s Christmas lights with a show which over a thousand people were able to attend in person, despite the start time being put back due to rain.

The Ponten Pie company got things under way for the event to switch on the Christmas lights for 2021. Their production Ombrana offered a circus and music show where over twenty artists paid homage to the city, its lights and its people. The Christmas illuminations in Pl. Catalunya were switched on at 8.30 pm, with all the lights around the rest of the city going on at the same time and introducing a new design.

New design for the Christmas lights

Three city centres spaces (Pl. Catalunya, Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes and C/ Aragó) have new Christmas lights this year, created by the Estudi Antoni Arola. This is the first step in renewing the lights in all city centre streets so that the illuminations become a city icon.

The new lighting aims to improve the quality of lighting, with designs that create an image of Barcelona linked to its brand as a city of design, and which at the same time fits in with its values.

This year’s Christmas lighting will have more new features, for instance the section of Ronda de Sant Pere between Pg. Sant Joan and Pl. Urquinaona will get lighting for the first time, joining others that have been lit up for the first time in recent years. These include Pl. Catalunya, Pl. Urquinaona, Via Laietana and C/ Balmes, all consolidating the festive illuminations.

The new lighting aims to improve the quality of lighting, with designs that create an image of Barcelona linked to its brand as a city of design, and which at the same time fits in with its values.

This year’s Christmas lighting has more new features, for instance the section of Ronda de Sant Pere between Pg. Sant Joan and Pl. Urquinaona has lighting for the first time, joining others that have been lit up for the first time in recent years. These include Pl. Catalunya, Pl. Urquinaona, Via Laietana and C/ Balmes, all consolidating the festive illuminations.

Bigger Christmas lighting budget

This is the second year running that the budget for Christmas lighting will rise considerably, increasing from 1,662,000 euros to 2,148,500 euros, an additional 32.46%. This allows for more streets to have lighting in the city centre, for better quality lighting and for more lighting in streets covered by the Neighbourhood Plan and in areas where long-term works are in progress.

Collaboration from commerce

Besides public streets illuminated with wholly municipal funding, hundreds of streets and squares fill with Christmas lights through initiatives by retailers’ associations, which the City Council offers two funding mechanisms for: on one hand, through subsidies of 75% for Christmas lights, and on the other, through the possibility of the City Council directly contracting the installation of Christmas lights. This means associations do not need to contribute with funds until the installation is finished.