Police and archaeologists in Barcelona have uncovered a large Civil War-era air-raid shelter in the Sants–Montjuïc district, after three access points were found during recent street development works.
The discovery was made at ‘Carrer del 26 de Gener de 1641’, between the Hostafrancs and La Bordeta neighbourhoods, where the first entrance was identified on 3 March, followed by two more later the same day and on 11 March. The access points came to light during renovation work in the area, prompting a joint intervention by the underground unit of the Catalan police (Mossos d’Esquadra) and Barcelona City Council’s Archaeology Department.
On Wednesday, teams entered one of the three access points, confirming the presence of a substantial underground structure dating back to 1938, during the Spanish Civil War.
‘It’s a large shelter,’ Ariadna Muñoz, head of the archaeological team, told reporters after the inspection.
Muñoz said the space measures more than 200 square metres and appears to have been constructed hastily, possibly left unfinished. ‘It was likely done in a rush and left incomplete,’ she added, noting that the gallery abruptly comes to an end.
Inside, archaeologists found a range of features including latrines with access to running water, a jug, ceiling-mounted electrical installations, and brick-built sections. Openings in the walls may have served as cupboards, while further inside the structure extends into a gallery and a tunnel carved directly into clay. For safety reasons, teams were unable to explore this section further.
The initial access area is in relatively good condition, although the structure becomes more fragile deeper inside, particularly in the clay-dug sections.
Sergeant Toni Molina of the Mossos police said the other two entrances have not yet been accessed due to structural risks. ‘There are detached side blocks that could compromise safety,’ he said, adding that further inspections will determine how to proceed.
The explored entry has been catalogued as shelter ‘0657’ in official records. Archaeologists have cleared debris and carried out targeted openings in recent weeks to confirm the extent of the underground remains.
Authorities are now working to establish whether the three entrances belong to a single shelter or to separate structures, potentially linked to other known refuges in the area.
According to Barcelona City Council, more than 1,300 air-raid shelters were recorded across the city during the Civil War between 1936 and 1939. While most were sealed or disappeared after the conflict, several have since been restored and opened to the public, including Shelter 307 in Poble-sec, the refuge in Plaça del Diamant in Gràcia, and the shelter at Plaça de la Revolució.
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🪖 Troben a Sants-Montjuïc 3 entrades a refugis antiaeris de la Guerra Civil.
— RTVE Notícies (@rtvenoticies) March 25, 2026
Van aparèixer a principis de març mentre es feien unes obres | #ElVespre #La2Cat pic.twitter.com/mJ7DFS3EoC
🎥 Accedim a l’interior dels refugis antiaeris.
— Mossos (@mossos) March 25, 2026
La Unitat de Subsol ha fet la inspecció de seguretat, però el risc de col·lapse estructural ha limitat l’accés a una primera cavitat.
Per aquest motiu, el Servei d’Arqueologia de Barcelona no ha pogut avançar més en l’exploració. pic.twitter.com/JFYarlb70T
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