LONG-FORGOTTEN entrances to underground shelters were uncovered earlier this month during renovation work in Barcelona’s Hostafrancs neighbourhood.
The discovery was made as workers upgraded a street in the Hostafrancs neighborhood of the Sants-Montjuïc district, revealing staircases leading down into spaces untouched for decades.
The first two entrances were found on March 3, with a third uncovered on March 11, each opening into narrow passageways beneath the surface.
Built during the Spanish Civil War, these shelters were used by civilians seeking safety during repeated air raids on the city.
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At the time, Barcelona was heavily bombed, forcing thousands of residents to take cover underground, sometimes for hours at a time.
Experts believe the newly uncovered entrances may correspond to shelters listed in historic records as 0657, 0874 and 0421, although this has yet to be confirmed.
Each shelter was part of a wider network across the city, with more than 1,000 such refuges constructed to protect the population.
On March 25, officers from the Mossos d’Esquadra entered the shelters to carry out a safety inspection.
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Their Basement Unit managed to access part of the structure, but concerns over a possible collapse meant they could only reach an initial chamber.
Because of this risk, Barcelona’s Archaeology Service has not yet been able to explore further into the tunnels.
For now, what lies beyond the first cavity remains unknown, adding to the mystery surrounding the discovery.
The work that led to the find is part of a wider plan to make C/ 26 de Gener de 1641 more accessible and pedestrian-friendly.
The street itself is named after the 17th-century Battle of Montjuïc, meaning it now carries layers of history both above and below ground.
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Once the structures are fully assessed, authorities will decide whether to preserve the shelters as they are or potentially open them to the public in the future.
For locals and visitors, the find offers a rare and tangible glimpse into how ordinary people once lived through extraordinary danger beneath the streets of Barcelona.
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