Photo Essay: Occupied Barcelona
By Victoria Law
Written on 6 April 2008
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Barcelona is home to over 300 squatted houses and cultural centers. Many are identifiable by the colorful murals and multitudes of information adorning their facades. Here are a few that you might encounter on a stroll through the city.
okupa y resiste
Visible from the walkway of the famous Parc Guell, the occupants of Kasa de la Muntanya utilize their roof to get their message out to international visitors.
Over the past decade, squatters have taken over abandoned houses throughout Barcelona, creating not only living space but also social centers to hold a range of events, including feminist pornography workshops, bike repair, punk shows and political discussions.
Unlike squats in other cities and countries, the ones in Barcelona stand out, even to the ordinary passerby: Visitors and residents of the city cannot miss the brightly colored murals adorning these social centers and houses. Although many do not open their doors to the public until after dusk, but one can always find out what is happening from the most recent layer of fliers pasted to the facade of these occupied buildings.
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