(English) Secret spaces in Barcelona: la Plaza de Sant Agustí Vell

Barcelona is a great city to dive into and discover all the precious and charming hidden little corners it has to offer. We suggest you try to exploresome of the ‘less well-known’, but still very beautiful, parts of the city, just like the Plaza de Sant Agustí Vell.

Agustinos Convent lends its name to the Plaza de Sant Agustí Vell

In the 13^th century, construction of the Agustinos Convent was completed. This convent was never the most popular in the city and, having to make ends meet with just donations throughout its entire history, life was far from easy.

During the siege of Barcelona in 1713, the convent suffered major damage, so much so that in 1716, King Felipe V ordered its transformation and allocated it to the military to protect the city instead.

But various parts of the convent were kept as they were, including both the church and parts of the cloister. The buildings remained in military service until the Franco regime arrived and it eventually fell into disuse.

Plaza de Sant Agustí Vell: a tourist attraction in the city

Today, the remains of the convent have been transformed into a civic centre and a wonderful tourist attraction for Barcelona. There are plenty of spaces in the city that hold a huge amount of Catalan history and we wholeheartedly recommend a visit to any of them, some of which we’ve mentioned in previous posts, like Plaza de Sant Felip Neri.

But one of the main attractions of this place is the beautiful bar that been built into the stunning cloister archways. Here, you can enjoy a relaxing drink whilst taking in the views from the terrace under the arches of the ancient cloisters.

Continue your visit by heading behind the convent. There, you’ll find the Chocolate Museum and the Arxiu Fotogràfic de Barcelona.  The Chocolate Museum doesn’t have to do all that much to attract visitors, given its name, but its amazing exhibitions are guaranteed to enchant, and you’ll probably leave with just a slight urge for a tasty treat or two… Meanwhile, at Arxiu Fotogràfic, you’ll find the largest collection of photographs of Barcelona, where you can travel back in time through the city’s vibrant history via the amazing exhibitions.

At HCC Hotels, we want to help you discover the history of the city and turn your trip to Barcelona into a journey of discovery, exploring all the fantastic secret spaces on offer.

Categories: barcelona