A Salvador Allende

A Salvador Allende is a memorial monument and square in Barcelona dedicated to Chilean president Salvador Allende, located in the El Carmel neighborhood within the Horta-Guinardó district.

Where is the Salvador Allende square located?

The square sits in the upper part of El Carmel, next to the local civic center. Because of the steep slope of the surrounding land, the space was designed as a series of terraces at different levels, linked by stairways and paths — a layout common across this hillside part of Barcelona, where the neighborhood climbs the slopes of Collserola.

Why was the square named after Allende?

The idea to name the square after Salvador Allende emerged in 1983, on the tenth anniversary of the military coup in Chile and the president's death. The proposal quickly gathered support from Barcelona's civic associations and the local Chilean community, for whom the site became a symbolic point of reference. The city council formally approved the name in December 1984, and the square was officially inaugurated in January 1985.

When was the monument built and who created it?

The monument itself was added more than a decade after the square opened. In 1997, a sculpted portrait of Allende was placed in the lower section of the square, created by Chilean artist Lautaro Díaz Silva, born in 1953 in Antofagasta. On September 11, 1997 — the 25th anniversary of the coup — a bronze plaque with an explanatory text about the former Chilean president was unveiled on a wall at the highest point of the square, alongside a sculpted rendering of his face by the same artist. Díaz Silva later created a second Allende monument, unveiled in Lleida in 1998.

Has the monument's position within the square changed?

Yes. Following a renovation of the square in 2007, the sculpture was moved from the lower level up to the top terrace, where it now stands close to the 1997 memorial plaque. The relocation was part of a broader redesign of the square's layout, intended to give the monument greater visual prominence.

Are commemorative events held here?

Since 1986 — the year after the square's official opening — a tribute to Salvador Allende has been held here every September 11. The event regularly draws representatives of the Horta-Guinardó district authorities, democratic memory organizations, and members of Barcelona's Chilean community. The annual ceremony reinforces the square's role as a place of memory tied to Chile's political history of the 1970s.

What should visitors know before going?

The Salvador Allende square is not a mainstream tourist attraction in central Barcelona but a quiet, neighborhood-level memorial embedded in a residential district. It pairs well with a visit to the nearby Turó de la Rovira hill or Park Güell, both located in the same part of the city. The bus is the most practical way to reach it, since the nearest metro stations lie some distance from the square.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where exactly is the Salvador Allende square located? In the El Carmel neighborhood of the Horta-Guinardó district in Barcelona, next to the local civic center.

When was the square named after Salvador Allende? The name was approved in December 1984, and the square was formally inaugurated in January 1985.

Who created the monument? The sculpted portrait and the accompanying plaque were made by Chilean artist Lautaro Díaz Silva, unveiled in 1997.

Has the monument always stood in the same spot on the square? No. It was originally placed in the lower section of the square and was moved to the upper terrace after a 2007 renovation.