Plaça dels Països Catalans

Plaça dels Països Catalans is one of the historic squares at the heart of Molins de Rei, a Catalan town in the Baix Llobregat district, a short train ride from Barcelona. Despite sharing its name with a better-known square in Barcelona and gardens in el Masnou, this is a distinct local landmark with its own layered history stretching back to the late 19th century.

How did this square come to be?

The land where the square now stands became available in 1897, when the town's municipal cemetery was relocated elsewhere. That move opened the door for Molins de Rei to expand its urban center in this direction, and the vacant plot gradually developed into a public square. Over the following decades it went through several names — first the Old Cemetery Square, then the New Square, and for a period it honored the Catalan writer Àngel Guimerà.

The square's real transformation came between 1924 and 1927, when it was formally urbanized and turned into a recreational space for residents. Single-family homes in the Modernist style — typical of Catalan architecture of that era — were built around it at the same time, and these buildings still give the square its distinctive character today, setting it apart from the town's newer developments.

What can you see there today?

The most telling part of the square's story is the monument at its center, which mirrors Spain's turbulent 20th-century history. After the Spanish Civil War ended, in 1939 a monolith was erected here to honor those who "fell for God and Spain," and the square itself was renamed accordingly under Francoist nomenclature. That name was later Catalanized and shortened to "Square of the Fallen" (plaça dels Caiguts), before eventually settling into its current form, Plaça dels Països Catalans.

In 2001 the Francoist obelisk was torn down, part of a broader wave across Catalonia of removing dictatorship-era symbols from public spaces. The spot did not stay empty for long: in 2006 a new bronze-and-stone sculpture was unveiled, depicting an allegorical founding scene with King Alfons I the Chaste and Bernat Ferrer, a figure tied to the legend of the town's origins. That sculpture is now the square's main point of interest for visitors.

How to get there and when to visit?

The square sits right in the center of Molins de Rei, easily reached by Rodalies commuter train from Barcelona — the ride typically takes somewhere between fifteen and twenty-five minutes. From the station it's a short walk to the square through the town's historic quarter. It's worth pairing the visit with a stroll through the surrounding streets, where Modernist townhouses from the 1920s still stand.

Molins de Rei is a quiet town, so the square is best experienced during the day, when local life is at its liveliest — residents walking through, running errands, or chatting on the benches. Spring and autumn are the most pleasant seasons thanks to the mild Mediterranean climate, though the square is worth a visit at any time of year.

Frequently asked questions

Is Plaça dels Països Catalans in Molins de Rei the same place as the square with the same name in Barcelona? No. These are two separate locations that happen to share a name popular across Catalonia, referencing the idea of the Catalan Countries. The square in Molins de Rei sits in the center of that town, not in Barcelona.

What does the sculpture currently standing on the square depict? The bronze-and-stone composition installed in 2006 shows an allegorical founding scene for the town, featuring Alfons I the Chaste and Bernat Ferrer.

Why has the square changed names so many times? Each name change reflects a different chapter of Spanish and Catalan history — from the pre-war period, through the Francoist era, to present-day Catalonia — with the same public space renamed to fit the politics of the moment.

Is it worth combining a visit to the square with exploring the rest of Molins de Rei? Yes. Nearby you'll find Modernist townhouses from the 1920s and the town's historic center, both easily covered in the same walk.