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El Raval in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain — Southwestern Europe (Iberian Peninsula)
 

La Prisión de Reina Amalia
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La presó de Reina Amàlia
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Reina Amalia Prison

Programes de Memória

 
 
La Prisión de Reina Amalia / La presó de Reina Amàlia / Reina Amalia Prison Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, April 28, 2022
1. La Prisión de Reina Amalia / La presó de Reina Amàlia / Reina Amalia Prison Marker
Inscription.  
(Spanish:)
La Prisión de Reina Amalia
En esta plaza se encontraba el convento de Sant Severi Sand Pere Borromeu, quemado durante los motines de 1835. En 1838 empezó a funcionar como prisión municipal de corrección y presidio nacional de hombres y mujeres. Era la prisión de Reina Amalia, o prisión vieja. Aunque tenía 287 cámaras, siempre estuvo sobreocupada y las condi- ciones higiénicas eran deplorables. La rodeaban los patios de la Gardunya, Micos y Cordelers, donde se efectuaban las ejecuciones públicas. En 1893 se ejecutó a Aniceto Peinador, hecho en el que se basó Ramon Casas para pintar el cuadro El garrote vil, convertido en un símbolo de la brutalidad de la pena de muerte.

Con la inauguración de la prisión Modelo para hombres, la prisión de la Reina Amalia se convirtió en el primer presidio de mujeres de Barcelona, donde se privó de libertad a muchas mujeres de las clases populares que tenían que sobrevivir en una ciudad desigual, acusadas delitos por robos, estafas, práctica de la prostitución y por políticos, sobre todo de activismo sindicalista.

El 19 de julio de 1936 marcó el fin de la prisión: se liberó a las presas y la agrupación libertaria Mujeres Libres promovió su derribo, iniciándose oficialmente por resolución del Ayuntamiento de Barcelona el 21 de agosto, después de ser establecido por la Generalitat como presidio femenino el asilo del Bon Consell en Les Corts.


(Catalan:)
La presó de Reina Amàlia
En aquesta plaça es trobava el convent de Sant Sever i Sant Pere Borromeu, cremat durant la bullanga del 1835. El 1838 va començar a funcionar com a presó municipal de correcció i presidi nacional d'homes i dones. Era la presó de Reina Amàlia o "presó vella". Tot i que tenia 287 cambres sempre va estar sobreocupada i les condicions higièniques eren deplorabies. L'envoitaven els patis de la Gardunya, Micos i Cordelers, on es feien les execucions públiques. El 1893 es va executar Aniceto Peinador, fet en què es va basar Ramon Casas per pintar el quadre El garrot vil, convertit en un simbol de la brutalitat de la pena de mort.

Amb la inauguració de la presó Model per a homes, la presó de Reina Amàlia es va convertir en el primer presidi de dones de Barcelona, on es va privar de llibertat moltes dones de les classes populars que havien de sobreviure en una ciutat desigual, acusades per robatoris, estates, pràctica de la prostitució per delictes polítics. sobretot d'activisme sindicalista.

El 19 de juliol de 1936 va marcar la fi de la presó: es va alliberar les preses l'agrupació libertària Mujeres Libres en va, promoure l'enderroc, i es va iniciar oficialment per resolució de l'Ajuntament de Barcelona el 21 d'agost, després que la Generalitat establís com a presidi femení l'asi del Bon Consell, a les Corts.

(English:)
Reina Amalia Prison
This square is the former site of the Convent de Sant Severi Sant Pere Borromeu, which burnt down during the bullanga or revolt of 1835. It began operating as a municipal correctional prison in 1838 and a national prison for men and womier. It was known as the Reina Amalia Prison or Old Prison. It only had 287 cells but it was always overcrowded and had deplorable conditions of hygiene. It was surrounded by the courtyards of La Gardun Micos and Cordelers, where public executions were held Aniceto Peinador was executed there in 1893, an event that Ramon Casas based his painting "El Garrot Vil" on. The painting has become a symbol of the brutal nature of the death penalty.

When the Model prison for men officially opened, the Reina Amàlia prison became Barcelona's first gaol for women, depriving numerous many working-class women of their liberty who, forced to survive in a city full of inequality, had been accused of robbery, swindling, prostitution and political crimes, above all trade-union activism.

The prison was officiily closed on 19 July 1936 and its prisoners we freed. The pro-freedom group known as 'Mujeres Libres' called for its demolition, which officially began following a resolution passed by Barcelona City Council on 21 August, after the establishment of the Bon Consell women's prison in Les Corts by the Generalitat.

 
Erected 2017
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by Ajuntament de Barcelona.
 
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Law EnforcementWomen. In addition, it is included in the Barcelona Programes de Memòria series list. A significant historical date for this entry is July 19, 1936.
 
Location. 41° 22.591′ N, 2° 9.978′ E. Marker is in Barcelona, Cataluña (Catalonia). It is in El Raval. It is at the intersection of Ronda de Sant Pau and Plaça de Josep M. Folch i Torres, on the right when traveling north on Ronda de Sant Pau. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Barcelona, Cataluña 08001, Spain. Touch for directions.

Regionally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, in Europe, in the European Union, in Atlantic Europe, on the Iberian Peninsula, in the Schengen Area, in a coastal Mediterranean country, and in the Western World. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Byzantine Empire, a Spanish colony, and the Roman Empire.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Teresa Claramunt Creus (about 180 meters away, measured in a direct line); Frederic Mompou (about 240 meters away);
La Prisión de Reina Amalia / La presó de Reina Amàlia / Reina Amalia Prison Marker - wide view image. Click for full size.
Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, April 28, 2022
2. La Prisión de Reina Amalia / La presó de Reina Amàlia / Reina Amalia Prison Marker - wide view
LaSal bar-biblioteca feminista / LaSal feminist bar-library (approx. 0.3 kilometers away); Manuel Vázquez Montalbán (approx. 0.3 kilometers away); Lluís Gassó i Carbonell (approx. 0.3 kilometers away); Francesc Boix i Campo (approx. 0.4 kilometers away); Gun law and the murders of Salvador Seguí and Francesc Comas (approx. 0.4 kilometers away); Memorial to the Victims of the Bombing of March 1938 (approx. 0.6 kilometers away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Barcelona.
 
Also see . . .  Qué sabemos de la desaparecida prisión Reina Amalia de Barcelona (La Vanguardia, Jan. 6, 2022). Newspaper article, in Spanish, whose headline translates to "What do we know about the former Reina Amalia prison in Barcelona?" (Submitted on June 1, 2022.) 
 
Marker inset: the prison image. Click for full size.
3. Marker inset: the prison
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on February 3, 2023. It was originally submitted on May 31, 2022, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 468 times since then and 31 times this year. Photos:   1. submitted on May 31, 2022, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.   2, 3. submitted on June 1, 2022, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.
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Jul. 12, 2026