The Bunker

The Bunker is a military fortification complex located on Turó de la Rovira hill, standing 262 meters (860 feet) above sea level. The concrete structures offer sweeping views across Barcelona and the Mediterranean, and now serve as a museum space about the city's wartime history.

The complex was built between 1936 and 1939 during the Spanish Civil War as an anti-aircraft defense system to protect Barcelona from air raids. After the conflict ended, the fortifications were repurposed into residential housing that remained occupied for decades.

The site is named Turó de la Rovira and became a neighborhood after the war. Families lived in and around the bunker structures, creating their own community until it was cleared in the 1990s.

The site is easily reached by taking the metro to Alfons X station, where you can either walk uphill or take bus V17 to reach the top. The path is steep but well-maintained, and the climb takes about five minutes regardless of which route you choose.

After the war, the bunker installation was not demolished but instead became the foundation for informal housing developments. Hundreds of families built their homes around and within the concrete structures until the settlement was cleared in the 1990s.