The PP has criticized Mayor Jaume Collboni for removing street names associated with saints in Barcelona, claiming it erases the city's cultural heritage. This controversy raises questions about historical preservation and modern identity.
The recent decision by Barcelona’s city council to remove several street names associated with saints has sparked significant controversy. The president of the municipal group of the People’s Party (PP), Daniel Sirera, publicly condemned Mayor Jaume Collboni for what he describes as a “crusade against streets named after saints.” This move is seen as part of a broader trend that threatens to erase elements of the city’s religious and cultural history.
In a statement released on Saturday, Sirera highlighted that over the past decade, seven street names linked to religious figures have been removed from Barcelona’s nomenclature without any new additions. The most recent change involved replacing Plaza de Sant Josep de Calassanç, known for founding the Pious Schools, with Plaza de les Tortugues.
This alteration is not an isolated incident; it follows similar changes affecting streets named Santa Àgata, Santa Rosa, Santa Magdalena, Sant Rafael, and Sant Martí. Additionally, the name of Sant Juníper Serra was removed from a square in Bon Pastor. These actions have raised alarms among those who view them as an attack on traditional values.
Sirera further criticized the council’s decision to eliminate the title “Mossèn” from gardens dedicated to Jacint Verdaguer, one of Catalonia’s most revered literary figures. He argued that this change diminishes Verdaguer’s significance by stripping away his clerical identity. According to Sirera, this decision was supported by votes from various political groups including PSC (Socialist Party), ERC (Republican Left), Barcelona en Comú (Barcelona in Common), and Junts.
“Collboni is more concerned with erasing saints and priests from plaques than addressing pressing issues like street cleanliness or housing access,”
Sirera stated during a press conference.
The PP leader emphasized that traditional street names are integral to Barcelona’s collective memory and cultural identity. He asserted that removing these designations does not modernize or diversify the city but rather diminishes its historical richness.
This debate echoes similar discussions in other European cities where historical preservation clashes with contemporary values. For instance, in London during the early 2000s, there were heated debates over renaming streets associated with colonial figures amidst calls for greater inclusivity.
Sirera called upon the municipal government to halt any further removals of traditional names tied to Barcelona’s religious heritage. He urged that future changes be guided by objective criteria reflecting historical significance and community consensus rather than ideological motives.
“Eliminating these denominations does not make Barcelona more modern or plural; it makes it less memorable,”
he concluded.
The ongoing debate raises important questions about how cities navigate their histories while embracing modernity. As public sentiment continues to evolve regarding cultural representation in urban spaces, residents may soon find themselves at a crossroads between tradition and progress.
For those interested in following this issue closely or participating in upcoming discussions about urban naming conventions in Barcelona, local council meetings are scheduled bi-weekly at City Hall on Carrer de la Ciutat until further notice. Community members are encouraged to voice their opinions during public comment periods.
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