Sometimes we prefer to get lost in the city without having a map in hand, bumping into places which we didn’t expect to find. But when it comes to exploring historical and mysterious spots we really like to know the story beforehand. This is how your mind is able to project how that place looked like decades (or even centuries) ago. La Plaça del Diamant, “Diamond square” is one of those places. Did you know that is also the title of one of the most iconic novels, written by one of the most famous Catalan writers? Get comfy while reading this, because here it comes one of those stories that we really like to tell…
La Plaça del Diamant, “Diamond square”, located in Gràcia neighborhood
Gràcia is one of our favorite neighborhoods in Barcelona. It feels kind of a little town without leaving the city (and even more, it is one the most centric areas). Walking the streets of Gràcia and exploring the little shops and daily life is something which we highly recommend to do when visiting Barcelona. And specially this: exploring the beautiful little squares distributed throughout the neighborhoods and have drinks or lunch at one of the many bars (but fingers crossed when it comes to find a table).
Among those little squares worth a visit, there is Plaça del Diamant, “Diamond square”. Why is this square special? Because it was the place which inspired one of the most famous Catalan novels that kept the same name: Plaça del Diamant, written by Mercè Rodoreda.
La Plaça del Diamant, the story of a society recovering after the Civil War
How people’s lives developed after a Civil War? Moreover, how does a society recover from that tragic episode and restart their lives, as they used to be? That daily life is the main focus of the novel written by famous Catalan writer Mercè Rodoreda. This novel was published in 1962 and has been translated to more than 30 languages.
Meet “Colometa”, placed right in the middle of “Diamond square”
Besides the commemorative plaque that was placed in the square to honour the writer (picture below) there is another visible element in this square directly linkedin to Mercè Rodoreda and its novel.
While exploring Plaça del Diamant (Diamond square) you will see a sculpture placed in one of the corners of the square. Her name is Natàlia but is popularly known as “Colometa”, and she is one of the main characters of Mercè Rodoreda’s novel. The story takes place in Barcelona, where Natàlia (la Colometa), a naive and shy girl attends the popular ball held in Plaça del Diamant. And there she will meet this guy Quimet with whom she falls in love…
Diamond square also hides a secret: an air-raid shelter
Among the hidden gems in Barcelona there is an air-raid shelter built under the square during the Civil War which is still preserved and open to the public for visiting through guided tours.
About Mercè Rodoreda, iconic Catalan writer
She is one of the most famous Catalan writers, an iconic author specially because she focused on human nature from a social and cultural perspective. And through her novels you can travel back in time and get to know the daily life of the Catalan society.