• 5 min de lectura
• 5 min de lectura
The former Serrallo air-raid shelter has been incorporated into the spaces of war and Francoist repression in Tarragona. This Thursday, October 1st, the unveiling ceremony of the plaque marking this site on Callao Street was held. Numerous residents of the fishing district, along with various authorities, including the Mayor of Tarragona, Rubén Viñuales, and the President of the Port Authority, Santiago J. Castellà, participated in the commemoration. This initiative, promoted by the Port of Tarragona, through its Archive and Museum, identifies and dignifies a space closely linked to the history of Serrallo and the effects of the Civil War in the city. The event is part of the Democratic Memory Program promoted by the Tarragona City Council, in which both port cultural facilities actively participate by organizing various activities.
By marking this space, the aim is to publicize the existence of this shelter, which had protected over five hundred people from the Civil War bombings. The subsequent construction of the railway network led to the destruction of a large part of the shelter, which is why it is not currently visitable. However, the new signage will contribute to its preservation and dignification, while also helping to disseminate the historical memory of the Serrallo neighborhood and the city as a whole.
"Today's event is not just the unveiling of a plaque; it is a vindication of the memory of Serrallo and the terrible experience that the Civil War was for the neighborhood and the city," said the President of the Port, Santiago J. Castellà. In this regard, he added that "with actions like this, we keep alive the memory of events that cannot leave us indifferent." Castellà also reaffirmed the Port's commitment to the preservation of historical memory and documentary heritage: "The Port Archive and Museum have become the bulwark of the memory of Serrallo and the port areas of the city. Their work over the years has allowed for the documentation and preservation of a heritage that, although intangible, has incalculable value. If it had not been for their work, it would have been lost."
For his part, the Mayor of Tarragona, Rubén Viñuales, explained that "from the Tarragona City Council, through the Department of Democratic Memory, we work with the conviction that remembering is useful. That looking to the past is not getting trapped in it, but rather better understanding who we are and how we got here."
Likewise, the president of the Serrallo Neighborhood Association, Sisco Cobo, highlighted the initiative, as it contributes to keeping the memory of the neighborhood alive and making it known to current generations. "The memory of Serrallo is one of the identifying features we have as a neighborhood, and now, with this commemorative plaque, we ensure that a historical episode and the stories of the people who took shelter in this refuge do not fall into oblivion."
The event also included an artistic and remembrance proposal by rhapsodist Encarna Laínez and clarinetist Núria Aguadé, who combined the public reading of texts related to air-raid shelters, bombings, and the memory of the civilian population with various musical interventions. This action provided a human and emotional dimension to the commemoration, evoking the experiences of the people who lived through those events.
With this initiative, the Port of Tarragona reaffirms its commitment to the recovery, preservation, and dissemination of democratic memory. The event held this Thursday is part of a program of activities that has included a conference on air-raid shelters in the city and the workshop "Telling archive stories. Disseminating memory," taught by Maribel Serra Pallarès, documentalist and historian.
This workshop, which will take place on October 5th and 13th at the Port Archive, is aimed at people interested in cultural and heritage dissemination, and will offer tools to transform archive documents into accessible and attractive stories for all citizens. The activity is free, but places are limited and prior reservation is required to participate.
Through the activities organized by the Port Archive and Museum, the Port promotes the preservation of documentary and historical heritage as a fundamental tool for understanding the past, fostering critical thinking, and transmitting collective memory to future generations.
The Tarragona City Council, through the Department of Democratic Memory, has sought to highlight the places that witnessed these tragic events linked to the Civil War and the Francoist dictatorship so that future generations understand the magnitude of the repression. The signage not only serves as a reminder of the horrors experienced but also acts as an educational and awareness-raising tool.
The placement of commemorative plaques aims to recover and dignify spaces representative of the struggle and conflicts to achieve democratic rights and freedoms, from the proclamation of the Second Republic to the democratic transition, with the aim of disseminating democratic memory and fostering critical reflection on the past. At the same time, it offers citizens and visitors a route to learn about and reflect on the recent past of our city and the democratic values we defend today.
