A market for the 21st century

The 2009 renovation meant the market was modernised and adapted to meet today’s needs without losing its essence. It is a very valuable Modernista building in terms of heritage and has a long tradition in the neighbourhood. The remodelling resulted in a bigger surface area and better services, leading to a considerable increase in visitors: customers went from 936,000 in the year before it was renovated to more than 1,800,000 after, almost double!

Modernista building

Llibertat Market, which opened in 1893, fit in with the contemporary trend for public buildings, such as stations and markets, which adopted the Modernista style while integrating the new construction systems used in European buildings such as Les Halles in Paris.

The building, designed by the then Gràcia municipal architect Miquel Pasqual Tintorer, has a rectangular structure and three aisles, a high, wide central aisle and two symmetrical side ones. These are covered by a pitched roof made of glazed ceramic tiles, supported by a metal structure. The walls are bare brick and have openings that let in air and natural light. The decoration, based on wrought iron, includes a coat of arms by Francesc Berenguer i Mestres, who was very close to Antoni Gaudí’s circle.