Arcadia Spain

Last week we visited the Shelter 307, one of the shelters that were built during the Spanish Civil War, to protect from the indiscriminate bombing to which Barcelona was subjected.

Our students had the chance to travel back to the 30s and see how the citizens of Barcelona protected themselves from the bombings during the war; also they heard a lot of interesting stories told by people that actually lived at that time.

The Shelter 307 is one of the more than 1,000 bomb shelters built in the city and is a good example of passive defense. It comprises nearly 400 meters of tunnels, with a height of 2.10 meters and a width of between 1.5 and 2 meters. Also, it has a number of different facilities which were not common in other shelters–a toilet, water fountain, infirmary, a children's room, and a fireplace.

An interesting activity given that this shelter is one of the finest examples of its kind. That’s why it has now become a veritable memorial to the people's struggle to survive in the face of adversity. Our students were able to feel the anguish suffered by these people when they were forced to face a new phenomenon: The bombing of the civil population.