A school without religion, without punishments, and with science? In 1901, that was dynamite.

In the heart of modernist Barcelona, while Gaudí was building temples and the bourgeoisie was strolling along Passeig de Gràcia, a man named Francesc Ferrer i Guàrdia was founding something even more provocative than a trencadís façade: the Modern School.

This school not only taught science, hygiene, and critical thinking, but it did so without any restrictions, without punishment, and without fear of questioning the system. In other words: it was an educational bomb.

The context: an education dominated by the Church

At the beginning of the 20th century, the Spanish education system was tightly controlled by religious orders, such as the Dominicans, Marists, and Jesuits. Teaching was dogmatic, focused on religion, obedience, and memorization. Public education was scarce, and private education served Catholic morality and conservative power.

In this context, the Modern School was a true pedagogical and cultural revolution. An anti-establishment project that directly challenged the ideological pillars of the State and the Church.

Who was Ferrer i Guàrdia?

Francesc Ferrer i Guàrdia was a Catalan educator, freethinker, and activist who believed that education should be the tool to free people from ignorance, imposed religion, and blind obedience.

Inspired by French anarchism and rationalism, he founded the Modern School in Barcelona in 1901. His goal: to educate free, critical, and responsible citizens. His method: to eliminate religion, foster scientific thought, and treat children as human beings, not miniature soldiers.

What was “modern” about this school?

• No religionNo catechism, no confessions, no holy cards. Just science, ethics, and philosophy.
• CoeducationBoys and girls learning together. In 1901, this was almost science fiction.
• No physical punishment: Because educating is not taming.
• Excursions, laboratories and debates: Learn by doing, not by repeating.
• Own materials: Books written by scientists and progressive thinkers, not by clergymen.

And how did it all end?

Spoiler: bad.

In 1909, following Barcelona's Tragic Week, Ferrer was accused (without evidence) of instigating the revolt. He was shot on Montjuïc, and his school was closed. But his legacy spread throughout Europe and Latin America, where dozens of schools inspired by his model sprang up.

Today, Ferrer i Guàrdia is a symbol of free and secular education, and his story remains as uncomfortable as it is inspiring.

What does this have to do with humor?

Everything. Because Barcelona's history is full of people who took life (and education) very seriously... and that, in retrospect, makes for a lot of laughs.

At HL Comedy Tours, we tell this story with precision, but also with irony, sarcasm, and the occasional laugh. Because if you can't laugh at a school that nearly burned down the education system... what can you laugh at?

Book your tour with HL Comedy Tours in Barcelona

Do you want to discover the history of Ferrer i Guàrdia, the Modern School, and other rebellious corners of Barcelona with a good dose of humor? Join our comedy tours of Barcelona, where we combine history, anecdotes, and stand-up comedy in the city's most surprising streets.

Book now at hlcomedytours.com either histary.es
Laugh, learn, and rediscover Barcelona like never before!