Did you know that the Diada doesn't celebrate a victory, but a defeat?
What a defeat, gentlemen. One of those that makes you lose the game, the stadium, and even the ball. Catalonia Day, celebrated every September 11, commemorates the fall of Barcelona in 1714 during the War of the Spanish SuccessionAnd although the battle was lost, a symbol of resistance was born that lives on three centuries later.
The Origin: A War for a Childless King
It all started in 1700, when Charles II “the Bewitched”The last of the Habsburgs, died childless. And of course, when there's no heir, what follows is a throne battle that not even HBO could match.
Two candidates were vying for the throne:
- Philip of Anjou, supported by France and Castile (the future Bourbons).
- Charles of Austria, Archduke and brother-in-law of the deceased, supported by Aragon and Catalonia.
Catalonia bet on Charles, seeking to maintain its laws, institutions, and autonomy. But as in every good tragic story, they backed the losing horse.
The Siege of Barcelona: 14 Months of Resistance
In 1713, after the withdrawal of the allied troops, Barcelona decided to resist aloneFor 14 months, the city was bombarded by the Bourbon troops of Philip V. The neighborhood of the Bank It was razed to the ground, and thousands of citizens died defending their city.
He September 11, 1714, Barcelona fell. And that is where what we commemorate today begins as the Catalonia Day.
Bourbon reprisals: when revenge became architecture
The Citadel: The Castle of Fear
Philip V ordered the construction of a star-shaped military fortress in the Born district. The objective? To control the city and remind it who was in charge. Two of its bastions pointed directly at the city, as if to say: "Another rebellion? We'll bomb you to your very core."
To build it, they demolished the Ribera neighborhood and forced residents to dismantle their own homes stone by stone. The stones were reused to build the Citadel. Barcelona's first mass eviction. Traumatized urban planning.
Surrealist regulations: knives tied
Bourbon paranoia reached such a point that a rule was imposed: The knives had to be tied to the tables with ropesJust in case anyone dared to rebel while I was cutting the bread. Revolution? No. Tortilla? No, either.
The martyr: Josep Moragues i Mas
The Catalan general who led the defense was captured and subjected to exemplary punishment:
- They dragged him through the city in a penitent's shirt.
- They cut his throat and decapitated him.
- His head was displayed in a rusty cage for 12 years in the Palau Square.
A macabre “souvenir” so that no one would forget what happens when you confront power.
The Fossar de les Moreres: the cemetery of heroes
The city's defenders were buried in this square. Today it is a symbol of resistance. It reads:
“The Fossar de les Moreres does not bury a traitor.
“Fins perdent our flags, it will be the urn of honor.”
What if you revive it on a tour?
He Born It is a vibrant neighborhood today, but beneath its streets lie history, ruins, and memory. On the tour of HL Comedy ToursThis tragedy is told with humor, irony, and emotion. Because laughing at the past isn't forgetting it, it's understanding it.
Book now at hlcomedytours.com either histary.es
Laugh, learn, and rediscover Barcelona like never before!
What does the Diada mean?
The Catalonia Day does not celebrate a victory, but the dignity of resistanceIt's the memory of a city that fought for its rights, its identity, and its freedom. And even though it lost, it didn't give up.
