Placa de Sant Felip Neri (St. Philip Neri Square), Barcelona

Tucked away in Barcelona's Gothic Quarter, the square of Saint Philip Neri is a picturesque spot exuding a romantic charm, often overlooked by many. The square is named after the Church of Saint Philip Neri which dominates the area. Adjacent to it is the school of the same name, utilizing the square as a playground, and a house occupied by the Oratory of Saint Philip Neri. Central to the square is an octagonal fountain, symbolizing life, surrounded by buildings of Renaissance and Baroque styles.

Historically, this land was the cemetery for the Cathedral of Barcelona's parishioners, guild members, and even condemned criminals. Known as the Nazareth Pit by the 17th century, it became overcrowded during the 1653 Black Death epidemic and served as a mass grave for various tragedies, including a galley wreck in 1684. In 1809, it became the final resting place for patriots executed in an anti-Napoleonic plot. However, burials ceased in 1816 when an old decree to eliminate parish cemeteries was enforced, leading to the transformation of the cemetery into a smaller square.

Curiously enough, at some point, the square housed a unique smugglers' museum in one of the buildings, which is now gone, displaying some 300 objects used for smuggling.

A tragic chapter in the square's history unfolded during the Spanish Civil War. A bomb dropped on January 30, 1938, killed 42 people, mostly children from the adjacent school and refugees from Madrid sheltered at a makeshift orphanage within the church. The second bomb, hitting the square during rescue operations, caused further destruction.

The remnants of these bombings are evident in the pockmarked walls of the church. Post-war, Francoist propaganda misleadingly attributed these marks to bullets from anarchists executing church priests, obscuring the true cause. Today, the Church of Saint Philip Neri is a favored venue for classical concerts due to its unique acoustics.

After the war, the area's rebuilding incorporated Renaissance facades from demolished buildings. A 2009 archaeological survey unearthed a medieval wall, hinting at the site's extensive historical layers, dating back before the 18th-century church and convent constructions.

Presently, despite its turbulent past, Saint Philip Neri Square enjoys a peaceful atmosphere, starkly contrasting its history of violence. This blend of historical depth and cultural vibrancy makes it a profound symbol of Barcelona's layered history and its capacity for renewal and remembrance.