Vic is set to honour the centenary of Antoni Gaudí's death with a diverse cultural programme throughout October. The initiative, presented by the City Council of Vic, aims to bring Gaudí's work closer to the public through a range of activities held at various municipal facilities.
Gaudí, a prominent figure of Modernisme and the architect behind the famous Sagrada Família in Barcelona, had a significant connection to Vic. In 1910, he spent several weeks in the city, seeking inspiration during a challenging period for his health. Notably, on 7 September of that year, two lanterns designed by Gaudí were inaugurated in the main square of Vic as part of the centenary celebrations for the birth of Jaume Balmes.
The programme includes academic lectures, institutional events, tourism promotion, and participatory workshops. A commemorative plaque will be unveiled to mark Gaudí's stay in Vic, with a special focus on this event scheduled for 16 October. At 5:30 PM, architect Jordi Faulí, who is the director of the Sagrada Família, will deliver a lecture in the Sala de la Columna. Following this, at 7 PM, the plaque will be revealed at Casa Rocafiguera, the accommodation where Gaudí resided during his time in Vic.
“We know there were various contacts between the city of Vic and Gaudí,” said Bet Piella, the Councillor for Culture, during the presentation of the events. “It may seem like a minor detail, but we want to highlight that a genius like Gaudí came to Vic to recuperate from health issues.”
On the same day, the exhibition titled Forja y esgrafiados perdidos. Año Gaudí will open at the Joan Triadú Civic Centre, running until 31 December. This exhibition aims to recover the memory of lost wrought iron and sgraffito elements in Vic, which help to illustrate Gaudí's influence on the city.
In addition to the inaugural day, civic centres will offer a variety of workshops and lectures to explore Gaudí's artistic context and the construction techniques that inspired his work. Activities include a course on Catalan Modernisme at the CCVIC Joan Triadú, a workshop on the transition from Romanesque to Gothic architecture, and a practical course on dry stone construction at CCVIC Plaza de Osona.
The programme also features a series of lectures, including one titled Antoni Gaudí and Baroque Art: Affinities and Complicities by Professor Maria Garganté at the Roman Temple, as well as a hiking tour to discover cultural heritage. For families, there will be a participatory architecture workshop called Imagined Spaces, designed to engage participants in urban development.
All details regarding the Year of Gaudí events in Vic can be found on the City Council's website. Registration for activities is now open and can be done in person at civic centres, with payments required by card.
The Tourism Office has also organised a guided tour of the historical lanterns of Vic, which will take place every Sunday in October at 11:30 AM, departing from the Vic Tourism Office. As part of the Year of Gaudí, La Farinera, the Centre for Visual Arts in Vic, has introduced an augmented reality feature that allows visitors to see how Gaudí's lanterns originally appeared at their location in the square.
“This is an easy and free initiative that offers the opportunity to showcase a lost heritage of Vic to the public,” highlighted Anna Alemany, the Councillor for Tourism.
