European map
City snapshot
Graffiti clean-up makes Barcelona a mess
A clean-up of Barcelona graffiti has not been without some opposition. A few months ago it was impossible to turn a corner without seeing graffiti. But this was no adolescent scrawl.
Barcelona street art was famous for its wit, and was not without some artistic merit. This was mainly because La Guardia Urbana would turn a blind eye so artists could create their wall paintings in the open and take their time over their work.
The result was works of street art that made every corner of Barcelona a surprise. Now they have been painted over. Laws have been tightened and graffiti artists fined if caught in the act.
Now all the good stuff has gone and only ugly spray can daubs remains. Street art was part of Barcelona's cultural identity - now it has been banished by short-sighted city fathers.
This article was written for TravelSavvy Europe by Gary Tench. If you know of an interesting European travel related news story, please get in contact.
