Access ramps, 3D tactile models, elevators for comfortable and fast accessibility or adapted guided tours are just some of the services offered by the Monastery of Pedralbes in Barcelona, in collaboration with the Municipal Institute for People with Disabilities (IMPD) and the Institute of Culture of Barcelona (ICUB).
This historic space of more than 700 years makes culture available to everyone, regardless of our needs, through raised orientation maps as well as brochures and models in Braille. It is a benchmark for communication and physical accessibility, among other things, due to the removal of architectural barriers and the design of its paths, which are wide enough to facilitate the mobility of people in wheelchairs. It also has a medieval orchard with traditional irrigation facilities and autochthonous species that are currently no longer planted. The orchard has been adapted for people with disabilities, becoming a natural, inclusive and accessible space. It has been reconstructed through archaeological studies and its products, fresh and organic, are brought to a soup kitchen.
The tour was part of the Retreat programme on Wednesday 22 February 2023, and was organized by UCLG and the Municipal Institute of Persons with Disabilities Barcelona to celebrate and promote the pillars of the Pact for the Future, particularly the recognition of the universal right to accessibility. The Monastery, with its actions, is a leading example of equally promoting targets 11.2 and 11.3 of the Agenda 2030, which Barcelona is doing at the city scale.
The Municipal Institute for People with Disabilities (IMPD) works together with the Barcelona City Council and other entities to extend the concepts of accessibility and inclusion. 64 routed are already adapted to persons with disabilities. The tours on these paths lead through the emblematic parks of the city of Barcelona, museums, beaches and children’s play areas, bringing the right to the city to all people.