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Barcelona in the mid-20th century had two municipal markets. The first was located on Carrera Street, near the Power Plant; and the second replaced the first on a plot located near the Peracamps dispensary, between Cid, Berenguer el Vell and Arc del Teatre streets.
After the end of the civil war, that part of the population had a difficult time finding a market where they could make purchases, first because the San Antonio and La Boqueria markets were far away and also because of a purchasing power problem.
This was the main reason that a series of street stalls began to be installed in the back of the Drassanes that cushioned the shortage of supplies for the inhabitants of the Raval, but which, at the same time, created a bad image of dirt in that part of the Chinatown. .
In order to eliminate the uncontrolled trade that existed in the area near the Portal de Santa Madrona and adjacent streets, the government made the decision to build a municipal market in the area and eliminate that uncontrolled trade in which vendors were summoned. authorized and clandestine sellers who, when not controlled, represented a notable danger to public health with the appearance of a souk.
The first problem the government encountered was the location of the market. A plot was located located in the old Huertas de San Beltrán, on the other side of Marqués del Duero Avenue, on Carrera Street, near the Power Plant and in front of the section of wall of the old Shipyards, which had previously been a military compound.
The solution was accepted by the municipal authorities, who in 1940 had acquired the building as a site to store demolished buildings.
The new Atarazanas market known to the public as Mercado del Carme was built with a gabled roof. He had placed a niche in the entrance door in which was placed an image of the Virgin of Carmen, patron saint of fishermen, hence the name acquired later.
The inauguration took place on May 9, 1950. Street vending was not completely eradicated because vendors without proper papers continued to appear in the vicinity of the market.
In the mid-1960s, its transfer began to be considered when the former Municipal Supply Commission verified that the surroundings of the market had been taken over by street vendors who not only competed with the authorized sellers, but also sold their products. without the minimum sanitary control.
These events advised the city council to build a new market close to the area, but within what was the Raval neighborhood on the other side of Marqués del Duero.
In 1965, a series of expropriations began in buildings located within the perimeter of Cid, Berenguer el Vell and Arc del Teatre streets, close to the place where the now-defunct La Criolla cabaret had been built.
Once the expropriations were finished and the obstacles of the narrowness of the adjacent streets were overcome so that the trucks could arrive and their goods could be unloaded, the market began to be built in 1969.
Its architects Josep Anglada, Daniel Gelabert and Josep Ribas, once the obstacles to reconditioning the area had been overcome, began the construction of the new Nuestra Señora del Carmen market building.
The new building would be built on a single floor and would have the peculiarity that, instead of having a two-sided roof, it would be completely smooth. This was intended to be used as a parking lot and merchandise unloading area.
All those who have followed my articles will have verified my little sympathy with Mayor José María de Porcioles, due to the number of demolitions of modernist buildings during his mandate.
On this occasion my criticisms are due to the inauguration of the market, since for unknown reasons it took place on July 28, 1972, without being completely finished and without the merchants' stops being finished.
The event, apart from the presence of Porcioles, was attended by Benito Solanas representing the construction company and a commission of merchants.
The official and definitive inauguration took place on Friday, October 13 at 6 pm. The news was commented on in La Vanguardia the next day. He was accompanied by the district councilor, Carmen González, and the services delegate, Parpal, as well as the directors of the construction company.
However, something about this story doesn't add up to me. At the inauguration in July they announced a parking lot of 80 cars, but, at the inauguration in October, the parking had risen to 200 and when they talk to us about paradistas they give a figure of 310, when in current markets you have 200 to 250.
Despite serving the inhabitants of the V district, it was never considered by its inhabitants as a place for everyday shopping, rather a bad solution in those moments of the seventies, which caused a lack of service that meant a lack of clientele and , consequently, the closure of stops.
With the beginning of the new century and given the zero hopes of revaluing it, the city council made the decision to close it on November 9, 2006.
