Free exhibition in Barcelona: more than 100 paper models at L'Illa Diagonal until 21 March

A free exhibition at L’Illa Diagonal displays paper models of global monuments. The Associació Catalana d’Amics del Retallable is celebrating its 40th anniversary. The exhibition will be available until 21 March. Discover the history of architecture in miniature.

Barcelona has another unmissable date for those seeking original plans in the city. Until 21 March, the L’Illa Diagonal shopping centre hosts a free exhibition that turns world architecture into delicate paper models. More than one hundred landmark buildings, reproduced with artisanal precision, invite visitors to travel through centuries of history without leaving Les Corts.

The exhibition, entitled “Arquitectura en paper”, stands out for the painstaking work of the Associació Catalana d’Amics del Retallable, which is celebrating four decades of passion for this art. Its members have invested more than 4,000 hours in shaping cut-outs ranging from Egyptian temples to contemporary icons. Patience and manual skill take centre stage here, in contrast to the digital immediacy that dominates everyday life.

The route offers a chronological journey through architectural evolution, with stops on every continent and in every style. Barcelona takes centre stage, with models of the Sagrada Família, Casa Batlló, Museu de Zoologia and Park Güell, a nod to its role as World Capital of Architecture. Catalan heritage also shines through pieces such as Puente de Camprodon, Teatro-Museo Dalí and Santuario de Montgarri.

The exhibition does not forget the great international symbols: the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Taj Mahal, the Hungarian Parliament, Big Ben, the Brandenburg Gate and the Centre Pompidou join the collection, adding a global dimension and sparking the curiosity of visitors of all ages.

The Associació Catalana d’Amics del Retallable was founded in Barcelona in 1984, driven by the passion of a group of collectors and makers of paper cut-outs. Over the years, the organisation has promoted workshops, exhibitions and publications that have kept alive a craft tradition at risk of disappearing. Its work has helped ensure that the art of paper cut-outs remains present in Catalan popular culture, adapting to new generations and formats.

Updated: 5 March 2026, 19:40

The DondeGo editorial team has expanded the information with practical details about the exhibition at L’Illa Diagonal and the context of the 40th anniversary of Amics del Retallable. It is easy to fit into a diary and especially useful for families and architecture-curious visitors in Les Corts, with convenient public-transport access and a quick visit.