Angelina Torres Vallbona, who just celebrated her 112th birthday, is the oldest person in Spain and the 67th oldest in the world, according to LongeviQuest. When Maria Branyes of Olot passed away in August, she became the oldest Catalan woman and, since November, is also the oldest on the whole peninsula.
The fifth of seven siblings, Torres was born in 1913 (one year before World War I) in Bellvís, a village in the Pla d’Urgell region, although she moved to Barcelona with her mother when she was three. From a very young age, she learned her trade as a seamstress and later worked as a tie-maker at a shop on Portal de l’Àngel. At that time, the city “was like a village”, with a sense of fellowship on the streets, she remembers.
Around her hundredth birthday, Angelina, who has always been very active and dedicated to others, fell and broke her femur. So, she decided to leave her home on Gran Via and move in with her daughter Mercè near the Sagrada Família. Torres chokes up every time she talks about the Basilica, a project she has watched grow from the very beginning “stone by stone”. In fact, a few days ago a mass was held in the crypt for her birthday and she got to visit the inside of the Temple again, a very special moment she shared with her family.
A few days later, she met with us for this blog in the Eixample flat she shares not only with her daughter but also her granddaughter Gemma and great-grandson Mark. She welcomed us warmly and thanked us.
You turned 112 a few days ago. Happy birthday!
Angelina (A.): Thank you. I’m very happy!
How was your visit to the Sagrada Família and what does the Basilica mean to you?
A.: Thank God I’ve been able to watch the Sagrada Família grow, stone by stone. I remember when I was little and played in the square, I would ask the workers: “What are you doing?”, and they would say: “We’re building a church that will be the pride of Catalonia...”. Not just of Catalonia, of the whole world! It’s so beautiful!
I also remember the day I hugged a column on the Nativity façade when a worker told me he was working there. Too bad there isn’t a picture of that moment. It would have been a great photo (laughs).
And you (Mercè, Gemma and Mark), what did you think of the visit?
Gemma (G.): We really liked the guide, she explained all the symbolism, the colours... And being able to share it with the family and Angelina, who loves it so much, it was really special.
Mark (Ma.): It means a lot to have seen it with her. It’s really lovely!
What does the Sagrada Família mean to you?
Mercè (Me.): I’ve lived in the neighbourhood since 1970, and for me the Sagrada Família is like my second family. It’s like a constant companion. I work with the parish any time I can and give the reverend a hand.
Do you have any stories?
Me.: I had the honour of meeting Subirachs. He was a good man. Once I went to his workshop and I was amazed when he explained how he made the doors with wax.
What is it like living with four generations under the same roof?
Ma.: It’s strange and fun at the same time. I learn values and hear stories I can learn from every day. It’s a unique experience.
Me.: Angelina has shared loads of stories from when she was little and we love hearing them. We help each other a lot, we’re one big family.
G.: Plus, it’s lucky because she remembers lots of family stories, things the rest of us don’t know.
Angelina, what does living with your family mean to you?
A.: I’m very happy to be with all of them, and that we can chat and laugh all together. I’m so proud of my family. Thank you!
What do you think is the key to a long life?
A.: I’ve also wondered that. How have I managed to live so long? What have I done? When I wake up each morning, I think I have to help others and do good. That’s all.
Me i G.: Maybe the secret is eating a yoghurt every day. And she also loves chocolate. She doesn't deny herself anything.
What tips do you have for young people?
A.: To be happy and respect their elders, because they were young once too. And to take care of others whenever possible.
How have I managed to live so long? I've also wondered that. When I wake up each morning, I think I have to help others and do good. That’s all.
Angelina Torres Vallbona
How do you remember the Barcelona of your childhood?
A.: It has changed a lot. Before it was like a village. The Sagrada Família was surrounded by fields. There was a sense of fellowship. I remember playing with my friends in the street or how people would take their coca up to Montjuïc, to the Font del Gat, on Midsummer’s Eve. Then the war came and took away that joy. I was 17 and we had to queue up for food at night. Those were terrible years.
We finished off the interview talking about the future of the Sagrada Família and the completion of the tower of Jesus Christ in 2026, coinciding with the 100th anniversary of Gaudí’s death. All four of them are excited to see the finished Basilica and hope to keep joining “grandma” on more visits. “I’ve seen a lot, but I hope to see it all,” concluded Angelina.
