Casa de la Ardiaca - Archdeacons house - city archives

About Casa de la Ardiaca Archdeacons house

The archdeacons house, Casa de Ardiaca, can be found next to the Barcelona Cathedral in the Gothic Quarter of barcelona. It is found within the Jewish quarter, El Call.

Casa de Ardiaca was built around the 12th century utilizing the remains of the Roman city wall. At the end of the 15th century it was rebuilt by the archdeacon Louis Desparland in a Gothic style with Renaissance elements.

In the 19th century, Casa de Ardiaca passed into the hands of bourgeois owners, who modeled the courtyard in the form of a cloister commissioning architect Josep Garriga. In 1895 it became the seat of the Bar Association of Barcelona, and gained its famous modernist mailbox by Lluís Domènech i Montaner.

It was acquired by the City of Barcelona, in 1919 to serve as the Historical Archive of the City of Barcelona with remodeling by architect Joseph Goday. After the bombings of the Civil War (1936-1939) the townhouses on the outside of the wall were demolished and the current day broad Plaça Nova square was created.

On the outside from The Cathedral square you can see the remains of one arch of the Roman aqueduct that brought water into the city.

Image Gallery for Casa de la Ardiaca Archdeacons house

Click on any of the 27 images to open full screen gallery player

❮ ❯

Visiting Casa de la Ardiaca Archdeacons house

Inside is a very decorative Mediterranean courtyard with fountain that leads to a temporary exhibition space. Following the stairs up from the courtyard we get to a roof terrace with views of the cathedral.

The Temporary Exhibition space previously housed historic playing cards but is currently empty pending a new exhibition.

The interior courtyard, upper patio and temporary Exhibition space is free access.

Access to the historical archives is via appointment or online consultation.

What to take with you for Casa de la Ardiaca Archdeacons house

The ground floor interior courtyard and ornate fountain are accessible. The upper terrace is via stairs.

The playing cards museum on the ground floor is via two steps.

Day Trip Rucksack

Small 10L day trip and museums rucksack

Emergency Poncho

Small folded lightweight Water proof poncho for emergencies

Getting to Casa de la Ardiaca Archdeacons house

Address: Carrer de Santa Llucia 1, Barcelona. 08002

Casa de Ardiaca is located in the middle of the gothic quarter approximately equidistant from façade Catalunya on the green (L3) line or Jaume I on the yellow (L4) line of the metro network.