La Casa de la Seda

The elegant and mysterious Casa de la Seda is a beautiful and opulent building that stands next to the Palau de la Música Catalana and was declared an Architectural Landmark of National Interest in 1919. It opened to the public in 2016 to reveal 300 years of splendour and history.

Although the different professions in Barcelona had had their own guilds since medieval times, the city's silk makers didn't form their own association until the 18th century (the century when the guilds were at the height of their splendour). It was a boom time when the Casa de la Seda was a shining light and became the envy of the society of the day due to its beautiful architecture.

The Casa de la Seda was built between 1759 and 1763, and its façade features some of the most beautiful sgraffito work in Barcelona, depicting caryatids and atlantes, which coexist with another unique detail: the figure of Our Lady of the Angels on the corner balcony.

The interior has a whole host of surprises in store, including 16th-century documents and parchments, walls lined with silk, the float used to carry the Mystery of the Holy Thorn during Holy Week, which is the centrepiece of the guild hall, and a marble effigy of Christ in the president's chamber, both of them dating from the 18th century. It also has a library with a valuable collection of documents and a remarkable photographic archive.

This landmark building is also home to the Association of the Silkmakers' Art and is the only guild house to run guided tours every Saturday. It also hosts private functions and special events.