BARCELONA: CASA DE LA ARDIACA

Next to the Roman city wall is the entrance to the house of the Archdeacon (Casa de l'Ardiaca o Casa del Arcediano) from the 12th century, the Gothic-Renaissance residence of the archdeacon, which in 1920 became the property of the City of Barcelona and houses since 1921 and the historical archive of Barcelona.

The overall structure of La Casa de la Ardiaca is of Flamboyant Gothic style, although the sculptural details contain elements from the Italian Renaissance

The Roman city wall can be seen inside the building on the ground floor. The most interesting elements of this medieval building is the outer part, the patio (courtyard), the terrace and the "Salon des les pinyes" (pineapple salon).

As the building is against the Roman wall ( which can be seen from the interior of the ground floor) there was not enough space to place the patio inside the building, according to the canons of that time, so it had to be built at the entrance.

The architect Domènech i Montaner added to the Renaissance portal of Casa de la Ardiaca  a unique modernist marble-mail box with three swallows

In the courtyard of Casa de l'Ardiaca there is a large palm tree which was planted in the late 19th century 

Gothic elements of Casa de l'Ardiaca in the gothic quarter of Barcelona

The porticoed central courtyard of Casa de la Ardiaca has a Renaissance-style door with a triangular pediment and abundant reliefs. It was converted into a cloister in 16th century

In the courtyard, beside a large palm tree, there is the fountain which,  (60 days after Easter Sunday), is adorned by the traditional "l'ou com balla" (the dancing egg). In this picture the Roman city wall of Barcelona can be seen inside the courtyard on the right

So at the Corpus Christi day the fountain is decorated with flowers and fruits and an egg is laid under water jet. The egg will not fall, but turns and truns and dances with the water. This tradition is not only celebrated in Casa de l'Ardiaca, but also in other churches or buildings of Barcelona, with cloisters, or patio and fountain, like in the Cathedral of Barcelona.

A staircase leads to the upper terrace of the courtyard of Casa de l'Ardiaca in Barcelona, one of the most interesting places of this medieval house

Finally other interesting places to visit in the old town and the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona would be:

• Santa Maria del Mar
• Santa Maria del Pi
• Plaça del Rei
• Cathedral of Barcelona
• Church of Sant Just i Pastor
• Sant Felip Neri
• Call Jueu (Jewish Quater)
• Plaça Reial
• La Rambla
• Carrer Petritxol (Petritxol Street)
• El Raval
• Born and La Ribera
• Church of Sant Pere de les Puelles
• Ciutadella Park
• Roman City
• Picasso Museum
• Universidad de Barcelona