An alpine chalet by Sagnier in the heart of Sant Gervasi – Galvany
The southernmost part of the Sarrià – Sant Gervasi district forms a neighborhood whose official name is Sant Gervasi – Galvany, although it is more commonly known as the lower part of Sant Gervasi, Sant Gervasi Sud, or simply, Galvany. To clarify: it is the half of the former municipality of Sant Gervasi de Cassoles located between Ronda del General Mitre and Avenida Diagonal. Interestingly —and this is quite literal—, the name Galvany for this neighborhood actually originates from the one adopted by the local municipal market; in this way, it revives the name of the former landowner, Josep Castelló Galvany.
At the corner of Vico and Freixa
No matter what the neighborhood is called, we move to its northwest corner. At the intersection of Vico and Freixa streets, near Mitre with Ganduxer, we discover a turn-of-the-century mansion with Alpine inspiration signed by the ubiquitous architect Enric Sagnier, author of half a thousand works in Barcelona, with a strong presence in the Eixample, but also in the upper neighborhoods, where he built numerous second homes; the most famous of which, El Pinar, known as the haunted house of Tibidabo, was promoted by the banker Miquel Arnús. Before our eyes, the tower of another prominent figure: the Enric Cera house.
Abandoned for years, the summer tower of the doctor and promoter of the RACC is a secluded novecentista-style building, surrounded by a garden and still maintaining some formally modernist elements such as the glazed tiles with flower shapes. The layout of the property is typical of its kind: spacious and generous areas on the ground floor for daily and social life, rich in decorations and finishes; a first floor with the family's bedrooms, and, finally, an attic for the service quarters.
A century after the house was built, Núñez y Navarro purchased it in 2006 from the heirs of Enric Cera and began rehabilitation works in 2014 that are still ongoing. The building will be dedicated to offices and integrated into a complex of newly constructed residences. Work is underway to adapt the property to new uses and modern times, but with the goal of restoring all its original nature and grandeur. In Vico with Freixa, an unknown gem regains its former splendor.
