Reus, Baix Camp

About the place:

What do you think of discovering how the bourgeoisie of the city of Reus wanted to demonstrate their wealth, distinction and their Catalan identity when building their houses  in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century? Those bourgeois wanted a comfortable, luxurious flat loaded with decorative modern features as forklifts, gas, telephone, modern kitchen, bathrooms, etc..

We propose a set of tracks that take you through 12 of the 24 buildings that form part of the Modernist itinerary of Reus so that you can become authentic modernism recognizers. Are you ready to enter a world full of flowers, birds, leaves and fabulous characters? If so download the game here.

Direction tips:

Start the itinerary at the Gaudí Center located at the plaza Mercadal of Reus. Take the Monterols street located left next to Gaudi Center when facing the building. At no. 15 you will find the Casa Laguna. This is the first stop on the route. On reaching the junction of the Prim square continue straight along the Llovera street. In this section you will find 3 modernist buildings. We focus on 2 of them. Casa Tomàs Jordi (Nr. 19-21) and Casa Punyed (Nr. 47-49). Continue straight until you reach the Plaza Pintor Fortuny where you must turn left to enter the Prat de la Riba street. At nr. 41 you will find the Casa Sardà. You continue straight until the end of the market building. At the corner you will find the Prat de la Riba school (Nr. 36). To continue the tour get around the market taking the avenue President Companys. At the corner, you turn left into Sant Joan street.  Just in front of you, you’ll see the casa Gasull (Nr. 29). And next to it, the Casa Rull (Nr. 27). At nr. 32 you will find the Casa Grau. Go straight to the Plaza Prim where you turn right to take the Raval Jesus street. Halfway on a left corner, you will recognize that the Casa Munné by the gallery that connects the two facades. At this point turn left into the Jesus street to find the Casa Iglesias at nr. 3-7. At the corner with the Mercadal square you will find the Casa Navàs. Do not miss the opportunity to visit the magnificent interior of the Navàs house. 

The best season:

winter, autumn, summer, spring

Lunch tips:

If you want to have lunch in the city centre of reus, just go to La Tagliatella.

More info:

Casa Laguna ( C/ Monterols, 15) – 1904 -  Pau Monguió i Segura
The house presents some very characteristic things of the modernist style: ceramic for the decorations and wrought iron railing for the balcony. 

Casa Tomàs Jordi (C/ Llovera, 19-21) – 1909 – Pere Caselles i Tarrats
This house is built according to the typical floral style of Reus. The female faces at the the first floor balcony are very special.

Casa Punyed (C/ Llovera, 47-49) – 1900 - Pere Caselles i Tarrats
The facade includes a series of grotesque faces on the corbels of the first floor which correspond to a Christian king, an Arab and Chinese. On the third floor and the Crowning of the facade there are several Catalan symbols such as the four bars. The arches of the ground floor are a typical example of Modernism.

Casa Sardà – (Av. Prat de la Riba, 41) – 1896 - Pere Caselles i Tarrats
The railings on the balconies of the first and second floor are of wrought iron with typical modernist elements.

Escoles Prat de la Riba – (Av. Prat de la Riba, 41) – 1911 - Pere Caselles i Tarrats
The four facades are decorated with ceramic panels representing scenes from Jesus childhood. In addition to natural element of the decorations, we also find clear references to the Catalan national character with the rose of Reus and Tarragona’s and Catalonia’s coat.

Casa Gasull – C/ Sant Joan, 29 – 1911 - Lluís Domènech i Montaner
It is a building that combines the owner's house on upper floors and the spaces in the basement where there was initially a company exporting olive oil. While the facades are very simple, Modernism is present in the use of ceramics and wrought iron for the ornamentation.

Casa Rull - C/ Sant Joan, 27 – 1900 - Lluís Domènech i Montaner
The facades of the house are an example of combination of stone and brick. On the first floor You’ll see a balcony with outstanding floral decoration on the railing. The owner was a notary, which is evidenced by the several decorative symbols at the facade.

Casa Grau - C/ Sant Joan, 32 – 1910 - Pere Caselles i Tarrats.
You'll find many bay leaves, because of the linking of the Grau familiy with the Castle Llorach.

Casa Munné - Raval de Martí Folguera, 2 – 1902 - Pere Caselles i Tarrats.
Both facades have plentiful openings with balconies with wrought iron railings.

Casa Iglesias – C/ Jesús 3-7 – 1908 - Pere Caselles i Tarrats
The house was built in full splendor of modernism, which justifies ubiquitous decoration with plant motifs and decorative wrought iron railings of the balconies.

Casa Navàs – Plaça Mercadal – entre 1902 i 1907 - Lluís Domènech i Montaner
The house has an excellent interior, which retains almost intact. The stairs are really impressed.

For more information on the houses have a look at the website "Gaudí all Gaudí"where we extracted from part of the information on the buildings.  You can also request for a guided with the advantage that you can access the interior of some buildings which are normally closed to the public. Contact the Tourist Office for more information. (Gaudí Center, Plaza del Mercadal, 3, Tel. 977 010 670)

Photo: © ExploraTgn.cat