The house of butterflies

Casa de las Mariposas, Casa Rapallo, or Casa Rapallo-Campos, as it was known by its owners, is a prominent building in Almería, Spain, dating back to early 20th century and declared an asset of cultural interest. Situated in the heart of the Puerta de Purchena, Almeria's central neuronal district, designated as a historic site according to the Andalusian Historical Heritage Law in 1991. The building was constructed in 1909 according to plans drawn up by Trinidad Cuartara in 1905 on the site of an old hostel, at the junction of Granada Street and Puerta de Purchena.

The municipal architect aimed to ornament the city centre with a building that symbolized the growing economic and political power of the Almeria bourgeoisie. Indeed, the Casa de las Mariposas is a classic example of bourgeois and urban architecture, albeit on a larger scale: it was the tallest and most voluminous building in the city, with its four floors. The building is organized according to the principles of bourgeois architecture, divided into a basement, a central body for living, and a cornice, with a tall, modernist balustrade.

The corner is visually emphasized by a remodeled castiliche structure. The building has four floors, with the basement made of heavy materials and a lighter, more vertical structure in the central body, with a hierarchical decorative element culminating in the cornice. The building's butterflies, a symbol of the masonic affiliation of architect Cuartara, are a symbol of resurrection, immortality, and protection. After the renovation in 2010, the building was acquired by the financial group Cajamar for institutional use and currently serves as a meeting hall for 270 people.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons