Can Serra: Saving a Gothic gatehouse home for the History of Immigration Museum

Can Serra, located on the road to Mataró 124 in Sant Adrià del Besòs, is classified as a cultural asset of local interest. It houses the History of Immigration Museum of Catalonia. Once a residence of a wealthy merchant, the history of Can Serra is layered like its unique four-fronted house design. The story begins in 1828, when Josep de Martí i Serra died, leaving his heir as Josep de Martí i de Cardeñas, a nine-year-old boy, which sparked a conflict among his other five children.

In 1845, the prat d’en Pongem was sold to Llogari Serra i Vilarmau to prevent the bankruptcy of two of Josep de Martí's companies. Llogari Serra died later the same year, leaving half of the property to Josep Serra i Farreras and the other half to Vicenç Serra i Quingles, who sold their shares to Josep Serra in 1865. The property was expanded through several more acquisitions, and in 1877, the portalada gòtica of the destroyed Convent del Carme of Barcelona was moved to Can Serra and placed at the foot of the house.

The property passed to various owners until it was purchased by Antoni Rocamora i Pujolà, who renamed it Casa Rocamora. In the 1970s, the house was split into two independent residences, with part of the porch dedicated to the sale of furniture and ceramics. In the 1980s, a part of the property was expropriated by the Barcelonès County Council for the Ronda del Litoral works, and in 1997, six hectares of Can Serra were purchased by RCD Espanyol to build its Sports City.

The house was abandoned for some time and suffered from vandalism before being rehabilitated in 2004 to house the History of Immigration Museum of Catalonia.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons