Barcelona’s last nativity shop Pessebres Puig stands as a living relic in the Sant Antoni neighbourhood, its future shadowed by the decline of traditional artisans.
The shop on Comte Borrell, run by 74-year-old Francesc Puig Joaquim, represents three generations dedicated to the craft of ‘pesebrismo’.
However, the owner warns that the trade faces extinction within years as skilled craftspeople retire without successors.
Barcelona’s Last Nativity Shop Holds Century-Old Legacy
The history of Pessebres Puig began in 1929 when Josep Planelles opened the first specialised shop in the area. Francesc’s father, a prize-winning nativity scene maker before the Spanish Civil War, purchased the business in 1967. Consequently, the family transitioned from manufacturing to wholesale distribution. A crucial decision came in the 1980s when they purchased their premises from La Caixa, securing the shop’s survival against rising rents that would later claim competitors.
Today, the shop operates for just three months each year – October through December – with Puig working alongside a single assistant. Despite this limited schedule, it attracts customers from across Spain and even South America. The business thrives on intergenerational tradition, with grandparents often bringing grandchildren to continue family nativity scenes. Furthermore, the shop maintains two stalls at the historic Santa Llúcia fair near Barcelona Cathedral, a presence dating back to 1917.
Artisan Tradition Faces Uncertain Future
The shop’s extensive catalogue features figures from 1.5 centimetres to half a metre tall, crafted from materials including clay, plastic, resin and wood. Prices range from half a euro to 1,500 euros for elaborate pieces. Many items come from artisans in Murcia, but Puig notes they’re gradually retiring. “There are fewer and fewer artisans,” he states plainly. “Within a few years this will end.”
This decline reflects broader cultural shifts. Puig observes that only one in ten Catalan families now creates nativity scenes, compared to five in ten Italian families. Schools have largely abandoned the tradition too. “Before, schools made their own nativity scenes and came looking for a shepherd, a cow. Now they don’t,” he laments. Meanwhile, the family’s wholesale business continues through Puig’s three sons, who supply major retailers and even export to Germany.
The physical shop’s future appears secure for at least another decade, with Puig’s eldest son planning to take over. The younger generation maintains the family’s artisan spirit, creating cork pieces and retouching figures. Nevertheless, the survival of the craft itself remains uncertain. As traditional shops disappear and artisans retire, Pessebres Puig represents not just Barcelona’s last nativity shop, but potentially the end of an era in Catalan Christmas traditions. The shop continues to draw visitors who marvel at its displays, preserving a tangible connection to Barcelona’s cultural heritage even as that heritage faces an uncertain future.
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