In the quiet Barcelona neighbourhood of Gràcia stands Casa Vicens, Antoni Gaudí’s first major work and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Built between 1883 and 1885, the building is a vivid blend of oriental and mudéjar influences, clad in green and white tiles that still dazzle visitors today.
Since 2014, Casa Vicens has been privately owned by the Andorran Mora family through MoraBanc, an unusual arrangement in a city where most major monuments belong to public institutions or foundations. The management has been entrusted to Emili Masferrer, an economist by training who moved into cultural heritage almost by accident after working in the bank’s investment department.
Masferrer explains that Casa Vicens seeks to distinguish itself by rejecting the current trend for technological spectacles. ‘We have deliberately avoided projections and immersive experiences,’ he says. ‘What we offer is authenticity: the house, the tiles, the ironwork and the woodwork Gaudí designed more than 140 years ago.’
The results have been striking. Visitor numbers climbed to more than 262,000 in 2024, generating €4.8 million in revenue, while maintaining a modest scale compared with La Pedrera. The team insists on prioritising quality over volume, aiming for a stable range of 260,000 to 300,000 visitors annually to avoid overcrowding.
The challenge now is balance: preserving the historic building while keeping it accessible to future generations. For Masferrer, Casa Vicens is not about spectacle but about substance, Gaudí’s art as it was meant to be seen.
👉 Join our WhatsApp Broadcast Channel to get all of the latest news delivered to your phone.
