Urban redevelopment on Fusteria Street in Barcelona's Gothic Quarter uncovered five houses built in the 14th century. These medieval houses were modified over the centuries until their demolition in 1909, which marked the transformation of the area to give Via Laietana its current appearance.
Among the findings is a well-preserved polychrome tile that is part of a complete ceramic mosaic featuring an image of Saint Anthony of Padua. Archaeologists were struck by the fact that the panel is located on the ground, which is unusual since such images are typically attached to walls. “The image of Saint Anthony of Padua is probably dated to the 18th century,” according to La Razón.
Archaeologist Toni Fernández Espinosa, who directs the excavation, compared the site to El Born. “These findings allow us to understand how architectural structures evolved from the 14th century to the early 20th century,” Fernández added, according to La Razón.
The excavation uncovered the ground floors and some cellars of the houses, along with medieval and post-medieval structures such as wells, deposits, and sewage networks. The site covers a total area of 239 square meters, with a length of 36.70 meters and a width of 6.50 meters. The team also recovered materials such as ceramics from different eras, metals, glass, and decorative architectural elements.
The excavation is under the supervision of the Archaeology Service of Barcelona (ICUB) and the Archaeological and Paleontological Heritage Service of the Generalitat, as mentioned by La Razón. The archaeological work will continue for approximately another month and a half to complete the analysis.
La Razón notes that the remains of this block of houses can be related to the remains of the Font de l'Àngel, of similar chronology, found earlier at Plaça de Correus. The Font de l'Àngel, one of the few public fountains of medieval Barcelona, supplied water to the port and welcomed travelers arriving by sea.
Research suggests that one of the houses may have housed one of the first documented museum collections in the Iberian Peninsula. The researchers are still unsure whether the religious image is an indication that the residence was a workshop dedicated to a trade under the protection of Saint Anthony of Padua.
According to National Geographic Historia, the identification of the archaeological complex led workers to exceed the initially planned work levels, requiring them to remove more earth to understand and interpret the findings. “When we found it, the construction workers were very happy and took photos,” Fernández recounted, according to El Periódico.
An informative survey in Plaça de Correus confirmed the past existence of a large monumental fountain.
The article was written with the assistance of a news analysis system.