Barcelona tore down its city walls more than 170 years ago, but some of its stones ended up in a brewery that still stands today

When Barcelona began tearing down its city walls in 1854, some of those stones found an unexpected new home: a brewery. Louis Moritz reused them to build the brewery he opened in Sant Antoni in 1864. The most curious thing is that some of them can still be seen on the ground floor of the Fàbrica Moritz, serving as a reminder of Barcelona before the Eixample district was built.

Although the building has changed significantly since then, it once again brews beer today and also hosts cultural events. In fact, anyone interested in exploring it has one more reason to visit: the Moritz Brewery is now the setting for two immersive experiences featuring theater, cocktails, and mystery stories.

From a military wall to the foundation of a brewery

Barcelona became so constrained by its city walls that in 1846, the construction of new factories within the walled enclosure was prohibited. The population was growing, space was scarce, and military restrictions prevented the city from expanding freely. After years of protests, the demolition of the walls began in 1854, paving the way for the construction of the Eixample.

That newly cleared route opened the door to new businesses outside the old city. Louis Moritz, a French brewer based in Barcelona, purchased some land on the newly opened Ronda de Sant Antoni and used the rubble from the demolition—a top-quality material that was sold off after the defenses were torn down—to lay the foundations and build the walls of his brewery.

But the building’s history didn’t end with the city walls.

The Moritz Factory also preserves an air-raid shelter from the Civil War

During the Civil War, Barcelona suffered continuous air raids, which were particularly devastating in March 1938. To protect the population, hundreds of air-raid shelters were built throughout the city, and one of them can still be seen on the ground floor.

During those years, the site also underwent its own changes. It was collectivized during the war, though it continued to produce beer. In fact, it maintained production for decades, until a severe crisis forced the facility to close in 1978.

The brand returned to the market in 2004, but the building on Ronda de Sant Antoni didn’t reopen until 2011, after being renovated by Jean Nouvel, the architect of the Torre Glòries. The project integrated the old tanks, machinery, and original structures into the gastronomic and cultural offerings that operate there today.