In the Carrer de Salomó Ben Adret is the oldest inhabited house in Barcelona. Strolling through the streets of the historic center of Barcelona from time to time you come across an alley that seems to be designed by an architect with agoraphobia. They are those narrow streets where you can barely fit and from which the claustrophobic escape, but that look so good on a postcard and never resist the spotlights of the cameras of tourists.
The streets of the Gothic Quarter are so narrow and hidden that they do not even accept the access of the Google Street View Trekers. That happens with the street that is the protagonist of today’s anecdote, the Carrer de Salomó Ben Adret. Even Street View couldn’t get into it. And it is curious, because it holds one of the most unknown and peculiar relics of Barcelona: the oldest inhabited house in Barcelona.
It is located at number 6 of this street in the Jewish Zone, on the corner of Carrer de la Fruita . The first signs of habitation date back to the 12th century. Since then the house has been through it all. From the earthquake of 1428 (the reason it is leaning) to its post-war use as a brothel.
In 2000, it was renovated by a private individual to be used as a private residence. And the renovations at the site are not over: until recently, the street was called Sant Domènec del Call. So, ironically, the oldest house in Barcelona is on one of the streets with the newest name.
The house is, curiously, in front of <shortcode data-tag=”trackLink” 0=”link_url=”https://barcelonasecreta.com/barrio-gotico/”“>the ancient medieval synagogue, discovered a few years ago and which is one of the oldest in Europe. This corner of the Gothic Quarter is undoubtedly one of the oldest and most historic corners of Barcelona.