Barcelona Wax Museum - Banck of Barcelona
This building, built in 1873, originally consisted only of a ground floor that was designed by Domingo Balet Nadal on behalf of Mr. Cristobal Taltabull (father of the famous composer and musical pedagogue who received his name) and where the Compañia General de Crédito was located. El Comercio> founded by Ignasi Girona Agrafel.
The building is located on Passatge de la Banca, formerly known as Passatge del Comerç, as can be seen in Domènec Balet's original location map. Interestingly, the two nameplates of the passage are still preserved today.
In 1892 Mr. Pablo Sadó Perez, Manager of Crèdit Mutu Fabril i Mercantil, popularly known as Caixa Vilumara (in reference to the surname of the family that owned it), asked the Master Builder Domènec Balet for the project to go back. one more floor and added decorative elements, a balustrade and the plaque with the name of the financial institution on the roof.
As can be seen in the plan of the aforementioned Master of Works, which is below; drawn in black we see the original building with a single ground floor and in red the extension.
Plan of the facade: in black the old and in red the new
Plan of Domingo Ballet of the ground floor in black color that already existed
Ground floor plan today.
Plan of the first floor in red added by Domingo Balet
Balet & Clarasó: Art in Capital Letters
As we also explained in the life section, in September 2022 we discovered that the sculpture that crowns the building of the Barcelona Wax Museum is the work of Enric Clarasó i Daudí and to everyone's surprise, it had not previously been cataloged as part of her work, so she was a true stranger.
Original drawing of the Wax Museum sculpture made by Domènec Balet Nadal
Sculpture from the Wax Museum signed in the lower right by Enric Clarasó
Banck of Barcelona
Caja Vilumara began its activity in 1862 and ended its days in 1914, merged with the Bank of Barcelona, which acquired its shares and also this building, which was its headquarters.
During this period, the architect Josep Oriol Mestre was commissioned to add a second floor.
Boardroom
Inside safe box
Covered interior gallery.
Crédito y Docks
Years later, in 1922, the Bank of Barcelona went bankrupt and the building became the property of the Credit and Docks entity.
Enlarged photo with the name of the entity
The wax museum of Barcelona
In 1973, Enrique Alarcón decided to undertake a new project with the building itself: transform it into a wax museum. The architect and also the set designer, chose this property as he considered it ideal for the mystery and charm it conveyed.
Location: Pasage de la Banca Nº7.
Source: Arxivo Contemporaneo de Barcelona, Museo de cera de Barcelona; Wikipedia
More information on YouTube
History of the Barcelona Wax Museum
BARCELONA WAX MUSEUM 2020 - BARCELONAUTES
Interview with the Director of the Barcelona Wax Museum Mr. Angel Diaz
More projects by Domingo Ballet for the Vilumara family
In the work section of this website we can find more projects that Domingo Balet carried out for the Vilumara family, such as the Casa Vilumara (a twin building to the Casa Pere LLibre on Paseo de Gracia), an urbanization project for some land and the family pantheon:
Click on the image: to access all the information about the Vilumara and Pere Llibre house on Paseo de Gracia
Click on the image: Urbanization project of 5 blocks Calle Santaló with Travessera de Gràcia
Click on the image: to access all the information about the Vilumara Family Pantheon