Portabella family pantheon
This Neoclassical-style pantheon with Doric columns and a pediment at the top where one of the great habitual symbols of cemeteries stands out, which is the uroboros, the winged serpent that bites its tail in a circle and that means the cycle of the life.
It was designed in 1892 by Domènec Balet on behalf of Josep Portabella Cots who was a businessman in the textile industry. It is located on plot number 12 of Via de Santa Eulalia, group 3, of the Montjuïc southwest cemetery.
On the right side of the main staircase you can see inscribed the number 12 and the architect's surname Ballet. Inside the pantheon it can be seen that there are two tombs, one of Josep Portabella Cots and the other of his wife Amalia Pavía.
This project was presented at the Second Fine Arts Exhibition in Barcelona in 1894.
Source: Archivo Municipal Contemporáneo de Barcelona; Diposit Digital de Documentació de la UAB
The news
Old photos of the Pantheon
Source: thedarkhousemar.blogspot.com
Virtual tour on YouTube:
Who was Josep Portabella Cots?
Josep Portabella Cots (16/07/1841 - 30/11/1921) He was a businessman in the textile industry.
The company was called "Manuel Portabella and sons" and on July 16, 1884 it merged with Camil Fabra y Compania, constituting the company "Sucesora de Fabra y Portabella" for 3 million pesetas. The managerial positions were distributed as follows: The presidency by Camil Fabra, vice-presidency: Manuel Portabella, managing director, Josep Portabella i Cots and Ferran Fabra i Puig as deputy manager.
The new company will maintain three factories, the one in Manresa dedicated to spinning and cotton fabrics, the one in Sant Andreu, el Vapor del thread, dedicated to spinning and twisting linen for sewing, and the one in La Sagrera dedicated to the manufacture of fishing nets. On the sidelines will be the factory that Portabella had near the Riera d'Horta. A determining fact for the future of the Can Portabella industrial complex.
The Fabra and Portabella business group had its registered office at Rambla de Canaletes, 8 and the number of workers was between 2,000 and 2,500 and the power to move the machines was 900 horsepower.
La Morera - The second residence:
Recently the singer Rosalía and her ex-partner Rauw Alejandro bought the Modernist style house called La Morera, which was the place of residence of Mr. Josep Portabella Cots in Manresa designed by the architect Ignasi Oms Ponsa rn 1903-1905.
More projects by Domènec Balet for Josep Portabella Cots:
