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Practical data:
Location: Carrer
Fonollar, 2-6 Sitges (El
Garraf)
Qualification:
xxxxx
(3 on 5)
Present condition: Outside / Inside: Acceptable
Visits:
The Maricel Museum is open to visit, visits to the land side building are
allowed by appointment (see: Consorci
del Patrimoni de Sitges). |
History and description:
That
complex of buildings is located in the same place where it was the old
medieval Sitges hospital. Some of the elements of that old construction as
certain gothic arches still being part of the new construction.
In 1912 the millionaire Charles Deering starts with the help of Miquel
Utrillo i Morlius (engineer) the construction of Maricel Palace in order
to assure the conservation of his art collections. Deering bought the
houses in both sides of the street and arranged the buildings sea side
as his residence. That building has a tower with embattlements named
Torre de Sant Miquel (Saint Michael tower), and a bridge over the street
communicating both sides of palace.
The main gate of Maricel de Terra (Land section of palace) has an
impressive staircase leading into the Gold Room (the main room) and
through that to the Blue Room. Above that rooms are the cloister with a
fantastic view on the sea.
The decorative elements of façades are in part taken from other places
and in part commissioned by Deering to artists and manufacturers of
Sitges or Barcelona, as Pere Jou an sculptor who make the capitals of
windows.
The sea side of Maricel is today a Museum housing the art collection
of Charles Deering. The land side buildings are used as an events center.
Perhaps Maricel is closer of Noucentisme that of Modernisme (Art Nouveau),
but the ideas inspiring it are the same sustained by Art
Nouveau artists as Rusiñol, Casas, Utrillo and others
being part of
Sitges group. |
