Franquet Passage

The Franquet Passage is catalogued as a cultural asset of great local interest and is included in the catalogue of historical buildings. It is a unique part of the city being part of a building of eclectic style built in 1877. It connects the Carrer dels Canvis and the Carrer de la Ciutat and gives access to the adjoining dwellings via two great stairs that are facing each other and are located in the very centre of the courtyard. At the time of its construction it was considered to be innovative in view of the style and structure used.

The building containing the passage was built on a site between medians that was in a privileged location next to the old boat bridge and close to the building that housed the old City Hall, now long gone. During the Civil War, it was preserved even though all the adjacent buildings were destroyed.

The facades are built of mortar-clad brick. They are decorated with simple but effective decoration, based on moldings, which were copied from other buildings of the time. The cornice is formed by permodules that have a decorative motif that resembles a large flower, below which a mortar arcade unfolds. The facing of the facade has a series of balconies with iron railings, highlighting the main floor through the small but careful corbels. The openings are mostly lintelled, although there are rounded arches in the central corridor. They are framed with door jambs and pilasters attached in the shape of a fluted shaft, as well as capitals reminiscent of the classicists. The facade of the ground floor is topped with natural stone with a finish in relief, while access to the passage is through an opening in a semicircular arch that houses a large wrought iron gate, a work of the Vericat family.