Casa Cervantes, Cartagena
Carved stone and curving balconies on Cartagena’s main street, built on the fortunes of the mines.
At a glance
Casa Cervantes stands on the Calle Mayor, the showpiece street of Cartagena, a Spanish port enriched around 1900 by the silver and lead mines of its hinterland. Víctor Beltrí, the architect who gave the city much of its Modernista architecture, built it between 1897 and 1900 for the mining magnate Serafín Cervantes. Its stone front curves with Art Nouveau life.
Key facts
- Location: Calle Mayor 11, Cartagena
- Architect: Víctor Beltrí
- Built: 1897–1900
- Style: Spanish Modernismo (Art Nouveau)
- Built for: the mining magnate Serafín Cervantes
History
Cartagena’s mines made fortunes in the late nineteenth century, and the newly rich built mansions on the Calle Mayor to show their standing. Serafín Cervantes commissioned Beltrí, recently arrived from Catalonia, to design his.
Beltrí, the leading Modernista architect of the region, gave the house carved stone, ironwork and the flowing lines of Art Nouveau. It remains one of the landmarks of Cartagena’s Modernista trail.
What you see
The façade is worked in carved stone, with curved glass-and-iron balconies bowing out over the street and floral ornament around the windows. It belongs to the run of Modernista mansions that make the Calle Mayor a parade of turn-of-the-century wealth and taste.
Practical information
- Open: private building; exterior viewable any time
- Cost: free to view from the street
- Best for: the carved stone front and bowed balconies
- Time needed: 10–15 minutes
Getting there
The house is on the Calle Mayor in the heart of Cartagena, a short walk from the port and the Roman theatre.
Nearby
- Calle Mayor — the Modernista parade street
- Roman Theatre of Cartagena — the restored ancient theatre nearby
Sources
- Wikipedia (Spanish) — Casa Cervantes
- Ayuntamiento de Cartagena / Región de Murcia Digital — building information
- Wikimedia Commons — image source and licence
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